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The campaign invites people, communities and organisations to recognise the experiences that often go unspoken and help turn awareness into practical action.

imabi has launched Safety Is A Right, a national awareness campaign highlighting the everyday moments when people feel unsafe in public spaces but often say nothing.

The campaign is built around more than 20 real, anonymised experiences of people feeling unsafe in public spaces. It focuses on the moments that do not always become headlines, reports or formal complaints: the quiet adjustments people make when they feel unsafe, from changing a route to cutting a journey short or checking in with someone when they get home.

imabi says these experiences are often absorbed quietly by individuals and communities, meaning the true impact of feeling unsafe can remain hidden.

Through Safety Is A Right, the organisation wants to shine a light on those unshared moments and encourage a wider conversation about how safety is experienced in everyday life.

The campaign is being supported by partners including Crimestoppers UK, Spike Aware UK and Fighting Knife Crime London, helping amplify the message that feeling unsafe should not be ignored, dismissed or normalised.

Mark Balaam, Founder and CEO of imabi, said:

“ We hear a lot about safety after something serious has happened. But people are making decisions every day because they don’t feel safe – where they walk, how they travel, whether they go out, whether they speak up.

“ That should matter to all of us. Safer communities start by listening properly, taking those experiences seriously and doing something practical with them.”

Members of the public are invited to anonymously share their own experiences through the campaign, helping build a wider picture of how safety is experienced across the UK.

imabi is encouraging local organisations, community groups, venues and public-facing services to share the campaign in their own areas and help bring these often-hidden experiences into the open.

The campaign also links to imabi Travel Guardian, a free personal and travel safety app designed to help people stay connected, access trusted safety information and find relevant support and reporting options.

Mark Balaam added:

“ This is not about creating fear. It is about recognising reality. People should not have to manage safety alone or feel that their experiences are too small to matter.”

People can view the campaign, read real experiences, download campaign materials and find out how to get involved by visiting the Safety Is A Right page on the imabi website – https://www.imabi.com/safety-is-a-right

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) is delighted to announce their six incredible finalists for this year’s Licensee of the Year Award (LOYA).

In partnership with Sky Business, the Licensee of the Year competition is widely regarded as the most rigorous and hard-fought award for individual licensee operators in the UK.

Since the launch in January this year, licensee operators have been entering the competition, showing the judges evidence of how they have been building their businesses, teams, and communities, with a focus on their resilience, sustainability and diversification.

Selected from a field of over 800 nominations, our six finalists have been selected based on their community impact, support for their teams, commitment to sustainability, their plans for diversification and the “X factor” that makes brilliant pubs so special. They all had exceptional mystery diner visit scores, and faced financial and online audits, followed by face-to-face interviews in their pubs with head judges, Amanda Hemming and Ashley McCarthy.

The 2026 Licensee of the Year Award finalists are as follows:

• Eamonn England & Arina Piskunova – The Windsor Castle, N2 8DL
• James & Charlotte Foy – The White Horse, LE4 4EF
• Linda Cole – The Berkley Arms, PO18 8HG
• Micky Foden-Andrews – The Swan, SL4 5JG
• Nigel Smith – The Fleece Inn, WR11 7JE
• Sonia Labatut – The Plough, SW14 7AF
  

To learn more about our finalists, please visit our website here.

Steven Alton, BII CEO commented: “Our Licensee of the Year Award is the most prestigious & hard-fought award, showcasing the dedication and excellence in our sector. The final six this year represent a wide range of fantastic pubs, each offering a unique approach to the care and dedication to their teams and communities.

“We are very proud that the awards offer a value-added experience at every stage of the competition. Our finalists will have had the opportunity to evaluate their businesses at every stage, from mystery customer reports and judging visit feedback, right through to our final judging day at Sky HQ on Monday 15^th June.

“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate all involved and wish them the best of luck for the final stages of the competition. I can’t wait to meet them all next month for our final judging day.”

All six finalists will be presented with a trophy at the BII Summer Event on the 16th of June, where the winner of Licensee of the Year 2026 will be crowned. The event is nearly sold out with only a handful of tickets remaining which can be requested here.

The BII would like to thank everyone who entered the competition this year. Keep your eyes peeled for another opportunity to enter in January 2027.

National Pubwatch has launched the Safer Night Time Economy Awards, sponsored by Diageo, to recognise exceptional courage and commitment shown by individuals who go above and beyond to keep people safe in the licensed trade.

The voluntary organisation, which supports more than 800 Pubwatch schemes across the UK, honoured 13 individuals whose actions prevented serious harm and saved lives. Their acts of bravery ranged from intervening in a knife attack and a drink‑spiking incident to preventing suicide attempts and protecting vulnerable customers.

The inaugural awards ceremony was held at Brewers’ Hall on Tuesday, 12th May 2026, where Bravery and Meritorious Conduct Awards were presented to the following recipients:

• Ben Pilott, bar manager and Thomas Endersby, door supervisor, at the Dizzy Donkey in Dover, who saved the life of a woman during a knife attack.
• James Peggie, a doorman working at Montagues bar, Kirkcaldy, Scotland, who intervened to stop a young man from taking his own life.
• Simon Hatfield, licensee of the Nuthatch Bar in Middlesbrough, who saved a customer’s life after they suffered a cardiac arrest.
• Holly Napier, Zita Wright, Charlotte Nairns, Ross Walker and Charlie Robson, staff at the Wetherspoon pub, the Bishops Mill in Durham, who prevented a female customer from taking her own life.
• Connor Sullivan, Wetherspoon duty manager, at the Standing Order in Derby, who acted decisively to protect female customers following a drink‑spiking incident.
• Calum Jameson and Ewelina Fesnak, licensees of the Dog and Duck in Southampton, who intervened to protect a vulnerable woman.
• Krystal Fishlock, a member of the public, for her courage in preventing the attempted kidnapping of a young woman in Swindon town centre.

A Malcolm Eidmans Award was also made to Nottingham Police Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Paul Gummer for his long-term dedication and enthusiastic support for the Nottingham City Pubwatch Scheme. The award recognises the outstanding contribution made by a police officer or member of police staff in supporting Pubwatch.

National Pubwatch chair Steve Baker OBE said: “It is a real privilege to recognise these outstanding individuals, who have either shown tremendous courage or acted selflessly to save life or reduce harm to people socialising in the night-time economy.

“Their heroic actions are a powerful reminder of the vital role played by licensees, door staff, pub teams and members of the public.”

He added: “We would also like to thank Diageo for sponsoring these awards and ensuring that the recipients receive recognition at such a prestigious event”.

Joe Gosney, Channel Director National Customers – On Trade at Diageo said: “At Diageo, we believe everyone deserves to enjoy a safe and positive night out. These awards shine a light on the extraordinary individuals working across the night-time economy who act with courage, care and professionalism to protect others. We are proud to support National Pubwatch in recognising the people who help make our communities safer every day.”

For more information on the awards go to www.nationalpubwatch.org.uk

Representatives from Sheffield city centre’s pubs, bars, nightclubs, leisure and entertainment destinations came together on Tuesday 28 April to celebrate ‘the best’ of the city’s night time economy at the Best Bar None Sheffield 2026 Awards held at Sheffield City Hall.

The annual event marked the culmination of Sheffield’s own 2025/26 Best Bar None scheme – a Home Office backed programme which recognises responsible, higher standards in licenced premises and promotes safer socialising.

A total of 56 venues gained or retained Best Bar None accreditation through the 2025/26 scheme, with 18 venues formally recognised at the awards evening as winners or runners‑up across 14 different categories.

Winners on the night included Sheffield Students’ Union managed premises Bar One and Foundry (Best Bar/Late Bar, Best Independent, Best Nightclub and Best Overall), Camerons Brewery’s The Head of Steam (Best Pub and Best Chain) and True North’s Riverside Kelham (Best Newcomer).

Sheffield BID leads on the Best Bar None Sheffield scheme with Sheffield Council and South Yorkshire Police and is a key part of the BID’s work to support a safe, welcoming and vibrant city centre at night.

Diane Jarvis, Chief Executive at Sheffield BID, said: “Best Bar None is one of our flagship schemes and reflects the professionalism, care and commitment shown by Sheffield’s hospitality operators. These awards are about recognising those venues who go above and beyond to keep customers safe while delivering high-quality experiences.”

Following a four-year break, Sheffield’s Best Bar None scheme was relaunched in 2023 with 26 venues achieving accreditation through the 2023/24 programme. This increased to 42 venues via the 2024/25 scheme.

All 56 venues that have been accredited through the Best Bar None Sheffield scheme for 2025/26 can be viewed on the Best Bar None Sheffield website, bestbarnonesheffield.co.uk.

• Licenses, Insurance and Certificates: Matches Sports Bar & Social
• Safety and Security:  Tokyo Tea Rooms
• Public Nuisance Mitigation:  The Dolphin
• Staff Training and Care:  The Shakespeare
• Customer Safety and Welfare:  The Venue
• Accessibility:  Marlowe Theatre
• Customer Experience and Community: Old City Bar
• Best Newcomer: Ye Olde Beverlie 
• Overall Winner: Club Chemistry 

• Special Recognition Bystander Award: Ricky Richards, Boom Battle Bar 
• Community Ambassador Award: Freddie Hewett, Stag Coffee & Kitchen 
• Best Dedicated Member of Staff:  Louise Jones-Roberts, Distinctive Bars 
• Best Commitment to Safety and Prevention: Grace Cunniffe, The West Gate Inn 
• Best Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Award: Tokyo Tea Rooms
• Best Customer Experience: Stuart Boyles, The Dolphin 
• Local Produce Hero: Pegasus Tap Room 

Coventry’s bars, pubs and clubs have celebrated achieving a leading industry standards accreditation, with Mister Shenanigans and Dhillon’s Brewery taking home the top honours at an annual awards ceremony.

More than 100 representatives from across the city’s hospitality sector attended the Best Bar None 2026 awards at Drapers Hall in the city centre.

The awards followed a landmark year for Coventry, with the city recently achieving prestigious Purple Flag status that recognises the city as a safe, vibrant and well-managed destination after dark.

Best Bar None is an accreditation scheme supported by the Home Office and drinks industry that aims to improve standards in licensed premises. It highlights to customers that a venue excels in safety, training, management and customer experience.

It is a partnership in the city between Coventry Business Improvement District (BID), West Midlands Police and Coventry City Council.

A total of 16 venues were accredited on the night, including 147 Nightclub, Club Heat, City Arms, Dhillon’s Brewery, Elles, The Flying Standard, The Earl of Mercia, Mister Shenanigans, Slug & Lettuce, Turtle Bay, Phoenix, Boom Battle Bar, Las Iguanas, The Yard, Genting Casino and Putt Putt Social.

There were also special prizes on the night, with Mister Shenanigans named City Centre Overall Winner and Dhillon’s Brewery taking home the title of Neighbourhood Overall Winner.

The night saw a range of category awards presented to recognise excellence in specific areas. The Flying Standard received the Safety & Security award, Las Iguanas was recognised for Preventing Public Nuisance and Genting Casino was awarded Gambling Venue of the Year.

Putt Putt Social took home the award for Staff Training & Care, 147 Nightclub was recognised for Customer Safety & Welfare and The Yard received the Customer Experience & Community award.

Slug & Lettuce and Elle’s were named Best Newcomers in the city centre and neighbourhood categories respectively, while Mister Shenanigans also received the Most Improved Venue award.

The night also saw recognition from the National Pubwatch for Rob Jones, who received a special award for his work as a doorman in the city.

Coventry BID’s street patrol team and taxi marshals were also honoured for their continued efforts to help keep people safe and support visitors to get home safely on nights out.

Joanne Glover, Chief Executive of Coventry BID, said: “This year was a huge year for Coventry as we achieved Purple Flag.

“Every venue in the room at the awards had a huge part to play in that and there aren’t many towns and cities across the world that have it.

“We’ve continued to strengthen key safety initiatives across the city, including the relaunch of Ask for Angela, with all of the venues signing the pledge on the night.

“Thank you to all of the operators and venues, their commitment to high standards within the industry and creating great experiences is what makes Coventry’s night-time economy what it is.”

The ceremony also featured speeches from Dal Dhillon on behalf of Pubwatch, Chief Inspector Michael Clark from West Midlands Police and the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Rachel Lancaster.

Gordy Mazvihwa, Director of Operations at Dhillon’s Brewery, added: “The Best Bar None Awards are integral to Coventry’s Night Life Economy.

“It is wonderful to see all of Coventry’s operators in one room celebrating each other and raising a glass to the high standards and vibrant nightlife that Coventry has to offer.”

The statutory guidance for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 was released by the UK Home Office on 15th April.

Section 27 guidance has now been published, consisting of nine chapters:

• Status and using this guidance
• Context and drivers for legislation
• Glossary of terms
• Scope – Qualifying Premises
• Scope – Qualifying Events
• Responsibility for legal requirements
• Legal requirements under the Act
• Additional requirements for enhanced tier premises and qualifying events
• Compliance with legal requirements

Alongside the statutory guidance, three non-statutory supplementary documents have also been released, covering:

• Methods for assessing the reasonable expectation of individuals present at premises and events
• Scope – illustrative examples
• Further resources and learning

This guidance is intended to explain the Act’s requirements in a clear and accessible way, reflecting the government’s intention that those responsible for premises and events can comply without needing specialist services.

The Home Office has confirmed that it is continuing to develop a wider package of supporting materials to help organisations understand the requirements of the Act and prepare for its commencement.

Separately, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) will shortly publish its draft Section 12 guidance, outlining how it will exercise its regulatory functions. This will be accompanied by a public consultation on its regulatory approach.

Whilst organisations that fall within scope of the Act may wish to begin considering the requirements, there is no requirement to comply until the legislation comes into force.

Further information and resources, including links to the Section 27 guidance and wider Martyn’s Law materials, can be found on ProtectUK: Martyn’s Law | ProtectUK

The statutory guidance and supplementary documents are available here: The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – GOV.UK

Nottingham, Chesterfield and York were recognised as top performers at the annual National Best Bar None Awards, held at the House of Lords on Tuesday 24th March, taking home Best City Scheme, Best Town Scheme and Best New Scheme respectively. A Special Recognition Award was also presented to Louise Baxter of Harrow Business Improvement District in recognition of her outstanding and continued support of the Best Bar None scheme.

Supported by the Home Office, the accreditation scheme is the gold standard for safer socialising, recognising licensed premises that strive to create well-managed, safe environments for their customers. The programme supports strong partnership working between local authorities, police and premises to maintain high standards across the hospitality and drinks industry. More than 4,000 premises are currently accredited, with over 70 towns and cities adopting the recognised mark of operational excellence.

The awards ceremony was hosted by Chairman of Best Bar None, Lord Smith of Hindhead, Philip Smith, who said: “Best Bar None promotes strong, proactive relationships between licensees, the police and local authorities – relationships that are vital to the hospitality industry. I am delighted to say that the scheme has continued to go from strength to strength over the past year, with several new schemes launching and a number of innovative initiatives introduced by existing ones.

“The Central Scheme is also growing rapidly, as operators based outside areas covered by regional schemes become Best Bar None accredited. I am pleased that there are now more than 4,000 accredited premises across England and Wales, and there are strong indications that this number will continue to rise in 2026.

“The national awards recognise and celebrate schemes and individuals for their commitment to Best Bar None, our industry- and Home Office-supported scheme that promotes safer socialising. This year’s winners are all thoroughly deserving of their awards, and I offer my congratulations to everyone involved.”

Louise Baxter of Harrow Business Improvement District has been recognised with the Special Recognition Award in acknowledgement of her exceptional and sustained contribution to the Best Bar None scheme over the past decade.

Nottingham operates one of the largest and longest-established Best Bar None schemes in the UK, with 89 accredited venues including hotels, casinos, live music venues and restaurants. The city has also been a national leader in promoting inclusivity across licensed venues by introducing a comprehensive accessibility assessment section, co-designed with a student with lived experience of disability. Nottingham continues to take an impact-driven approach, launching a citywide Safe Space Pledge supported by an interactive map of participating venues, alongside using assessment data to identify trends and drive improvements.

Since launching in 2024, the Chesterfield Best Bar None scheme has accredited 26 venues, introduced key initiatives, including a digital radio network linking partners and businesses, and promoted violence-reduction campaigns such as ‘Walk Away’, which targets potential offenders by encouraging them to simply walk away. The scheme has also established a Safe Space Hub operating at weekends to provide medical and welfare support. Over the past 12 months, Chesterfield town centre has seen an 8 per cent reduction in anti-social behaviour and a 9.3 per cent reduction in public order incidents.

The York Best Bar None scheme is supported by North Yorkshire Police, British Transport Police, the council, Minster Police, Make It York and the Mayoral Combined Authority, alongside other regional partners. The scheme has quickly established itself with 22 accredited venues supported by four qualified assessors and is on track to complete a further 25 assessments by the end of the year.

Awards for excellence in airside alcohol retailing were presented to Monty’s Diner at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The University of Lancashire and the Students’ Union at Kent University were recognised within the student union category.

Awards for pubs accredited through the Central Scheme, which was established six years ago to enable accreditation for premises outside a local scheme and now includes over 2,500 venues, were presented to The Shakespeare (Greene King), Shamblehurst Barn (Destination Brands) and the King’s Head (Craft Union).

The scheme is funded by the industry, with headline sponsorship from Diageo and supporter sponsorship from Asahi UK, JD Wetherspoon, Greene King, Stonegate Group and Mitchells and Butlers.

(L-R) Commended, the Polite Vicar (Flaming Grill), Granary (Bellhaven), Lullingstone Castle (Proper Locals), Birchwood Farm (Farmhouse), Sarah Webb (Operations Support and Assurance Manager, Greene King) and Best Pub Winner, Shamblehurst Barn (Destination Brands).

The accreditation promotes safer and more vibrant town centres, recognises venues that uphold the highest standards in responsible alcohol licensing and management. 

Best Bar None was first piloted in Central Bedfordshire in 2017 in Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable and Houghton Regis. Due to its success, the scheme was expanded across the whole of Central Bedfordshire in 2022. We work closely with local bars, pubs and theatres alongside Bedfordshire Police and Fire Services, to ensure high standards of safety and professionalism in licensed premises. 

Participating venues undergo a rigorous assessment process to receive accreditation, giving customers confidence that they are visiting well-managed establishments. They are all committed to operating to a high standard and in a responsible manner. That means everything from making sure that customers and staff are safe to ensuring that the premises are clean and tidy. 

We also support the scheme through initiatives such as the radio link system, which enables venues to communicate with each other and the CCTV control room about incidents or suspicious activity. Training sessions and information campaigns, such as spiking awareness, further strengthen safety measures.

Accredited premises in 2025:

• The Yorkshire Grey, Biggleswade

• The White Hart, Biggleswade

• The Star, Charlton

• The Nags Head, Dunstable

• The Grove Theatre, Dunstable

• The White Swan, Dunstable

• The Poynter’s Arms, Dunstable

• The Gary Coopers, Dunstable

• The Ewe & Lamb, Dunstable

• The Highwayman, Dunstable

• The Sugar Loaf, Dunstable

• The White Lion, Dunstable

• The Bumble Bee, Flitwick

• The Blackbirds, Flitwick

• The Picture House, Leighton Buzzard

• The Globe Inn, Linslade

• The Bridge, Shefford

• The Bell, Woburn 

The National Association of Business Crime Partnerships have announced that National Awareness Week for Business Crime Reduction Partnerships will take place throughout the week of 16^th March 2026.

Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs) are not for profit, subscription-based, local organisations with the purpose of preventing crime and antisocial behaviour, by uniting the local business community with local statutory services, including Police and local authority. A BCRP can be independent or part of a Business Improvement District or other structure.

Varied and diverse to address local needs, BCRPs typically employ a Crime Reduction Manager, provide communications via a two-way radio network and an intelligence sharing software app, sharing real time information to stop crime in it’s tracks, working together to prevent crime in the moment. Local Police Officers carry the BCRP radios, so can intervene sooner, in a preventative way. BCRP radios also link in to the local authority CCTV Control Rooms, providing the ability to track offenders and assist the police by streaming live CCTV to Police force control rooms.

Intelligence analysis enables BCRPs to spot repeat offenders across many different business premises and sectors, highlighting the most prolific and informing local business staff & Police about individuals who are likely to cause the most harm. BCRP banning orders can be issued, excluding individuals from all premises within the BCRP area – a banned from one, banned from all approach.

This partnership approach between the local business community and key local stakeholders enables the identification of offenders at a much earlier stage than would be possible without this collaboration and sharing of local knowledge, meaning offenders are no longer anonymous and can be quickly brought to justice.

With their excellent communications networks, BCRPs also implement a range of other projects to support wider community safety, such as Safe Spaces, Ask for Angela, Best Bar None, Days of Action, Police Operations, and other important collaborative projects to protect staff, customers and the wider community.

Sophie Jordan, CEO at the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships said “Most towns and cities in the UK are supported by a local BCRP, yet their highly effective work to keep communities safe is widely unknown outside the immediate industry sector.

“The Awareness Week seeks to change this by showcasing the complex and holistic approach to crime prevention provided by BCRP Methodology.”

Follow @National Association of Business Crime Partnerships Ltd and  #BCRPUnitedAgainstCrime on Linked In for an overview of the complex and holistic work of BCRPs in all aspects of crime prevention through local community safety partnerships, safeguarding, preventing violence against women and girls, preventing youth offending, offender rehabilitation & addressing homelessness, preventing antisocial behaviour, violence in the night time economy, retail crime and violence & abuse against shop staff and more.

For more information please contact in**@******co.uk