Best Bar None

The Best Bar None scheme recognises licensed venues that go above and beyond, celebrating pubs, bars, club and restaurants in Leicester that provide a safe, enjoyable, and inclusive environment for all.

The pocket guide to a great night out: The Best Bar None mapFor venues: Find out how to apply for accreditation

What is Best Bar None?

In partnership with Leicestershire Police, Leicester City Council Licensing and Leicester City Watch, BID Leicester launched the Best Bar None scheme in Leicester in 2023. The scheme aims to raise standards across pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants that serve alcohol in Leicester.

The primary purpose is to promote excellence in the licensed trade, leading to a more enjoyable, safer experience for the customer and more collaboration between partners. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate quality operators.

The scheme started in Manchester in 2003 and has since grown to include towns and cities throughout England, Scotland, and Wales, as well as international locations. There are currently over 40 active schemes in England alone.

The scheme is supported by the home office and industry trade bodies and aims to reward licensees who have the correct policies and procedures in place to prove that they are safe, responsible, and well-operated.  

Venues in Leicester gained Best Bar None accreditation in 2023.

Best Bar None Awards Winners 

As well as gaining accreditation the five venues below won the following awards, for their outstanding performance in assessment and mystery shopping reports.

Cosy Club

Best National Pub/Bar

Firebug

Best Live Entertainment Venue

Mosh

Best Late Night Venue

East Street Lanes

Best Leisure Venue

Rutland & Derby

Best Independent Pub/Bar

The accredited venues listed below have demonstrated their commitment to excellence and responsible management, having undergone a thorough assessment process conducted by trained assessors:

  1. The High Cross
  2. Las Iguanas
  3. The Terrace Bar
  4. Walkabout
  5. The Royal Standard
  6. The Grand Union
  7. Genting Casino
  8. Turtle Bay
  9. Queen Of Bradgate
  10. The Friary
  11. 1573 Bar and Grill
  12. Cosy Club
  13. The Distillery
  14. O’Neills
  15. Donald Watsons Cocktail Bar (Vegan Bar)
  16. Mosh
  17. Grosvenor Casino
  18. The Rutland and Derby
  19. The Globe
  20. Bodega Cantina
  21. Veeno
  22. 2Funky Complex
  23. Soar Point
  24. Merchant Of Venice (Granby Street)
  25. Herb
  26. Kayal
  27. Firebug
  28. Bistro Live
  29. The Corn Exchange
  30. The Two-Tailed Lion
  31. Revolution
  32. Phoenix
  33. Sonrisa
  34. Pizza Punks
  35. Knight + Garter
  36. 33 Cank Street
  37. Little Sister
  38. East Street Lanes
  39. Frankie and Benny’s
  40. Lane7
  41. Sixes Cricket
  42. Roxy Ballroom
  43. Audrey
  44. Hogarths
  45. The City Rooms
  46. Platinum Lace
  47. Curve

    Information for venues 

    Applications for Best Bar None 2024 are now open!

    Please read all of the information on this page, and then fill out the short form below to start the process.

    What are the benefits for licensees?

    Benefits during the assessment process:

    • A development opportunity for staff to learn and develop their skills and knowledge
    • Builds confidence operationally – know that you are working to nationally recognised standards of excellence
    • Builds a positive relationship between businesses, the local authority, and the police, to ensure the city is a safe place to enjoy social time
    • Sets a benchmark for good practice and promotes excellence
    • Generate ideas to enhance work you already do, using free tools and resources to implement them

    Benefits after accreditation:

    • An opportunity to gain a nationally recognised, independent award, showing that your venue is a safe and welcoming place to visit
    • A chance to promote your venue and raise business profile as a safe place to enjoy a night out
    • Supports efforts to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour city-wide
    • A chance to gain additional promotion by featuring in a high-profile marketing campaign. Promotional materials will be distributed throughout the city, including to both Universities

     

    In a study of the perceived impacts of the scheme:

      %

      Agreed that BBN builds positive relationships between licenced trade, police, and local authorities

      %

      Agreed that it enabled the sharing of good practise amongst licenced trade

      %

      Agreed that the scheme positively supported efforts to reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder

      %

      Agreed that the scheme improved knowledge and skills in the responsible management of licenced premises

      Venues will be supported through the process, which involves an independent assessor visit and culminates with an awards evening at the City Rooms in November 2024.

      How does a venue get accreditation?

      The scheme rewards responsible licensees who:

      • Provide good management
      • Take pride in creating a safe and enjoyable environment for customers
      • Discourage binge drinking
      • Prevent alcohol-related crime

      Assessment process overview

      1. Initial meeting
      • Each venue will be contacted to arrange a convenient appointment to visit the premises or chat to the manager/ Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) on the phone or via a webchat.
      • This initial meeting will give clear instructions about completing the assessment and will be an opportunity for the venue to ask any questions.
      • During this initial meeting you will be given a BBN assessment pack, which will include a full guide to completing the assessment as well as a list of FAQs to answer any questions you may have about the process. 

      1. Full Assessment
      • The assessment and full inspection meeting will be completed face-to-face and should take no more than two hours.
      • Premises will be assessed by trained assessors and scored against the criteria.
      • The assessment will be scored and subject to reaching all the essential criteria the venue will receive Best Bar None Accreditation and, depending on their scoring, may be short listed for a BBN award which will be presented at an the awards ceremony in November, details below.
      • When returning to the venue to complete the full assessment the assessor will ask to see the completed paper version of the assessment that was left with the venue at the initial visit.
      • Venues should have completed this to the best of their knowledge and gathered any supporting documentation and evidence.

       

      1. Awards evening
      • Venues will be invited to the Best Bar None awards event on Thursday 14th November 2024 at The City Rooms, tickets will be available to buy later in the year.
      • Premises that have achieved accreditation status will be presented with a Best Bar None recognition plaque.
      • An award for the best premises in each category will also be given as part of the evening. Categories will be announced over the coming months and tickets will be on sale soon.

      Start the application process today

      To start the assessment process please click below to complete a short form. We will contact you to arrange the initial visit with a trained assessor after we receive this.

      Leicester Best Bar None Awards 2023

      Documentation

      Below is a list of documents that will be required as part of the full assessment process; these will vary depending on the size of your operation. It may be that some of these records are not applicable, however some are mandatory. Details of mandatory documentation will be provided in your BBN support pack.

      If you don’t have all these documents/policies in place, please do not worry, we will discuss as part of the initial meeting and full assessment process and will be able to provide you with policy and procedure information and templates as required.

      Documentation checklist:

      • Premises License
      • Incident log / reports
      • Evidence of staff meeting /Security Briefings
      • Door supervisor Register /Company details
      • Search Policy
      • Drugs Policy
      • Drunkenness policy
      • Duty of Care Policy -vulnerable people
      • Accidents recording book
      • Capacity Log
      • Fire Risk Assessment & logbook for evacuation & checks alarm, lighting etc.
      • Gas & Electrical Safety (5 years hard wiring) check records Dates
      • Health and Safety Risk Assessment (Noise)
      • Public / Employer Liability Insurance
      • Age Verification Policy
      • Staff training records

      Downloads:

      To support you throughout the process, there are template policies available to download below.

      Template Policy Downloads

      Capacity Management Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Checking ID policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Counter Terrorism, suspect packages policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Crime Disorder Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Crime Scene Preservation Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Dispersal Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Door Staff Induction [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Drink Spiking Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Drug Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Drunkenness & Disorderly Behaviour Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Gambling & Protecting Vulnerable People Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Glass Collection Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Lost & Found Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Noise Nuisance Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Promoted Event Risk Assessment [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Proof of Age Challenge 21 Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Proof of Age Challenge 25 Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Responsible Alcohol Retailing Challenge 21 Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Responsible Alcohol Retailing Challenge 25 Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Safeguarding and Vulnerable Persons Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Search (Customer) Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

      Weapons Policy [DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE]

       

      Ask For Angela

      Ask For Angela Poster [DOWNLOAD]

      Ask For Angela Policy [DOWNLOAD]

      During the inspection stage, each venue will be required prove that their premises have the appropriate interventions, policies and procedures in place.

      Venues will be required to demonstrate that the policies and procedures have been communicated to members of staff, these records need to be maintained, and venues may be asked questions about policies they have in place relating to, for example, managing disorder.

      Venues should assemble documentation in the folder provided that shows all policies and/or procedures, all safety certificates (unless displayed within the venue), records staff training and any other documentation relating to the assessment criteria. This process can also be digital.

      Venues may also want to highlight any further initiatives that they undertake that can support their assessment, for example free soft drinks for designated drivers, a family offer or supporting town centre events that occur throughout the year.

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