Jeremy Allen Award 2025 – And the winner is …

The Institute of Licensing is delighted to announce that Lorraine Simpson, Licensing Team Manager at St Helens Borough Council, has been named the winner of the Jeremy Allen Award 2025.

This prestigious award, established in memory of Jeremy Allen and supported by Poppleston Allen Solicitors, celebrates outstanding practitioners who have made a significant contribution to licensing and the wider community.

Winner: Lorraine Simpson

Lorraine’s nomination highlighted her transformative leadership in revitalising the night-time economy (NTE) in St Helens. Over the past eight years, she has spearheaded initiatives that have reshaped the town centre into a safe, inclusive, and thriving destination.

Key achievements include:

• Founding the St Helens Night Time Economy Forum (2022): Bringing together businesses, local authorities, emergency services, and partners to tackle key issues collaboratively. The Forum has been instrumental in securing Purple Flag status for St Helens, now in its fourth year.
• Safe Nights, Great Places Campaign: A high-profile social media and community initiative showcasing safe venues and raising public awareness of the NTE.
• Innovative safety measures: Introduction of taxi marshals, “Safe Home” cards for vulnerable individuals, upgraded street lighting, bleed kits, and public assistance points – all funded through strong partnerships with the Police and Crime Commissioner and Safer Streets initiatives.
• Training and resilience building: Developing bespoke training packages for licensed premises, covering first aid, safeguarding, conflict management, and vulnerability awareness – all delivered at no cost to venues.
• Robust legal defence: Successfully preparing evidence to defend critical licensing appeals, safeguarding the town centre from unsafe late-night operations and reinforcing the council’s licensing policy.
• Regional leadership: Chairing the Liverpool City Region Licensing Managers’ Group and contributing to national policy discussions through the Local Government Association.

Jonathan Smith, Partner at Poppleston Allen, said, 

“We are delighted to recognise Lorraine Simpson as the winner of the Jeremy Allen Award 2025. Lorraine’s achievements in St Helens stand out as a model of what licensing can deliver when partnership and vision come together.

“From establishing the Night Time Economy Forum and leading the ‘Safe Nights, Great Places’ campaign, to introducing innovative safety measures like taxi marshals and ‘Safe Home’ cards, Lorraine has shown how licensing can transform communities.

“Her leadership has revitalised the town centre, strengthened public trust, and set a benchmark for best practice across the sector.”

Runners up

Patrick Quinton, a serving police officer, has gone above and beyond the call of duty, building trust and cooperation between the taxi trade, local authorities, and enforcement agencies. His ability to bridge the gap between regulator and regulated has transformed relationships and improved compliance across the sector. Widely respected, Patrick’s commitment to public service and licensing has been strongly supported by colleagues and stakeholders alike.

Ste Connolly, recognised for his outstanding contribution as a police licensing officer. Ste has consistently demonstrated dedication to the licensing profession and the Institute of Licensing, making a significant impact through his work and collaborative approach. His nomination echoed the respect and appreciation expressed for Ste, underlining the vital role police licensing officers play in supporting safe and well-managed communities.

The Jeremy Allen Award continues to shine a light on individuals who embody professionalism, dedication, and innovation in licensing. Lorraine Simpson’s achievements in St Helens exemplify the spirit of the award – combining vision, partnership, and resilience to deliver lasting change.