Expansion for Best Bar None Glasgow Awards
Glasgow’s Best Bar None awards are being expanded with three new categories and an extension into the East End of the city.
The moves are designed to boost this year’s entries to an all-time high and to recognise the efforts of smaller community based venues.
New categories for community pubs, hotel bars and restaurants will be created in response to interest from those sectors.
This year’s awards will be launched at an event in the Grand Central Hotel on April 17th. Licensees who are interested in taking part are urged to register for the event and download the application form from the Glasgow Best Bar None website www.bbnglasgow.com
The form will be available from April 10th and applicants will also be able to apply online via the site for the first time.
Eleanor Lee of Glasgow Community & Safety Services (GCSS) which runs the awards said: “We are hoping for in excess of 100 entries this year and are introducing these new categories in response to feedback from the city’s Licensing Forum.
“Smaller independent venues have told us they previously felt unable to enter as they don’t have the same resources as bigger chains. With this in mind, we have created a new category with more suitable criteria for community based pubs.
“We’d also urge licensees from the East End of the city to take part in the awards. Over the years, the awards have expanded to take in areas outside the city centre – we’re delighted to be able to include the East End this year and hope venues will come forward to take part.”
GCSS is also looking for licensees to join a new BBN users group to explore other ways to enhance the awards. This comes after GCSS held its first free BBN training seminar at its HQ in Bridgeton.
Thirty-eight award winners from venues including the Cathouse, Campus, the Arches and the Society Rooms attended the event which featured talks from Strathclyde Police.
Detective Sergeant Douglas Robertson is a Crime Scene Manager who works with forensic experts. He urged landlords to resist the urge to tidy up after a crime.
DS Robertson said: “Depending on the incident you may have broken glass, blood or body fluids. People’s first instincts can be to clean it up because it’s a health hazard for customers and staff. That’s only natural but we could collect forensic evidence such as fingerprints or DNA which could help progress an investigation.
“We urge venue managers to preserve crime scenes. Cordon off the area and keep people back, don’t disturb anything and allow officers to come in to an undisturbed crime scene.”
Sergeant Scott Cameron talked to publicans about their duty of care to customers – even after they leave a venue.
He said: “Publicans have a duty of care for all individuals when they enter their premises and it doesn’t end at the front door. After supplying them with alcohol, they also have a vicarious duty to ensure people, especially the vulnerable, are safe when they leave.”
Eleanor Lee of GCSS highlighted the new Best Bar None phone app which enables customers to find award winning venues in their locality at the touch of a button.
The app offers information, photos and reviews of Best Bar None venues in the city. It is now available for android phones as well as iphones. It can be downloaded for free at the BBN Glasgow website.
She added: “This Best Bar None training event was the first of two we are planning for award winners this year. This is a new initiative designed to enrich the package offered to BBN participants and to share and promote best practice in the licensed trade.
“We have been delighted by the enthusiasm with which it has been greeted by licensees and look forward to the next event.”
The seminar was funded by Glasgow City Centre Alcohol Action Group. Licensees wishing to register for the launch should phone 0141 275 7552.