Rock City Nottingham Welfare Team Wins Best Bar None Award
Rock City Nottingham has been recognised for its customer welfare work as part of the drive to keep the city safer at night.
The DHP Family flagship, which stages around 100 gigs a year plus club nights, has received a special Judges’ Recognition Award from Best Bar None. The honour came through the Purple Flag assessment process. Nottingham has now held Purple Flag status for 15 consecutive years.
What the welfare team does
DHP Family put dedicated welfare staff in place so people have somewhere to go if a night goes wrong. After Covid, the original Drink Aware Club Crew role grew into a Welfare Team of eight, led by a supervisor, working alongside the venue medic.
On club nights the team runs a permanent welfare desk and regular patrols. They look out for vulnerable or intoxicated customers, help people find friends, charge phones and get home, hand out water and sick bags, and support first aid.
Welfare supervisor Rikki Griffin said people know they can come to the team and not deal with it alone. Colleagues Max Coulson and Orla Mcilfartrick said the point is a night out where customers and staff feel looked after.
Michele Somers, DHP Family Director of Risk and Culture, called the award a testament to the team’s work every night.
City reaction
Councillor David Mellen, Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said the award underlines Nottingham’s night-time economy and the partnership between the council, police, venues, Pubwatch, universities and Nottingham BID.
Alex Flint, CEO of It’s in Nottingham, which delivers the Best Bar None Awards, said the welfare team had gone above and beyond.
Best Bar None 2026 also recognised other DHP rooms in the city: Rescue Rooms (Best Live Music Venue and Best Accessible Venue), Stealth (Best Club and Outstanding Contribution) and The Bodega (Best National Pub or Bar).
Best Bar None is a national scheme backed by the Home Office and the drinks industry. Nottingham runs one of the largest city schemes in the UK, with 89 centre venues taking part in 2025.
Rock News final word: Gigs only work if people get home in one piece. The Rock City Nottingham welfare desk is the unglamorous bit of a 100-show year — phones, water, a quiet word, a medic on hand. The Best Bar None nod is for that, not the PA. Other DHP rooms picking up awards on the same night says the city’s live circuit is being judged on more than capacity.
FAQs – Rock City Nottingham Welfare Award
What award did Rock City Nottingham win?
A Best Bar None Judges’ Recognition Award for its welfare team.
What is Purple Flag?
A national accreditation for towns and cities that work on safety and a decent night-time economy. Nottingham has held it for 15 years.
How big is the welfare team?
Eight staff, led by a supervisor, working with the venue medic.
Did other Nottingham venues win?
Yes — Rescue Rooms, Stealth and The Bodega also picked up Best Bar None 2026 awards.
Who runs Rock City?
DHP Family.
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