Gloucester could soon be joining neighbours Cheltenham and Bristol in being recognised with a national safety award.
The Purple Flag is awarded to cities or towns that show that they have a safe and thriving night-time economy, based on the following criteria:
- Wellbeing:Successful destinations are all safe and welcoming with all everyone playing their part in delivering high standards of customer care.
- Movement: Getting home safely after an evening out is really important, as is the ability to move around the centre with ease.
- Appeal: Successful destinations offer a vibrant choice of leisure and entertainment for a diversity of ages, groups, lifestyles and cultures.
- Place: Successful areas are alive during the day, as well as in the evening. They contain a blend of overlapping activities that encourage people to mingle and enjoy the place.
City Council officers, Police, Amey and the Gloucester BID have been working on the application and towards achieving Purple Flag status for Gloucester over the past year.
Before starting the process the council and partners carried out assessments of the current situation before making changes and improvements to make sure the city was ready.
The first step of the application process was for the council and partners to carry out a self assessment of the city night life. This took place on Friday 24th November from 5pm until 5am, and included elected members, officers, local businesses and representatives of Gloucestershire Police.
The unanimous opinion from the group was that the council should go for purple flag status, and so an application will now be submitted at the end of January.
If the city is successful in the application, then the council will need to reapply for accreditation in two years time after a visit after 12 months.
Cllr Jennie Dallimore, cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods at Gloucester City Council, said: “Purple Flag status would help cement Gloucester’s place as a welcoming, clean and safe city. Our self assessment last weekend went really well, and we were unanimous in agreeing we should bid for the status.
“By being awarded Purple Flag status we would send a strong message to local residents, visitors, the city’s students and their parents that our night time economy is a safe place to enjoy themselves.”
The deadline for round one of applications in 2018 is 31st January, and officers will submit the city council’s application by that date.
ENDS
Issued by: Shôn Douglas, Media Team, Gloucestershire County Council,, 01452 427554
Notes to editors:
- The Purple Flag working group consisted of city council officers and councillors, the PCC’s office, members of the LVA, local residents and the police
- The Purple Flag standard was first launched by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) in 2012. It is an accreditation process similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches.
- The ATCM’s Purple Flag scheme programme manager Sarah Walker visited Gloucester City Council last summer to go through the process with officers and members. On the back of that meeting, it was decided to apply for the status.
