Painting the town... purple

A quality mark for town centres has been relaunched. Chris Baylis looks at one of the first areas to be awarded a purple flag.

The blue flag scheme, a measure of beach standards, is a well-recognised guarantee of quality for tourists and visitors alike.

The purple flag, recently relaunched by the Association of Town Centre Management and backed by the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) and the Home Office, is designed to work in the same way.

It is a formal recognition of the work done in a town centre to make it a vibrant and pleasant place to visit during the evening, with a successful night time economy.

Judging criteria include the area’s attractiveness and appeal, cleanliness, personal safety, arts and cultural offering, how welcoming it is, and the strength of partnership working.

Enjoyable atmosphere

Cllr Philip Evans (Conwy), LACORS’ representative for the purple flag scheme, said: “For a town centre to be awarded purple flag status, a wide array of groups and services must work together to the common goal of creating a place and atmosphere that local people and visitors can enjoy, whatever they choose to do after the sun has set.”

One of the first places to receive an award under the refreshed purple flag scheme was Birmingham. It picked up the honour after two thorough audits of the city centre, which lasted from 5pm until the early hours of the following morning.

Assessors went late night shopping, attended an opera at the Hippodrome, a jazz session at the Symphony Hall, visited a night club and went to a police briefing.

They also spoke to frontline council staff crucial to a successful night time economy, including street wardens, licensing officers and taxi marshals.

Jacqui Kennedy, director of regulatory services in Birmingham, said: “This award is a real boost to the local economy and will be great for attracting visitors to the city, just as the blue flag award scheme for beaches does for seaside resorts.

“Winning the purple flag demonstrates to residents, businesses, shoppers, tourists and visitors that Birmingham city centre is clean, safe, enjoyable and accessible at night.”

Birmingham’s success was managed by a city centre partnership, established between the private and public sector to improve and manage the city centre.

Some of the areas the partnership has focused on include better working between the police and the city council’s regulatory services to improve licensing issues, and the management of taxis to help keep people safe.

Jenny Inglis, Birmingham city centre director, said: “We are all really proud that Birmingham city centre is among the first UK locations to receive a purple flag.

“The judges were most impressed at the way the city centre is managed through an effective partnership involving the business improvement districts, city council, West Midlands police and others.

“This accolade clearly demonstrates to visitors that our city centre offers quality, choice and, most importantly, a safe and enjoyable night out.”

The quality mark was handed out at the first awards ceremony of its kind, held in Birmingham in January (pictured).

Purple flags have also gone to Covent Garden and Leicester Square in London, as well as the centres of Bath, Kingston and Manchester.

The centres will be entitled to fly the purple flag for two years, but during that time they will be expected to continue to broaden what entertainment is on offer, with further improvements to the facilities and services available.