Home Office alcohol official to speak at BBN event

A top Home Office official, who deals with alcohol policy, has been revealed as the keynote speaker at the first National Best Bar None (BBN) conference.

Mark Cooper, deputy head of the Home Office's alcohol and strategy unit, will address delegates at the event at Doncaster Racecourse on September 23.

Lord Redesdale, BBN's chairman and owner of the Redesdale Arms in Northumberland, will also speak along with the BII's chief executive John McNamara.

Issues such as the legal benefits of BBN, how to gain funding and sponsorship and how to evaluate schemes will also be addressed.

Best practice will also be rewarded with the Most Innovative Best Bar None Scheme Award.

Schemes are invited to enter the competition now and, following a paper judging, four finalists will be selected and invited to outline the reasons why it should be recognised as the 'most innovative'.

The winner will then be announced towards the end of the conference and presented with a prize of £2,500 donated by the Home Office.

John McNamara, BBN chief executive, said: "BBN has the potential to make an impact in all towns and cities in the UK and we hope that this conference will boost existing schemes and galvanise potential ones into action."

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