Art work commemorates success for Edinburgh's Hemma Bar

A specially commissioned painting of Edinburgh’s Hemma Bar has been presented to its owners Anna and Mike Christopherson to commemorate their success in scooping the award as overall winners in the 2015 Best Bar None awards in the Capital. 

The work of art was painted by Ross Macintyre, a well-established Scottish painter who originally hails from Dumfries and has been based in Edinburgh for the past twenty-five years. He specialises in painting Edinburgh scenes and pubs and Scottish distilleries and landscapes.   

The painting was commissioned by Best Bar None Edinburgh as part of the prize for the overall winner for the Edinburgh awards in 2015.  Hemma was the category winner in two sections – Best Independent Bar and Heart of the Community – and then went on to gain recognition as the overall winner for Edinburgh.  A total of forty two licenced premises were accredited in the awards. 

The Best Bar None scheme, organised in the Capital by City of Edinburgh Council, recognises and awards well managed licensed premises. The overall aim is for partner agencies; the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, City of Edinburgh Council, Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue service, to work together with the licensed premises to create a more welcoming and safer environment within venues across the capital.

It is sponsored by Diageo, Molson Coors, Heineken, Tennents and Maxxium and Chivas Brothers is an integral part of the Safer Areas Initiatives throughout Scotland.

The scheme has operated in Leith from 2011 and in the Grassmarket from 2013.  It was extended to incorporate Gorgie/Dalry in 2014 and 2015 was the first time it has included venues in Edinburgh city centre.

Anna and her husband Mike own Hemma and five other bars in the Capital – Boda Bar, Victoria Bar, Sophie’s Bar, Joseph Pearce’s Bar and Akva Bar. 

Following the success in the Edinburgh awards, Hemma will be put forward to the Best Bar None National Awards in March 2016.

Anna commented:

“This stunning piece of art will be a treasured and lasting reminder for us and the team at Hemma of our success and we look forward to it being on show for our customers to enjoy it too.”

Photograph caption: On the right of the photo is Anna Christopherson and on the left her husband, Mike Christopherson with Ross Macintyre in the centre. (please credit John Thompson for the photograph). 

For further information please contact Felicity MacFarlane at Indigo on 0131 554 1230 or felicity@indigopr.com.

Notes to editors

•          Best Bar None operates throughout Scotland and over 400 venues have been accredited as part of the scheme.
•          Best Bar None is sponsored by Diageo, Molson Coors, Heineken, Tennents, Maxxium UK and Chivas Brothers and is supported by Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association and the Scottish Government.
•          The scheme is administered nationally by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre and delivered locally through representatives from local authorities, Police Scotland and Business Improvement Districts. 

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