Cheers! Pub turns Corner to success

DOUBLE DELIGHT... Patrick Kelly Senior and son Patrick Kelly Junior with the two Best Bar None awards.

FIFTEEN months after being closed down, an Oldham pub has been celebrating after scooping a double award.

The Corner House, formerly the Old Mess House , was voted Best Club and won the Overall Award at the Best Bar None Awards on Monday.

Yet only in March, 2010, Chief Supt Tim Forber used emergency procedures to take action against the Yorkshire Street venue after a series of violent incidents.

Following a three-week closure, a change of name and licensee, the venue transformed itself.

Former licensee Patrick Kelly, one of whose sons Ryan is now the Designated Premises Supervisor, accepted the awards on Monday on behalf of his son who could not attend.

He described winning the two awards as ‘overwhelming’ and said the win was down to the hard work of his family and staff who had turned the club around.

He said: “I didn’t think we’d win anything so when we were called out as winners for the first time, we joked that we could go home happy.

“When they announced the second win, we were stunned.

“Ryan has done a fantastic job and has worked alongside all the authorities, complied to all the regulations and done everything by the book.

“Chief Supt Forber shut us down and now he’s on the judging panel that voted for us, so it’s great that we’ve got his support.”

Best Bar None is a national scheme that requires pubs and clubs to prove they are committed to improving the safety and wellbeing of their customers and promoting responsible standards of management while aiming to reduce drink-related crime.

A total of 20 venues in the town centre have signed up and reached accreditation level.

Mr Kelly said that can only help improve the reputation of Oldham and encourage more business to the town centre.

He said: “It’s good news for us as traders considering all the bad press Oldham town centre was getting a few years ago.

“This will hopefully encourage people back to Oldham who might have gone elsewhere for a night out, as well as encourage other traders across Greater Manchester to view Oldham as somewhere to invest.”

Chief Supt Forber said: “Violent crime in Oldham Town Centre is down by 33 per cent in the last year.

“That is testament to the hard work of all the licensees who have worked extensively with the police and other partners to make the night time economy somewhere safe to go.

“I’d like to congratulate all the winners of the Best Bar None awards.”