Responsible publicans scheme leads the way

A scheme aimed at rewarding licensees in West London for trading responsibly is attracting interest nationwide.Local authorities from as far afield...

A scheme aimed at rewarding licensees in West London for trading responsibly is attracting interest nationwide.

Local authorities from as far afield as Swansea have contacted Ealing Borough Council to find out more about the Responsible Host Awards Scheme. The Greater London Authority is also talking to the council about how it could fit the scheme into its overall cultural strategy, offering a similar incentive to pubs across London.

Under the initiative, now entering its sixth year, entrants are judged on areas such as effective door-control policies, disabled access and having a member of staff on hand trained in dealing with rowdy or drunken customers. Entrants for this year's scheme are expected from up to 50 pubs in the borough.

The highest scoring pub receives £1,000 and a gold award, while the runner-up gets £500 and a silver award.

Councillors claim the scheme has decreased disorder on the streets of central Ealing since it began - and at a time when drunken crime has been on the rise elsewhere in the UK.

Councillor John Delaney, who chairs the council's regulatory committee, said: "We don't want any no-go areas in the borough and this scheme has gone a long way to facilitating that. By following our guidelines and entering the scheme, licensees can take back control of their environment."

Councillor Philip Portwood added that the council wanted pubs in Ealing to be seen as part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. "It's a chance for us to showcase best practice to other pubs," he said.

Speaking at the relaunch of the scheme, Nick Bish, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, which is based in Ealing, said: "The licensed trade is under the cosh at the moment - but the binge-drinking crisis is nothing like as widespread as the horror stories would have us believe. Some colleagues are letting down the industry. Pubs in Ealing can set an example."