Exeter wins national award for work to reduce alcohol related crime and disorder

A scheme aimed at reducing alcohol related crime and disorder in Exeter has won a national award.

Exeter’s Best Bar None initiative scooped the Most Innovative Scheme at Best Bar None’s Awards ceremony held at the House of Lords on Tuesday night.

Exeter’s innovation has been to develop a mobile app which allows people to find out how long queues are at night clubs in the city. The aim of Queue Tracker, which is being rolled out this spring, is to prevent issues arising outside clubs with excessive queuing. The app was developed by a student at Exeter University and will be able to be transferable to other towns and cities in the UK involved in the Best Bar None scheme.

Supt Sam De Reya, Chair of Exeter’s Community Safety Partnership, said: “I am delighted that Exeter has been recognised for all the hard work that has gone into making the Best Bar None scheme a success.

“The new app will give club-goers up-to-date information allowing them to make an informed decision and hopefully spread capacity around, reducing any issues around noise, nuisance and anti-social behaviour.”

Best Bar None was launched in Exeter in 2016 with the intention reducing alcohol related crime and anti-social behaviour and increasing business through the delivery of education training and the promotion of best practice to broaden the appeal of Exeter and its evening night time economy.

Best Bar None is a national accreditation scheme supported by the Home Office. Licensed premises involved in the scheme are subject to inspection by a mystery shopper who look at all procedures involved with the day-to-day operation of a pub such as ensuring that under-age drinkers are not served at the bar.

Chair of the Exeter Best Bar None Scheme, Dominic Borg, said: “Best Bar None continues to go from strength to strength, allowing businesses to follow best practice and providing customers with the assurance that they are visiting a well-run and safe  establishment.

“Last year we were runners up in two categories – the Best New Scheme and Best Scheme categories – so this year we’ve gone one better. This is great news.”