Derby retains Purple Flag status for sixth year

Published: 2 July 2019

Following an assessment earlier this year, we’re proud to announce that Derby has retained its Purple Flag status and been awarded Best in Place 2019 at the ATCM Awards!

What makes Derby a Purple Flag city?

If you’ve ever been on a night out in Derby, you may have noticed the teams of volunteers and workers who give up their weekends to help keep you safe. Street Pastors, taxi marshals, Licensing Officers, Derbyshire police, door staff, ambulance crews and CCTV operators all work together in partnership to make Derby a Purple Flag city.

The Purple Flag accreditation is an award given to Derby that recognises the hard work that goes on both on the street and behind closed doors to make your night out safer. Every year, the Council (who lead the initiative) work in partnership with other organisations to show a panel of assessors the steps that have been taken to reduce crime and disorder in the city centre.

Our international Purple Flag accreditation provides the banner to which all the partners rally making Derby as safe, welcoming and diverse city as possible.  The Purple Flag assessors who visited the city earlier this year act as our critical friends providing totally independent assessments to the quality and professionalism of the services we work together to provide.

Councillor Chris Poulter, Leader of Derby City Council said:

I’m thrilled that we have retained our Purple Flag status for another year and. Our continued retention of the accreditation and a national award is a true testament to the immense amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes to keep our night time economy, safe and thriving.

Derby is one of around 65 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland to have been recognised for outstanding services on offer, contributing to a diverse and vibrant night-time economy.

Amongst the aspects praised by assessors was strong joint working between the Council and partners including the taxi marshal service, Pubwatch, Street Pastors and Derbyshire Constabulary, as well as the help and support of Cathedral Quarter and St. Peter’s Quarter Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).

Councillor Mick Barker, cabinet member for Governance and Licensing added:

Derby’s Purple Flag award is the result of hard work and a great deal of goodwill which shows the benefits of partnership working lead by the City Council. Derby is rightly proud of this status assessed on set standards by the Association of Town Centre Management. Our night time economy benefits accordingly – broadcasting far and wide the word that Derby is the place to go for a good safe night out!

Derby’s Street Pastors – a group of dedicated local volunteers head out into the city centre to speak to and care for the people out partying. Every Friday and Saturday night, a group of four pastors walk the city streets until 4.00am, talking and listening to people, providing first aid for minor injuries and handing out free flip-flops to minimise any glass related injuries to feet!

Richard Wormsley, Street Pastor Coordinator, Derby City Mission says:

The continuation of the Purple Flag award is testament to the excellent working relationship between all of the partners who seek to maintain the peace and prosperity within Derby’s Night Time Economy.  As we celebrate our 10 years of operating in Derby, the Street Pastor team are delighted to be play our part in supporting the wellbeing of the people we meet. For example, in the last 12 months we were called 269 times by our partners to support either a drunk, injured or vulnerable person and support them in getting to a place of safety.

Derbyshire Constabulary officers, including a dedicated licensing officer attend a briefing before heading out on patrol. Here officers get the chance to hear about who’s on call to support them -including the Council’s CCTV operators, which bars and restaurants are likely to be busiest and when, and also any new powers they can use to keep everybody safe.

PC 2013 Mark Dunn, a police licensing enforcement officer says:

Derbyshire police take a proactive approach to policing the night time economy by targeting key areas, focusing on enforcement and achieving compliance with the help of dedicated police resources and the use of powers of dispersal, closure and detention. The swift response to incidents are based on high levels of cooperation between the police, Pubwatch, door staff, taxi marshals, Street Pastors, ambulance service, CCTV operatives and the licensed premises. Working together we have seen a year on year drop of violent alcohol related crime in the city, making it one of the safest places to enjoy the diverse entertainment a night time economy can offer.

On many weekends, the police licensing officer is supported by the Council’s Licensing team who carry out checks on taxi’s operating in the city centre to ensure they’re meeting licensing conditions.

Our CCTV team are able to support Pubwatch premises and the police by providing information and recording evidence when needed.

The CCTV room in the Council House acts as a hub for everyone involved in making the city centre a safe place to visit on a night out. The Pubwatch radio network allows publicans across the city centre to communicate, flag any potential issues and request support if needed.

Jason Dickins, Managing Director of Atlas Enforcement, said:

I am delighted that Derby has once again been awarded with the purple flag. It is important that everyone is able to enjoy a night out in Derby and that they feel safe when they are out around the city centre. We manage the CCTV operations within the city centre and document any incidents which may occur during a typical night. Along with this we run a taxi marshal service which ensures the public get home safely following a night out and there no disagreements between members of the public. Being awarded purple flag once again shows that we are committed to making Derby as safe as possible.

For visitors finishing their evening early, taxi marshals are on hand at taxi ranks on both Victoria Street and Friar Gate. The support they provide in helping to control taxi queues means that anyone who needs to get home can do so safely. The service operates on Friday and Saturday evenings from 11.30pm until 4.30am. Our taxi marshals are easy to spot; you’ll see them at the ranks wearing high vis jackets.

Police officers patrol around the city centre providing reassurance to revellers and responding to any calls coming in over the Pubwatch radio. The network between partners such as Pubwatch and Derbyshire police allow for quicker responses to incidents and help the police to take action to prevent further incidents happening – such as using special dispersal powers to remove people from the city centre.

On an average Friday or Saturday night in Derby, as many as 40,000 people may visit the city centre to take advantage of the bars, restaurants, pubs and clubs that the city has to offer. The partnership working on display means that every one of those visitors can be sure of a great night out.

Martin Langsdale, chair of the Cathedral Quarter Management Group, which drives forward activities under the area’s Business Improvement District (BID) status said:

The evening economy in Derby is largely focused within the Cathedral Quarter, which is the leisure and cultural heart of the city centre. Retaining Purple Flag status is something that our businesses and indeed the whole of Derby should quite rightly be proud of as it reflects the safe and diverse nature of the evening economy in the city centre.

Helen Wathall, who chairs the Board of St Peters Quarter BID added:

St Peters Quarter has worked closely with Derbyshire Police and other key partners to improve the attractiveness of the area and to ensure that visitors have a safe and enjoyable evening out in the city. These were both crucial aspects in helping secure Purple Flag status for Derby and we are delighted with the announcement.

Business, Leisure