Experience Guildford Asks Town’s Night Spots: Are You Our Best Bar None?

Published on: 28 Mar, 2016
Updated on: 31 Mar, 2016

Pubs and bars in Guildford are being invited to be assessed for Experience Guildford’s Best Bar None scheme.

Now in its third year, Best Bar None has become the benchmark for best practice in the night-time economy of the town, highlighting those venues demonstrating hard work and commitment in creating safe, responsibly run and inviting town centre drinking establishments.

The Best Bar None scheme is proven to be a major contributor to tackling alcohol-related crime and disorder in towns and cities across the country.

Guildford’s town centre pubs, bars and clubs have embraced the scheme, resulting in a reduction of alcohol related issues by over 50% in the last three years.

Best Bar None has also been instrumental in the town achieving Purple Flag accreditation for the second year, recognising Guildford as one of the safest areas to enjoy an evening and night-time experience in Surrey.

Categories of this year’s awards include: Best National and Independent Pub, Best National and Independent Bar, Best National and Independent Late Bar, Best Entertainment venue, Overall Best Bar None Winner.

A total of 17 venues entered the awards across the six key categories in 2015. Each venue was assessed and judged by an expert panel on their delivery of four set operational criteria, covering prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, protection of children from harm and fire safety.

The Boileroom was Best Bar None overall winner in 2015.

Best Bar None Award Winners for 2015 included: the Boileroom – Best Bar None Overall Winner, The Boileroom – Best Independent Pub, the Britannia – Best National Pub, G Live – Best Independent Bar, Radisson Blu Edwardian’s MKB Bar – Best National Bar, The Legion – Best Independent Late Night Venue, JD Wetherspoon’s, Lloyds No1 Bar – Best National Late Night Venue.

Stuart Craggs, night time economy manager at Experience Guildford, the town centre’s Business Improvement District, said: “We’re delighted to be launching Guildford’s third Best Bar None Awards and have already received a huge amount of interest from the town’s night-time economy.

“Awards such as these demonstrate Guildford’s commitment to providing a welcoming and safe night-time environment and are a major contributor to the town gaining Purple Flag accreditation for a second year.

“We have a thriving night-time economy here in Guildford and an excellent working partnership between the pubs, clubs and restaurants of the town along with key stakeholders, such as Guildford Borough Council, Surrey Fire and Rescue, Surrey Police, Experience Guildford and community charity group, Street Angels.”

For more information on Guildford’s Best Bar None Awards and other initiatives to enhance and promote Guildford’s safety visit www.experienceguildford.com or email Stuart Craggs on Stuart@experienceguildford.com.