Frog & Parrot win National Best Bar None

The manager of the Frog & Parrot, Nick Simmonite (left) with Bruce Ray, Director of External Affairs at Bacardi Brown-Forman

In January this year, the Frog and Parrot was crowned overall winner for Sheffield’s Best Bar None.  All the winners of the Best Bar None regional schemes – about 90 in all – were entered into a national competition to decide who was the Best Bar None overall.  In the national competition, six premises across the UK were selected as finalists, including Sheffield’s Frog and Parrot and on 1 July 2010 at a Parliamentary Reception in the House of Lords, The Frog and Parrot was declared the national winner.

The Best Bar None scheme started in Manchester in 2003 to address crime fuelled by alcohol and to make the night time safer for residents and visitors.  It works by setting a standard that licensed premises taking part in the scheme must meet.  The standard covers measures to deter crime and disorder, prevent underage drinking and promote public safety.  The success of the scheme has caused it to spread through the country and over 95 towns and cities across the UK now take part the scheme has also started to roll out to other countries.

In Sheffield, the scheme was set up in 2009 under the aegis of the Sheffield First Partnership with sponsorship from John Gaunt and Partners Solicitors, and led by the Sheffield Drug and Alcohol Action Team with South Yorkshire Police.  45 licensed premises, including pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants were accredited as reaching the required standard and a panel of judges selected the best in each category and an overall winner – the Frog and Parrot.

Jo Daykin-Goodall, Director of Substance Misuse Strategy in Sheffield: “This is a great result for the Frog and Parrot and also for Sheffield’s Best Bar None scheme and demonstrates that the work Sheffield has put into making the city a safe place and a great venue for a night out has paid off.  We plan to build on this success and continue our efforts to ensure that residents and visitors continue to have a good time in Sheffield without putting themselves or others at risk.  Well done to the Frog and Parrot”