Nottingham is celebrating securing prestigious Purple Flag status again – taking its reign into a twelfth successive year.
Purple Flag is a town and city centre award – similar to the Blue Flag for beaches or Green Flag for parks – which aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres in the evening and night time.
Places awarded Purple Flag status are recognised for providing a vibrant mix of entertainment while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and local residents.
This is a huge achievement for Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID), who are the main driving force behind the city securing Purple Flag accreditation, working in partnership with other organisations in the city, including Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Police, Community Protection, the Crime and Drugs Partnership, the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University.
The excellent partnership working was evident during the assessment carried out by the Association of Town & City Management (ATCM), the organisation that manages the Purple Flag programme.
A team of independent assessors reviewed a number of aspects of the city’s night time offer including the policing, stewarding and messaging within bars, restaurants, shops, car parks, theaters, signage and public transport – and how they were responding and adapting to Covid-19 guidelines.
In conclusion, they praised Nottingham for:
- Safe, affordable, well managed late night public transport
- A choice of eating venues and a commitment to good food
- Well-managed venues, to meet varied tastes, and offering more than just alcoholic beverages
- A vibrant, inclusive arts and cultural scene
- The appropriate use of natural and built features to reinforce appeal
Alex Flint, CEO of Nottingham BID commented:
“We are delighted that Nottingham has once again received Purple Flag status. It’s a great recognition of all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure visitors of all ages can enjoy our amazing offering and gives national recognition that Nottingham city centre is well managed in relation to cleanliness and safety as well as having a diverse range of venues for a great night out.”
Chief Inspector Amy English, of Nottinghamshire Police, said she was delighted Nottingham had once again been recognised by the Purple Flag programme. She said:
“Nottingham once again receiving this award reflects the continued efforts of local businesses, members of the community and everyone involved in making our evening and nightlife some of the most vibrant, diverse, and well-respected in the UK.
“We are fortunate to have strong partnerships with the Nottingham BID and the city council and together we work all year round to make the city an even safer place to enjoy a night out.
“Since the night-time economy reopened, we ensured that there were plenty of officers patrolling the streets and high-visibility policing operations have been put in place on Nottingham’s tram network as part of a wider campaign to increase the safety of women and girls in particular.
Councillor Rebecca Langton, portfolio holder for Skills, Growth and Economic Development for Nottingham City Council, added:
“Since first gaining Purple Flag status 12 years ago, partners in Nottingham have been really focused on maintaining or improving the attributes that are needed to create a city centre which is a safe, fun, and well looked after place to enjoy.
“The pandemic has inevitably meant fewer people visiting the city centre, so it’s great we can encourage people to return in increasing numbers to what continues to be one of the best city centres in the country for a great, safe night out. The wonderful pubs, restaurants, bars, music venues, theatres and other night-time destinations in our city deserve our support, and along with the efforts of Nottingham BID, Nottinghamshire Police and the City Council, everyone can be sure of a warm and safe welcome.”
Posted on 15 February 2022
