Best Bar None aims for 150 UK schemes

The man heading the national rollout of Best Bar None hopes the number of schemes will almost double to 150 over the next year.

It's after the Home Office agreed to extend funding for the accreditation scheme by around £20,000 to let its work continue for another 12 months.

BBN chief executive Neil Robertson pointed out that schemes contribute to big falls in late-night crime — and urged the Government to back them instead of pursuing the mandatory retailing code.

He said the Home Office funding will be used to support administration and its annual conference.

"It's enough to keep us going for another year," Robertson told the Morning Advertiser.

BBN sees pubs and clubs tested across areas including search policies and procedures for stopping underage sales. Bars that meet standards gain accreditation.

"It's starting to have a real impact," Robertson said. "What we are seeing with Best Bar None is a significant reduction in crime; in areas with more mature schemes like Manchester we are seeing falls of 20-odd per cent.

"No one's claiming that's all due to Best Bar None, but it's a key strategy in those areas. It proves a voluntary code works."

He said fears have been expressed that Government's proposed mandatory code, which will let councils attach stringent licence conditions on multiple venues, will mean more authorities following the lead of Oldham.

All 22 bars in central Oldham face licence reviews and strict trading conditions including having a "post office-style" queuing system.

Robertson said voluntary schemes like BBN are "more powerful" than the "heavy stick" approach the Government plans. He said areas designated a priority by the Home Office will be approached first to see if they want to adopt BBN.

Robertson said: "We would like to see 150 schemes by this time next year. There are 80 now so it's a big jump, but it's possible."