Organised by North Notts BID and held at The Elms Hotel in Retford, the event honoured 26 venues achieving Best Bar None accreditation for 2024/25, including 19 reaccredited businesses and 7 new venues who were presented with their accreditation certificates on the evening.
Best Bar None accreditation assesses businesses that sell alcohol against the core themes of venue management, staff training and care, customer safety and welfare, as well as customer service and community support.
Attendees included business owners, managers and their staff along with key figures from the community and hospitality sector. This included special guest Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands Combined County Authority, who presented the main Best Bar None Champion award to North Notts Arena in Worksop.
Sally Gillborn MBE, chief executive at North Notts BID, said: “Our North Notts Best Bar None Awards evening is a great way for us to recognise our local hospitality venues that are recognised as safe places to visit. It is also a great way to celebrate the successes of exemplars in their field and gives the owners, management and staff alike a well-deserved night out. Their dedication reinforces our commitment to creating a safer, more welcoming hospitality environment across North Notts, aided further by our services including Ask for Angela and WalkSafe.
“Those achieving their accreditations should be extra proud of their achievements as they represent a group of venues that led to the North Notts Best Bar None initiative recently being recognised as the winner of the Best Town/Borough Scheme at this year’s National Best Bar None Awards.”
Ten awards were presented across various categories:
- People’s Choice Award - Emma Iliffe, Tiger’s Den
- Best Leisure Venue - North Notts Arena
- Best Hotel - Ye Olde Bell Hotel
- Best Independent Venue - Idle Valley Tap
- Best Restaurant - The Elms Hotel
- Best Chain - The Dominie Cross
- Best Bar/Pub - The Liquorice Gardens
- Judges' Choice Award - Hodsock Priory
- Outstanding Contribution Award - Natalie Moran, Ye Olde Sun Inn
- Best Bar None Champion - North Notts Arena
For more information, visit the North Notts BID website, https://northnottsbid.co.uk.