Last night Leighton Buzzard RFC were awarded accreditation for the Best Bar None Scheme for South Bedfordshire. The only Rugby club in the area to be awarded Accreditation for this year. In all 18 venues were accredited on the evening.

Representatives from the venues were joined at the presentation evening by a host of invited guests including the Mayors from towns in the area, Best Bar None National Coordinator Mick McDonnell and Central Bedfordshire Cllr Ian Dalgarno. They enjoyed entertainment from The Eclectacoustics.

Best Bar None is a national accreditation scheme, which aims to make towns and cities great places to go out by making pubs, clubs and leisure venues even safer and more welcoming places for visitors. It helps to promote the responsible management and operation of alcohol licensed premises.

Local pubs, bars and clubs submitted themselves to a rigorous assessment to demonstrate they meet the high standards required by the Best Bar None scheme.

Councillor Ian Dalgarno, Executive Member for Community Services, praised the success of this year’s scheme, the fourth time Best Bar None has run in Central Bedfordshire.

He said: “It is a great honour to reward all of our venues. I really believe that the Best Bar None venues are driving positive change in our communities and creating safe social spaces and a positive experience for their customers.

“Customers can look for the Best Bar None sticker and have confidence when they visit any of the accredited premises that they have undergone a rigorous assessment process to show that they are consistently meeting high standards.

“It is so impressive to see the standard of the applicants, the commitment of the teams involved, and the hugely varied venues being represented. Every year venues strive to improve on the service they can offer customers.  I congratulate all of our venues for their excellent practice and have demonstrated that public safety and customer care are their top priority.