BII teams up with the Pub Channel to encourage training

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) is teaming up with the Pub Channel to make a series of programmes and videos that will encourage staff training in pubs.

The Pub Channel, part of Sky Digital, plans to make programmes that will support some of the key qualifications run by the BII, such as the National Certificate for Licensees and Professional Barperson's Qualification.

Filming will begin in September and the BII hopes to have the videos available for licensees early next year. Some of the programmes will then also be screened on The Pub Channel.

"We want to make life as easy as possible for licensees. We hope this venture will make training more accessible and raise standards in the industry by encouraging those who might not have thought of taking a qualification, to do so," said Caroline Nodder, spokeswoman for the BII.

"We are also hoping to get sponsorship for these programmes so that licensees can receive them at a reduced price and get value for money."

The BII will also be hosting a national conference at Warwick University on September 1 2003, looking at the introduction of the premises licence under the new Licensing Bill. The Pub Channel will film the conference and make it into two half hour programmes.

Meanwhile, Sky has announced the launch of the Sky Sports Bar awards, which will be held in September 2004. There are several categories including sports marketing venue of the year, drinks brand of the year and sports bar of the year.