Every pub and bar in Oxford city centre is to be ranked in a league table - with the aim of making the area safer at night.

Every one of the 70 plus premises in the city will be given a grading of three to five stars for the way they manage their premises.

The new scheme - the brainchild of Nightsafe, the organisation set up to encourage responsible drinking in Oxford - will award stars based on a bar's attitude to promoting sensible drinking.

All premises will automatically receive a three-star rating, as all licensees have met a minimum standard to obtain their licence.

But a specially-formed panel of Nightsafe officers will allocate extra stars if they comply with additional criteria - such as using toughened glasses and door staff wearing high-visibility jackets.

Premises will receive their individual ranking today. There will be no penalties for those which fail to gain extra stars.

Nightsafe manager Karen Crossan said: "The Nightsafe team have reviewed the way we've been running for the last few years and decided all the premises within the Nightsafe area will be given a grading.

"We have also listened to what our licensees want and by working with them, we will make Oxford a safer night out for all.

"To do this, we will be awarding stars to premises depending on what they offer the clientele and how they run their establishment."

The hope is to run a Nightsafe awards ceremony each year with different categories voted for by the public, including 'best venue'.

The list of licensed premises and their rankings will be published on the Nightsafe website www.nightsafe-oxford.org.uk Zoltan Branch, manager of the Park End Club, in Park End Street, said: "I fully support the Nightsafe scheme and I am pleased the partnership is able to show recognition to all of its members.

"This rating scheme will reward members who are working hard with Nightsafe to make the night-time experience in Oxford a safe and enjoyable one.

"It's an important step that all licensed premises in the city have become a part of this scheme and shown a united front."

Nightsafe was launched in October, 2004 and was set up to combat binge drinking and alcohol-related crime and violence.

The partnership includes Oxford City Council, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, city centre management company OX1 and Oxford City Primary Health Care Trust.

There is a special saturation policy (SSP) in operation in the city centre, effectively meaning no new bars or pubs can open.

Only last month Regent Inns, the company that runs the Walkabout chain of bars, was refused a licence to open an increased capacity venue on the site of Bar Risa in Hythe Bridge Street because of the SSP.