MORE than 60 Plymouth pubs and clubs have been invited to a major conference to discuss proposals to expand the City Safe scheme – and create Oscar-style awards for the city's bar trade.

The steering committee behind the scheme, which recognises the highest standards in the city's drinks industry, wants to widen it to cover the entire scope of the Plymouth evening-and-night-time economy, including restaurants, takeaways, taxi operators and hotels.

And they will be starting an awards night to celebrate the best in the hospitality trade.

The first 'Tinseltown' type ceremony will be held in October next year.

Bar bosses will be asked, at tomorrow's meeting, to come up with categories such as 'bar of the year'.

City Safe chairman Mick McDonnell, and treasurer Peter Jones, stressed they want to raise the profile of the scheme at a time when the economic climate may tempt bar bosses to 'cut corners'.

Bars have to be inspected annually to gain City Safe accreditation and thus display a plaque and certificate.

It shows they have reached the highest standards in preventing trouble and underage drinking, sell booze responsibly and ensure customer safety.

Being a member is seen as a major reassurance to punters, and membership means bars can enjoy free or subsidised training courses for staff.

"City Safe is about quality and standards," said Mr McDonnell, also licensee of Millbay Road's Mount Pleasant. "There is a lot of bad press about the industry nationally, but there are individuals who aspire to change that.

"We want people to come to Plymouth and want to look after them."

Mr Jones, landlord of Henry J's in Mayflower Street, added: "It's to prove there is a viable and safe nightlife in Plymouth.

"Plymouth is a garrison town and we rely on the services – but we want to develop the tourist side. We want to make Plymouth successful."

He said the awards would be to reward those City Safe members that go 'that extra bit further'.

And the meeting will give them a chance to discuss their ideas to 'develop the brand and the night-time economy'.

City Safe is run by Plymouth's licensed trade, in partnership with Plymouth City Council, the police and other partners.

"If anyone breaches our standards they are judged by their peers, put before a standards committee," Mr McDonnell said. "If they are not complying they will be booted out."

Tomorrow's summit is the first members' meeting to be called by City Safe chiefs in its five-year lifetime.

John Melia, client development director of the British Institute of Innkeeping, will address the conference. Representatives from pub chains and wholesalers have been invited too, as has Sutton's Labour MP Linda Gilroy, the police and city council. Bars that are not members are invited to observe, too.

"City Safe is very much driven by the trade," Mr Jones said.

The City Safe meeting is at the Edgecumbe Suite, Plymouth Pavilions, tomorrow from noon. Visit: www.plymouthcitysafe.co.uk.