Poppleston Allen

Leading licensing law firm Poppleston Allen is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Best Bar None Awards 2025 in both Nottingham and Westminster. Best Bar None is a nationally recognised accreditation scheme, backed by the Home Office and the UK drinks industry, aimed at raising standards in licensed venues. The initiative promotes best practices in areas such as customer safety, responsible alcohol management, and venue operations. The awards will celebrate pubs, bars, clubs, and venues that go above and beyond in achieving this. In Nottingham, the ceremony will take place on 9 September at Saltbox, Bolero Square, in partnership with It’s In Nottingham. Local studio Future Makers UK will design this year’s trophies. James Anderson, Partner and Poppleston Allen said: We are very pleased to support and sponsor this excellent scheme and promote our home city as a diverse, vibrant and safe day or night out.” Alex Flint, CEO of It’s In Nottingham shared: “We’re proud to once again have Poppleston Allen as our sponsor for the Best Bar None Awards. Their expertise in licensing and their continued support demonstrate a genuine commitment to Nottingham’s hospitality industry. With the addition of locally made awards from Future Makers UK, this year’s event will be a true celebration of community, creativity, and excellence.” In Westminster, the event will be held on 23 September at The Blind Spot, St Martin’s Lane, in partnership with the Heart of London Business Alliance. Graeme Cushion, Managing Partner, said: “These awards highlight the vital role licensed venues play in building a safe and thriving night-time economy.” Mark Williams, Deputy Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, added: “London’s nightlife is a cornerstone of the city’s identity, and initiatives like Best Bar None are essential in ensuring it remains safe, inclusive, and world-class. We’re proud to celebrate the venues that are setting the benchmark for excellence, and we’re really pleased to have Poppleston Allen as a sponsor, a firm that truly understands the value of a thriving and responsible night-time economy.” With these two sponsorships, Poppleston Allen continues its long-standing support for initiatives that raise standards and strengthen the UK’s hospitality and night-time industries. For advice on licensing matters or to learn more, please feel free to contact Poppleston Allen’s licensing solicitors directly on 0115 953 8500 or 020 3859 7760.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises Act), commonly known as Martyn’s Law, is named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing On April 3rd 2025, Martyn’s Law, officially called the Terrorism (Protection of Premises Bill) received Royal Assent from the King, making it law in the UK. The Act, which arose from the bombing of an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in 2017, is aimed at preventing and reducing the harm of terror attacks at venues. As such, this is of particular interest to the hospitality sector. Here, Poppleston Allen Licensing Solicitors Andy Grimsey and Joe Harvey, explain how this legislation impacts the sector and answer questions that many operators might have. Martyn’s Law – what this means for hospitality operators For further information about this or anything else, contact Carl Weston, Head of Marketing and Partner (non-solicitor).