Bournemouth Best Bar None Night 2008

Simon Gilbert and Marcus Wareing from Overall Winners Bar So & 1812 , presented by John McNamara (BII

Bournemouth celebrated in style for the Awards Night of Best Bar None 2008, held at the Dorchester Suite of the Highcliff Marriott Hotel on Bournemouth’s West Cliff. The event was attended by 150 people from the night time economy, together with guests from the alliances, the Police, Dorset Fire and Rescue and Bournemouth Borough Council. The evening was ably compèred by Fire FM’s duo Jade and Dave, and finished off with the Jay (Jerry) Ratchet Disco.

The keynote speaker for the night was John McNamara, Chief Executive of the BII, who emphasised the towns’ success having achieved a 92% pass rate – 24 clubs accredited out of 26 applications. He also highlighted the need to trumpet the industry and to be proud of the high standards reached and the product that Bournemouth offered to it’s residents and visitors. He said “you won’t find many people celebrating their wedding in a Costa Coffee, nothing wrong with them but they just don’t have the right ambience – we’re in the entertainment business and it’s important to remember that.”

John McNamara, Chief Executive of the BII	Jon Shipp, Night Time Economy Co-ordinator	Steve Wright, Principal Licensing Officer

Jon Shipp, Night Time Economy Co-ordinator told the 150 guests that “tonight is about the venues and the people who work in our industry, and especially those who have completed this gruelling test. Our common aim is to develop Bournemouth as a safe and vibrant resort and I believe that Best Bar None is a great stage for that”

Steve Wright, Principal Licensing Officer applauded his team of assessors from Licensing, Dorset Fire and Rescue and the Police. He also made special mention of the bars, pubs and clubs who had participated, stressing the lengths that many venues had gone to achieve their highest possible score.

Best Bar None 2008 – Accredited venues and winners:

Bar So & 1812

John Butterworth from The Opera House with Cllr Stephen MacLoughlin, Leader of Bournemouth Borough Council

Andy Davidson and Leigh Simmons from ibar with Andy Martin, Daily Echo News Editor

Jade Bowyer&Dave Taylor keeping the pace moving from Fire FM

Accredited Pubs

O’Neill’s
Sixty Million Postcards
Brasshouse
Daisy O’Brien’s
Moon in the Square

Accredited Bars

DNA
Bliss
Aruba
Bar So - 1812
Sharkeys
ibar Digital Bars Ltd
Landmarc
Room Six
TOKO
Walkabout
Jimmy's

Accredited Clubs

The Old Fire Station
Jumpin Jaks
For Your Eyes Only
Lava Ignite
Wiggle
Spearmint
Opera House
2020

Runner Up – Clubs
Lava & Ignite

Runner Up – Bars
Room Six

Runner Up – Pubs
Brasshouse

Winner – Pubs
O’Neills

Winner – Bars
Bar So & 1812

Winner – Clubs
Opera House

Winner – Fire FM Listeners Award
Aruba

Winner – Daily Echo Reader’s Award
ibar Digital

Overall Winner
Bar So & 1812

For the information regarding Best Bar None and how becomes one of the Best Bar None, please go to Best Bar None page.