Oldham Best Bar None scheme faces funding question mark

Plans to introduce a Best Bar None scheme in trouble-hit Oldham are moving ahead, but a question mark hangs over funding for the initiative, a trade chief has revealed.

However there remains little chance of a post-office style queuing system being introduced at any of the town's 21 venues affected.

Paul Smith, chief executive of Noctis, was at a meeting this morning involving Oldham Council officials and trade figures - including representatives from the British Beer & Pub Association, Pubwatch, Liquid, Envy and JD Wetherspoon.

Andy Constantine of Doncaster Best Bar None presented the benefits of running a scheme in the town to the council.

Smith told The Publican​: "The council seems generally receptive to the idea of Best Bar None, but the issue is how it is funded. It's hard to know whether they will put up the money."

But he added: "I'm hopeful it will happen - it has to happen."

Oldham hit the headlines earlier this year when it announced it was automatically reviewing the licence of every on-trade venue in the town.

But it is understood the "vast majority" of venues have now reached agreements with the council over their licensing conditions. Many of these relate to doorstaff numbers and risk assessing any drinks promotions they run.

Smith said two venues had also agreed to not sell drinks below 75p a unit.

But there was "absolutely no way", Smith added, any pub or bar would be operating a post-office style queuing system. "Many of these things are not legally enforceable," Smith said.

He added: "What the council has managed to do is get everyone around the table and we are having some full and frank conversations."