THE READING Pubwatch Star winners for 2022 have been announced.
Three winners were awarded at the Pubwatch conference in Sub89, Friar Street, on Tuesday, March 22.
The awards recognise the people and venues which maintain best practices in the pub and club industry.
Awards were presented by Steve Baker OBE, the chair of National Pubwatch, and nominees were put forward by the Reading Pubwatch secretary, Bill Donne.
Stuart McNaught, the general manager of the Purple Turtle, was the first to be given an award.
He was a founding member of the Reading Licensees Association, which supports and advocates for licensed venues and businesses, and which developed into the Reading Pubwatch scheme the following year.
Mr McNaught said of winning the award: “It’s really cool, and the scheme is really positive for the development of the town centre.”
He chaired the scheme from 2005 to 2018, where he hosted six annual conferences, and was voted back onto the committee shortly after stepping down.
He said; “I’d like to thank Bill Donne and Alexa Volker, since without them we wouldn’t be having the awards today.”
The second award went to Sally Leonard, the coordinator of the Reading Street Pastors since 2012.
Street Pastors is a volunteer organisation that works with churches and community groups, as well as the police, to provide pastoral support to the community.
She has also been on the First Stop management committee, which oversees the provision of first aid facilities during late nights hours during the weekend.
Mr Baker said of Ms Leonard; “As well as attendance at monthly meetings, Sally meets with the chair to discuss additional cover by the street pastors when required for new events by venues, such as Halloween or freshers weeks.”
The third award went to Alexa Volker, head of operations of the Reading Central and Abbey Quarter business improvement district.
Ms Volker has represented the BID at Pubwatch meetings since 2017, as well as procuring cardiac defibrillator kits and drink spiking testing kits for licensed venues throughout Reading.
Mr Baker said: “Alexa is a key member of the night-time economy partnership, contributing ideas and concepts and ensuring that guest speakers receive their joining instructions, and hosting the meeting providing support to the Chair.
“She’s a driving force behind the Purple Flag Status.”
Purple Flag accreditation recognises maintenance of standards in the evening and night-time economy, and was awarded to Reading for three years running from 2017-2019.
National Pubwatch was established in 1997 and has worked to achieve safe and responsible drinking environments in licensed premises since.
