It was standing ovations all around on Monday evening (8th July 2024) as the First Best Bar None Awards Night held at the SMH Group Stadium, home of Chesterfield Football Club.
The event was attended by 200 licences and pub staff, Civic Dignitaries, Derbyshire Police and Chesterfield Borough Council members and other partnerships involved in the Pubwatch.
Numerous awards were presented to licensed premises from around Chesterfield which had gone through a rigorous accreditation process for Best Bar None status, together with four Star awards which were presented by Paul Horton, East Midlands Area Representative on behalf of National Pubwatch.
National Pubwatch Star Awards were presented to:
Roger Butler, Retiring Chairman Chesterfield Pubwatch.
Jane Randall Secretary & Treasurer Chesterfield Pubwatch.
Simone Johnson Committee Member Chesterfield Pubwatch.
Glenn Holden retired Police Licensing Officer Derbyshire Police
All three licensees are founder members of the scheme and Paul acknowledged their work in making the night time economy safer. Roger was standing down after serving 22 years as the schemes Chairman. Paul also acknowledged the important support that Glenn had given to the pubwatch, latterly in his role in the police but continuing to do so as a Licensing Officer for Chesterfield Borough Council).
The occasion was attended by Councillor Jenny Flood, Mayor of Chesterfield, Heather Hopkinson, Mayoress of Chesterfield, Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy.
Other VIP’S present were Ian Waller, Service Director of Leisure, Culture and Community Wellbeing and Shaun Morley, Head of Regulatory Services, both from Chesterfield Borough Council.
The evening was opened by Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy. She outlined how Pubwatch was essential to the area and how it was helping with huge reductions in alcohol fuelled anti-social behaviour over the years.
There was a welcome also from Derbyshire Police’s Northern Operational Commander, Superintendent Richard Lambert. He gave an overview on Policing in Chesterfield and about the nighttime economy in the area and his previous role as a licensing lead with South Yorkshire Police before moving to Derbyshire Police.
A buffet was held afterwards to mark the occasion and it was celebrations all around.
The Star Awards are sponsored by HIT Training www.hittraining.co.uk
Photo left to right: Mayoress Heather Hopkinson, Paul Horton, Simone Johnson, Roger Butler, Jane Randall, Glen Holden and Mayor Jenny Flood.
