Karen Peattie catches up with Arlene Campbell, national lead for Best Bar None Scotland to find out how the much-lauded industry safety scheme is developing
SINCE 2005, the Best Bar None (BBN) scheme has worked with bars, pubs, clubs, hotels and entertainment venues to help reduce violence and anti-social behaviour in communities across Scotland.
It started life as a pilot in Greater Manchester two years earlier where police had found little success with traditional methods of engaging with the licensed trade. Inspired by the Manchester results, Best Bar None’s first foray north of the Border came with a similar pilot in Glasgow city centre.
Today, there are 24 locally co-ordinated schemes administered by the Stirling-based Scottish Business Resilience Centre, each following the five key objectives set out in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Arlene Campbell is the national lead for Best Bar None Scotland. A seconded sergeant from Police Scotland with 14 years’ experience in a variety of roles including response policing, force control and communications, partnership working, licensing and community liaison/community safety, she has worked in urban communities and focused on community planning initiatives in north Glasgow, taking up her post with Best Bar None in April 2015.
“It’s really been picking up pace and we’re encouraged by the support for BBN that the licensed trade is showing,” she says. “When you sit down and explain to premises that the scheme is for their benefit and will make more people want to visit their bar, pub, hotel or nightclub because they’re deemed safer as a result of being a member of BBN, they get really interested.
“The assessment the venues undertakes covers the five key objectives of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and encourages them to use BBN as a vehicle to focus on due diligence.”
It is in every licence holder’s interest to invest time in:
• Staff training, perhaps even upskilling staff to hold personal licences
• Record-keeping, including staff training records and refusal books
• Assessing their licensing documentation and signage – ensuring it complies with the law
• Writing policies that take the law into consideration and ensuring staff are aware
• Reviewing IT and infrastructure to consider till prompts and CCTV if appropriate
The structure of BBN encourages all of the above and rewards venues for doing so.
Best Bar None Scotland, Campbell continues, sets out to create and promote a vibrant day and night-time economy in Scotland through accrediting those pubs, bars, hotels, nightclubs and specialist entertainment venues which provide improved standards of safety for their customers and seek to develop their staff, driving change and social responsibility in the licensed trade.
“Obviously we work closely with the SLTA but I think the fact that the scheme is supported by leading suppliers to the licensed trade – Diageo, Molson Coors, Heineken, Maxxium UK, Tennent’s and Chivas Brothers – is also important,” says Campbell. “Endorsement by these suppliers and, of course, the SLTA gives the scheme national clout and a shared voice. We also work closely with Best Bar None UK to share good practice.”
The scheme is also fully supported and endorsed by Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Government who work with BBN to set and develop the accreditation standards.
Premises recognised by BBN can display their accreditation plaque which shows customers that they are safe and well-managed licensed venues. “It’s all about working together with different sectors of the community as well as the licensed trade to create a safer drinking environment that is good for everyone – the people who live and work near licensed premises and other local traders, not just customers, owners, licensees and bar,” Campbell continues.
“BBN also helps to enhance working relationships with key agencies such as Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and local authorities, who act in an advisory capacity to support the assessment process. It’s really a win-win situation.”
However, not all local authorities are on board. “Currently, 400 premises are involved in 24 local schemes across 19 local authority areas,” says Campbell. “It is my job to reach out to those who have not yet engaged with us and, of course, we appreciate that there are local budget and staffing issues to take into consideration in some parts of the country.
“What we do stress, however, is that while there are set guidelines in place, schemes still have a degree of autonomy due to them being locally run. It’s not necessary a one size fits all scheme,” she points out. “Assessment processes can be undertaken by trained assessors from local authorities, Business Improvement Districts, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, SBRC staff and a team of independent assessors so there are a variety of options available.
“The key thing is that the focus for BBN is for consumers to have the ability to choose a safe location where the venues demonstrate a commitment to alcohol-related crime, ultimately making Scotland a safer place to live and visit.”
Meanwhile, Best Bar None Scotland runs a high-profile awards initiative with local awards ceremonies and processes for each individual BBN scheme culminating in the national awards in March. The 2015-16 awards saw the Murrayfield Experience in Edinburgh claim the title of National Champion.
“The awards are great recognition for those who have signed up BBN and not only do people get a great night out, they have the opportunity to meet like-minded operators who are striving to make their premises safe and enjoyable for the benefit of the their local communities.”
Hard-hitting campaign
Last month (August), Best Bar None Scotland launched a new national campaign – based on a highly successful campaign which ran in New Zealand – to raise awareness of the issues of social responsibility and education for individuals who have become vulnerable on a night out.
A video entitled “Good Night Out …?” is the first stage of the hard-hitting campaign showing three human stories behind how lives can be dramatically altered through vulnerability, where alcohol could play a factor. It also highlights how bystanders – including staff in the licensed trade – could have intervened and made a difference to public safety.
With each of the three stories, the video shows what happens and then tracks back the evening, showing the bar staff and members of the public the vulnerable individuals encountered along the way, and how they could have intervened to produce a different outcome.
Mandy Haeburn-Little, chair of Best Bar None Scotland, explains: “We wanted to produce a concept that would be challenging and which at various points in the film would provoke discussion and really make people think ‘well, what would I do’ and ‘what is the right thing to do’.
“Scotland has made a commitment to really looking out for the vulnerable in our society and this is an excellent example of how we can all help to make sure that our friends and loved ones get home safe.
“The “Good night out…?” campaign raises issues that are not easy to think about but as a socially responsible society they need to be addressed. Everyone enjoys a night out and no-one wants to think they are going to find themselves in difficulty so this is all about prevention.
“We will be following the video release with a code of practice for our members – The Bar Code – which was produced in association with Police Scotland. It sets guidelines for staff in licensed premises and how they can intervene and make a positive impact.
“As a third phase of our campaign within the trade, we will be rolling out training across Scotland.”
For further information about Best Bar None Scotland and how you can get involved, please contact Arlene Campbell at bestbarnone@sbrcentre.co.uk. Information is also available at www.bbnscotland.co.uk
CASE STUDY
Staff and the management team are key to driving forward change in the licensed
community. Through Best Bar None their efforts are rewarded with a plaque
and participation in an Awards process to gain local and national recognition
for their venue after an assessment.
The Imperial Bar, Airdrie & Coatbridge
National Winner
Heart of the Community Award
The Imperial Bar has been at the heart of Airdrie’s community for over 100 years and is proud of its fantastic relationships with customers, trade and community groups. Its motto is: “It is only fair to look after the people who look after us.”
The venue is very supportive of charities including Clarity for the Blind, MND, local football teams and donates to numerous schools, clubs and the local foodbank. Its lounge is used free of charge by Airdrie Amateur Operatic Society, the local drama and ramblers’ groups, the local Parkinsons Group and for fundraising nights. An acoustic night showcases local musical talent.
All staff are local and The Imperial Bar has a proud policy of recruiting part-time staff, students and educating younger staff in the trade.