Celebrating the best bar none in annual awards (From Durham Times)

Celebrating the best bar none in annual awards

12:05pm Friday 26th June 2009

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AN awards scheme for pubs and bars that has proved a success in Durham City is to be extended to other parts of the county.

Best Bar None was launched two years ago by the police and the then city council to promote high standards and good management in the city’s nightspots.

It was part of an overarching initiative called Durham Night Safe, which also included things such as marshals at taxi rank and the introduction of polycarbonate glasses at the most popular venues.

Officials say Best Bar None has helped to contribute to a drop of more than a third in violent crime in the city centre.

Carol Feenan, city centre co-ordinator with the county council, said the plan was to launch similar schemes in other towns with a lively nighttime economy.

“Consett will probably be the next one to get it and it will probably be done later this year, ‘’ Ms Feenan said.

“I would like to think that we could end up with a county- wide Best Bar None with the winners of the various categories from each town or area.

“Some of the licensees from Consett came to our awards night in Durham to see it for themselves and they were very keen on it.

“It has been very successful in Durham and has built year on year. We had 36 entrants last year and 36 this year. We had six new participants this year, and there were 36 entrants out of 48 premises compared with 36 out of 52 last year.

“If it wasn’t for premises closing we would have had a higher total number of entrants.

“There has been a 35 per cent drop in crime in the city centre over 17 months. Best Bar None has contributed to that along with other elements of Night Safe.’’ Police and council officials are starting to discuss the detail of expanding Best Bar None.

The Loft nightclub, managed by Scott Guy, was the overall winner of Durham’s Best Bar None and the nightclub category winner. The Best Bar was the Bishops Mill, Guy Stoker. The Best Pub was the Half Moon Inn, run by Keith Draper, and the Best University Bar, was St Chad’s College, under the stewardship of Ed Cam.

And the winners are...

PUB CATEGORY

Winner: The Half Moon Inn – Run by Keith Draper, the long-serving licensee and chairman of the city’s Pubwatch scheme, the popular pub in New Elvet was named winner of the pub category for the second year in a row.

Runner-up: The City Hotel – Until recently known as Scruffy Murphy’s, the 200-year-old New Elvet hostelry was restored to its former identity by new owner Peter Rivett and was only just pipped to the title by its near neighbour even though it was taking part in the competition for the first time.

BAR CATEGORY

Winner: Bishops Mill – The biggest bar in the city, which is located in the Walkergate complex, the JD Wetherspoon pub improved on its runners-up spot last year.

Runner-up: Market Vaults – Situated in the depths of Durham’s Victorian Indoor Market, the pub improved on last year’s third place and completes quite a double for owners Dave Collins and Gillaine Armstrong, whose other bar, The Telegraph, was named overall winner of Newcastle’s version of Best Bar None.

NIGHTCLUB CATEGORY

Winner: Loft – Scott Guy, manager of the Vimac Leisure-owned club, completes a hat-trick by winning the title for the third year in a row, including last year’s victory which made him the youngest winner in the country at the age of 22.

Runner-up: Studio – Also run by Scott Guy, The Studio has completed its own hat-trick by finishing runner-up behind its sister club for the third successive year.

UNIVERSITY BAR CATEGORY

Winner: St Chad’s College Bar – Led by bar president Ed Cam, the North Bailey bar took the title at its first attempt, after impressing judges by, among other things, filming their own training videos.

Runner-up: University College – Run by college bursar Vivian Flowerday, the student bar is based in the undercroft of the magnificent Durham Castle.

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