About Best Bar None Scotland

What is Best Bar None Scotland?

Best Bar None Scotland is a national accreditation and award scheme for licensed premises.

Participants are given lots of support and advice to improve the safety of their staff, premises and customers and to adopt high management standards.

The scheme is open to premises across Scotland

  • Pubs

  • Bars

  • Independent Pubs
    (less than 5 venues by one chain/group/owner)

  • Independent Bars
    (less than 5 venues by one chain/group/owner)

  • Hotel Bars

  • Nightclubs

  • Specialist Entertainment Venues

It's currently operational in the following areas:

  • Aberdeen

  • Edinburgh

  • Fife

  • East Ayrshire

  • South Ayrshire

  • North Lanarkshire

  • South Lanarkshire

  • Perth

  • Dundee

  • Glasgow

  • Inverness

  • Dumfries

Coming back in 2024:

  • Falkirk

  • Stirling

  • East Dunbartonshire

  • West Lothian

  • Mid Lothian

  • East Lothian

The scheme is backed by the drinks industry in Scotland, as well as Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Licensed Trade Association – and co-ordinated nationally by Retailers Against Crime (RAC). It’s also supported by councils, business improvement districts (BIDs) and the Scottish Government.

What our award winners say

  • It was great to have won the prize for Best Independent Bar but to have picked up the National Champion 2014-15 Award was a complete shock and I really can’t wipe the smile from my face!“I am beyond delighted for the team at Johnny Foxes and The Den but also for Inverness. To have two winning venues from the city is a great testament to the talent here. Best Bar None is a great initiative to be a part of and the awards are really taking over others in the industry as it’s so focused and structured.

    National Champion Best Bar None and Best Independent Bar
    Don Lawson who owns Johnny Foxes and The Den

  • I was very happy that we got into the final five out of 500 entries and then absolutely delighted when we won. There is a great team at The Corbie Inn and the award would not have been won without them.

    Heart of the Community National Award Winner
    Corbie Inn, Bo’ness, Owner Gail Fairholm

  • We were thrilled to win this prize particularly being part of a larger chain we work very hard to ensure we’re seen as a local bar.  “It’s great to see Inverness recognised in this way particularly as we were competing with venues from all over Scotland. It’s a great honour for the bar’s team to have their efforts rewarded. We are proud to be a part of Best Bar None and strongly support what it does to continually raise the standards of licensed premises throughout the country.

    National Best Hotel Bar Winner
    Susan Latto, Operations Manager at Arts Bar in The Mercure Hotel

  • It’s quite an honour to have been awarded Best Pub and we’re really pleased to have picked up the prize considering the standard of everyone else in the category was so high. It’s great to see the team’s hard work and effort rewarded in this way. It’s the second year we have been a part of Best Bar None and I’m delighted to see our development this year. The initiative is an important part of the industry in Edinburgh as it offers the public assurance that they can rely on the standards all BBN venues provide.

    Winner Best Pub Winner National Awards
    The Three Sisters in Edinburgh. Tom Griffiths, Acting General Manager

  • We are all very proud at The Garage to have won an award for Best Public Health Initiative.   We hope this award can showcase “Dry Aberdeen's” tag line of you don't need to be wasted to have a good time.

    Best Public Health Initiative Winner
    Chris Conway, Manager of The Garage

  • We are thrilled to have been recognised for our Girls United campaign that has captured the imagination of our clubbers, police and local authorities. By taking simple steps, such as installing mobile phone chargers, distributing personal safety cards and promoting emergency telephone numbers, including university wardens and approved taxi firms, we have made a real difference in helping our female customers stay safe on a night out.  This initiative has been a team effort and we are very proud to be this year's title holders.

    Best use of Innovation Winner
    Ruth Chisholm, General Manager of The Institute, Aberdeen

  • My wife Margaret and I and all the staff were at the awards ceremony and are over the moon about the award.  We have had lots of customers coming in and telephone calls congratulating us.  Everyone works very hard so it is great to have received this recognition of our work.

    Best Bar Winner
    Tam O’Hara, Licensee of the Glenmavis Tavern

  • A huge thanks to all of my team for their hard work in not only getting us to the local BBN awards but for making it to the national level it’s a real pleasure to have won. Bon Accord has won many awards in the past for our whiskies and beers but to get one for our security and customer experience is a great achievement. “We are happy to be a part of the Best Bar None Initiative and my thanks also go to all of the sponsors involved.

    Best Independent Pub Winner
    Paul McDonagh, owner of Bon Accord

  • Best Bar None is a fantastic scheme which is doing a great job in raising the standards of licensed premises throughout Glasgow and the rest of Scotland. It’s an honour to be recognised at the awards and I’m delighted my team’s hard work and effort has been rewarded in this way. It’s a great accolade for the club but for the city as well.

    Best Nightclub
    Gavin McGriesh, Owner at Campus Nightclub

  • We are delighted to be winners of a National Best Bar None Award for the second year in a row. Last year it was for our public health initiatives and this year by, thanks again to the great work by our staff, continuing to work in close partnership with Police Scotland and the local authorities we have been recognised as the Best Specialist Entertainment Venue, ensuring a safe and fun environment for our diverse membership.

    Best Specialist Entertainment Venue
    Gary Paterson, President of USSA

What else you need to know

  • There are lots of great reasons to sign up to take part in Best Bar None in Scotland.

    Help and support – We’ll give you advice on ways to make your business safer, improve standards and be more sustainable – and give guidance on the latest policies and legal requirements.

    Training – We’ll advise you on opportunities for your staff to access formal training in issues such as drug awareness, conflict management, vulnerable people and duty of care, social media and counter terrorism.

    Assessment – Taking part in Best Bar None offers you an annual assessment of your venue. (We base this on Licensing Scotland objectives). The assessment can help your day-to-day practices, in turn making you more attractive to customers (boosting your profitability).

    Awards – Depending on your progress in the scheme, you’ll be given a bronze, silver or gold award – which you can display on your premises. We’ll also invite you to a local awards ceremony to share your success (and get extra attention for your business). Leading businesses are also invited to take part in our national awards scheme. Normally awards take place in the spring of each year.

    Extra recognition – In addition, we publicise the success of venues through our website, social media channels (Facebook and Twitter) and by helping Best Bar None venues get press coverage in the local and national press.

    Insurance savings – Accredited premises can also make savings on insurance of between 10 and 20 per cent.

    Partnerships – Taking part in Best Bar None will bring you into contact with a range of public and private sector partners to help you and your business.

    Read our factsheet on the four simple steps to achievement and award status

  • When can I apply to take part in Best Bar None Scotland? You can apply to take part in Best Bar None Scotland at any time in the year. Generally, assessments take place in the summer/autumn and award ceremonies are usually held at the start of the year. Local co-ordinators will give you more details on how you can work to the different standards.

    Get in touch with your local co-ordinator or our national development officer to get involved

  • Best Bar None was developed by Greater Manchester Police in 2003 as a response to increased violence and anti-social behaviour in and around licensed premises. It aimed to reward positive work within the licensed trade - improving standards and addressing local issues and, ultimately, keeping people safe. The scheme was adopted in Scotland in 2005, initially in Glasgow, and is currently administered by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (based in Linlithgow). It’s now operational in more than 50 towns and cities across Scotland.

    Best Bar None recognises venues offering a quality experience - focusing on safety and customer care. It aims to:

    promote social responsibility and a duty of care

    improve knowledge and skills to assist in responsible management

    reduce alcohol-related crime by investing in premises’ policies and procedures

    promote partnership working to identify good practice and areas for improvement

    supports due diligence, record-keeping and training

    gives awards, locally and nationally, to reward success

    Operating more responsibly can improve the commercial viability and attractiveness of a venue and local area.

    Get in touch with us to find out more how you can get involved

  • You can apply to take part in Best Bar None at any time in the year. Generally, assessments take place in the summer/autumn and award ceremonies are usually held at the start of the year. Local co-ordinators will give you more details on how you can work to the different standards.

    Get in touch with your local co-ordinator or our national development officer to get involved.

Award Winner Videos

Rock Diner and Aces, Kilmarnock

Brass and Granite, Kilmarnock

Fairburn Hotel, Mauchline

If you are a Best Bar None participating venue and want to be considered for a future video, contact us below.