Best Bar None Initiative Returns to Doncaster This Winter

An industry gold standard, the “Best Bar None” scheme is run across the country and is supported by the UK Home Office and major industry bodies. It is designed to help people make more informed decisions about where they can go to enjoy safe nights out in their local area, by taking into account things like the premises’ security measures, its licensing practices, the quality of staff training, and the general welfare of its patrons.

Last year, a total of 19 venues from Doncaster city centre met these rigorous standards and earned Best Bar None recognition. As the winter period fast approaches, and nights start to grow longer, a push is now being made to increase that number even further for 2025/26.

To that end, City of Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Police — who coordinate the scheme locally — are urging more businesses to nominate themselves for assessment by the end of November. In addition to city centre pubs and clubs, this year will see restaurants and hotels also having the opportunity to sign-up for Best Bar None, as well as venues from the Bawtry area.

Those that apply will be guided through the whole process by night time economy experts Urban Spark, who will make sure that applicants are supported in meeting all the relevant criteria. For instance, they will be introduced to the “Ask for Angela” campaign, which sees a code-phrase being put in place so that customers can signal when they need discreet help in a bar or pub.

Encouraging businesses to put themselves forward, Glyn Jones, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing and Safer Communities at City of Doncaster Council, said: “Best Bar None accreditation is a benchmark for excellence in the hospitality sector. When frequenting a participating venue, customers can rest assured that they’re in good hands.

“We want that to be the case for even more of our city’s licensed premises, which is why we’re delighted to be expanding the scope of the scheme this year in terms of both its geography and the type of businesses that can apply. Our goal here is to encourage the very best in safety standards and responsible alcohol management, so that people can enjoy themselves on their nights out in Doncaster, secure in the knowledge that they will be looked after.

“So, if you are a pub, bar, club, restaurant or hotel in the city centre or in Bawtry, please do work with us here. It’s an opportunity to really build trust with your customers, to strengthen relationships with the police and council, and to ultimately showcase your commitment to safety.”

Offering the perspective of a local business, Joshua Wilsdon, Owner of The Salutation in Doncaster City Centre, added: “We’re proud to be part of Best Bar None, not only because it celebrates what great hospitality is all about, but because it’s about creating a safe, welcoming environment where everyone can enjoy themselves. It’s a fantastic initiative that raises the bar across the industry and highlights the hard work venues put in every day to make our communities safer and, frankly, better places to be.”

Venues that want to put themselves forward for Best Bar None accreditation this year can express their interest by emailing elizabeth@urbansparkgroup.com and simon@urbansparkgroup.com. 

Best Bar None is one of many initiatives being run to help the people of Doncaster stay safe this winter. Through their ongoing Safer City initiative, the council and South Yorkshire Police are working closely together to make sure that members of the public can enjoy all that our community has to offer as the nights get darker.

As part of this collaboration, residents can expect to see an increased council and police presence in the lead up to Christmas, targeted patrols in hotspot areas, and the increased use of enforcement powers granted under the city centre’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). In addition to stepping up these routine operations, the council is also introducing other safety measures and resources to help protect the public on nights out. These include the return of the city centre taxi marshal service and the Safe Haven initiative. For more information about all of these, please visit the council website.