Nottingham’s top bars, pubs and clubs gathered together for an evening of “magic, music, comedy and Burlesque” last night, to celebrate this year’s winners in the Best Bar None awards – the national scheme supported by the Home Office aimed at promoting responsible management and operation of licensed premises.
Sponsored by local brew Shipstone’s and independent wholesaler HB Clark who both provided the welcome drinks, the ceremony and three course dinner took place at Nottingham’s Crowne Plaza Hotel. Other sponsors of the event included multinational alcoholic beverage company Diageo, importers of Spinato Prosecco Piemonte, plus Nottingham-based businesses Reviva, a soft drinks manufacturer, Deli-cious who make handmade chocolates, law firm Fraser Brown and Pubwatch.
Dusty Limits, a favourite name on the London burlesque circuit, hosted what many agreed was one of the most entertaining evenings since the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) assumed responsibility for administering the Best Bar None scheme in the city in 2010.
The winners in various categories were chosen by both a panel of judges – based on merit from scores received during an assessment – and also voted for by the public. This year it was arguably Nottingham’s most well-known and highly acclaimed venue, Rock City that swept the board – winning Best Club in both the judges’ choice and public choice categories, before being announced as the Overall Best Bar None Winner 2013.
“We’re very proud to be involved in the Best Bar None Award scheme and would like to thank everyone who participated and made it possible. We believe that working together as a team throughout the city makes Nottingham’s nightlife a vibrant and safe environment for all to enjoy,” said Bartholomew Easter, club development manager at the DHP Group who own Rock City.
David Lucas, chair of the Nottingham BID’s licensing advisory group, agreed that Rock City was a very worthy winner in all its categories.
“In Nottingham we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to bars, pubs and clubs. We have a vast array of top quality venues that all play a big role in helping our night-time economy thrive. But achieving a Best Bar None award requires being able to demonstrate strong practices and systems that aim to maintain and improve the very highest standards of operation, so for Rock City to have won in both the judges’ choice and public choice categories, plus achieving the Overall Winner award, is hugely impressive.”
David Lucas continues, “Winning these awards highlights that Rock City firmly places the well-being and overall experience of its customers at the heart of its business and the managers and staff should be very proud of such a fantastic achievement.”
Nottingham’s 2013 Best Bar None Award Winners:
Best Medium Bar – Judges Choice
Bodega
Best Large Bar – Judges Choice
Revolution Hockley
Best Small Pub – Judges Choice
New Foresters
Best Large Pub – Judges Choice
Squares
Best Club – Judges Choice
Rock City
Best Meduim Bar – Public Choice
Rescue Rooms
Best Large Bar – Public Choice
Pitcher and Piano
Best Small Pub – Public Choice
Spanky Van Dykes
Best Large Pub – Public Choice
Pit and Pendulum
Best Club – Public Choice
Rock City
Overall Best Bar None Winner 2013
Rock City
