Ipswich Best Bar None Awards 2015 ... and the winners are...
The success of the Best Bar None scheme in raising the standard of pub and night life in Ipswich was celebrated on Thursday night when the annual Best Bar None award winners were revealed at a special night, at Ipswich Town FC.
The event was hosted by Wayne Bavin, breakfast show presenter on Town FM in an evening of celebration, glityz and glamour at the Sir Bobby Robson suite, ITFC, Portman Road.
There was entertainment from Ipswich Has Got Talent winners Just Jay Dance from 2014, and also from singer Jess King,14, who also took part in the competition last year.
National Best Bar None chairman Mick McDonnell, from Plymouth, praised the pioneering work of Best Bar None in Ipswich, which was setting standards for other towns and cities to follow.
The aim of Best Bar None was to work together to make safer nights out in towns like Ipswich, with co-operation between the licenced trade and venues, police, councisl and community, he said.
Best Bar None was raising standards, reducing crime and disorder and generating partnerships between the police, the community and the trade.
“There are over 70 schemes now in the UK, with another 23 expressing an interest.
“It covers 1,500 venues. We want to turn Best Bar None into a national recognised mark of excellence for the trade.”
Mayor of Ipswich, Glen Chisholm, welcomed the guests and praised the hard work of all the venues and owners in making Ipswich a welcoming town and a great place for a safe night out.
The two awards for Degero Bar, also known as Degero’s, were received by manager Nicole Sagnella, who has been running the bar for eight years.
She said: “It has been an absolutely exciting night. It is a great reward for all the hard work we have put in over the years.
“We are very pleased and grateful for the support of our regulars.”
Businessman Darren Pratt, owner of Degero, paid tribute to Nicole’s work in making the venue so popular.
“She works really hard and has done such a good job. A lot of the succes is down to her.
“We have some really good regulars who support us, and we are a busy place of football days.”
Other towns and cities, such as Sudbury and Chelmsford would do well to follow the Best Bar None example from Ipswich, he added.
The best pub award was received for Bowmans by Rob Pooley, from councillor Neil McDonald.
The Kingfisher’s pub award was collected by landlady Julie Ridgeon, who has been running the pub for the past two years, after the unexpected death of her husband Kevin.
The People’s Choice award was collected by Katinka Bowes and Dom Glanville, from The Dove pub, and the team celebrated on the dance floor and were joined later by landlord and landlady Ady Smith and Karen Beaumont.
Ady Smith said: “We are really pleased to get the award. It is unexpected but we have to thank our customers.”
This award was voted for by Star readers only via our website, who were asked to nomimate their favourite town pub.
Afterwards Superintendent Kerry Cutler said: “I think it is important to celebrate all these premises that are being responsible. They are supporting Ipswich and they are making Ipswich safer and working with the police and the borough.
“They are going above and beyond and that is what this ceremony, and the awards are about.
“They are supporting charities, creating employment and are really part of their communities.”
Across the town Best Bar None accredited venues proudly display their awards.
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