Stone pubs aim to be Best Bar None

Eight pubs  in Stone are hoping to become Best Bar None in a competition run by Stafford Borough Council.

Fifteen premises from across the borough have entered ‘Best Bar None 2011’, a competition that is held in around 100 towns and cities up and down the country.

The venues flying the flag for Stone are The Poste of Stone, The Royal Exchange, The Swan, The Crown and Anchor, The Star, The Talbot, The Three Crowns and Granville’s.

The contest is designed to raise standards in establishments in Stone and Stafford town and make socialising at night a safer, more pleasant experience.

It was launched earlier this year and a team of officers from Stafford Borough Council, Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue service has assessed outlets. They were awarded scores in criteria aimed at increasing public safety through preventing crime and disorder. An independent judging panel will now look at the assessments, to decide the best in each category and the overall winner.

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It is the second year of the successful scheme, with The Crown and Anchor being awarded the People’s Choice for Stone in 2010. The Swan shared the Best Pub prize with Stafford’s Picture House.

The awards are a borough council initiative to bring together local organisations and licensees to help reduce the amount of alcohol-related crime in the borough.

“Initiatives such as Best Bar none have helped to reduce violent crime in Stafford by 29% over the last year,” Councillor Patrick Farrington, Cabinet Member for Community said “and credit should go to all those venues who go above and beyond their call of duty to look after their customers’ welfare.”

Judging will be taking place next month with winners being announced at an award night in September.