Edmonton bars are in the process of being inspected for how safe they are and how welcome they make their patrons feel.
Best Bar None is an accreditation program for bars. It started in 2010 and is a partnership between the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Police Service.
Program coordinator David Young said more than 75 venues in the Capital Region will be evaluated, inspected and assessed this week for 114 best practices.
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“Every best practice is one of those small things that increase safety for patrons – from keeping your fire exits clear to finding a safe place to store broken glass to using security or door staff when necessary,” he said.
Young said the criteria can range from the tangible to the intangible.
“Cleaner bathrooms, paying attention to customers, doing what you can do to eliminate intoxication, drunk driving and responsible liquor service – all those combined make for a better experience for customers,” he said.
Matt Glover, general manager of Hudsons Canadian Tap House, said the bar has been involved in the program since its inception.
“We’ve been able to raise our bar of …what guests need and what our customers are looking for,” he said.
Glover said Best Bar None has pushed the venue when it comes to policies surrounding first aid, server liquor training and safety.
“It’s about … making sure we have a great restaurant that’s safe [and] people want to be a part of. They feel welcome when they come in.”
The program is voluntary and venues do not need to pay a fee to be included.
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Young said half of the checklist is mandatory for venues and the other half is composed of bonus items. He said venues in the city normally achieve all of the required criteria and usually between 70 and 80 per cent of the bonus items.
Last year, 67 bars, pubs and clubs in Edmonton were accredited with the program.