Press Releases

Six of Stirling’s best city centre pubs

Wednesday, 30th April, 2008

SIX Stirling city centre pubs have successfully gained the highly acclaimed ‘Best bar None’ Award.

‘Best Bar None’ is the UK’s largest accreditation scheme for licensed premises managed by Stirling’s Community Planning Partnership, which includes Central Scotland Fire and Rescue, Central Scotland Police, the Safer Cities Initiative, Stirling Council and the Forth Valley Substance Action Team.  The scheme, now in its third year in Stirling, is open to all types and sizes of city centre licensed pubs, bars and nightclubs.

The successful pubs are: Drouthy Neebers, the Albion Bar, Fubar, Pivo, Sportsters (Sports Bar & Diner) and Varsity. To achieve the accreditation the licensees had to successfully meet the scheme’s demanding criteria, demonstrating and evidencing effective management against twenty core criteria, including glass collection, fire safety and crime prevention.

Presenting the awards to the successful licencees Stirling Council Leader Graham Houston said:  “By taking part in this scheme licencees are making a real difference to the residents and visitors to Stirling’s city centre.  They have demonstrated their commitment to their customer’s safety and well being while enhancing the city centre’s reputation as a safe and vibrant place to be at night.”

The scheme currently operates in over twenty cities and towns throughout Scotland and is recognised by the Scottish Government as the benchmark of good practice, for working with the licensed trade to achieve good standards across a range of evening economy policies and practices.

Stirling Council’s Community Planning Portfolio Holder and Chair of the Comminity Planning Partnership Councillor Steven Paterson said:  “The Best Bar None awards demonstrate community planning in practice. Community planning partners, and private sector partners in the licensed trade are showing how working together towards a common goal can deliver real advantages - in this case a shared commitment to quality provision in the continuing development of a safe and thriving Stirling city centre.'  

Planning will soon begin for Stirling’s 2008 best Bar None scheme.  The Community Planning Partners hope that the success of last year’s scheme can be built upon and the number of licensed premises receiving accreditation will increase.