October is Purple Flag month and we’re delighted to be able to celebrate having retained our Purple Flag status for the sixth year earlier this year.
Gaining and retaining Purple Flag status is a real team effort and Councillor Jonathan Smale, Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetpride, will be visiting businesses and others across the Cathedral and St Peters Quarter Quarter Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) throughout the month with the flag to acknowledge their hard work in helping us retain the award again.
The Purple Flag standard, launched in 2012, is an international accreditation process similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches. It allows members of the public to quickly identify town & city centres that offer an entertaining, diverse, safe and enjoyable night out.
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. The Purple Flag accreditation recognises the hard work that goes on both on the street and behind closed doors to make your night out safer.
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.
Councillor Jonathan Smale, Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetpride said:
Purple Flag month gives us an opportunity to be loud and proud about retaining our status as a Purple Flag city for another year. Although we’ve had the award for six years now, a lot of people still probably don’t really know what it means so I want to use this month to help spread the word about what it is and about all the hard work that goes in to retaining it.
Martin Langsdale, Chair of Cathedral Quarter BID Board said:
Purple Flag is a testament to the great work undertaken by businesses in the city and a number of key partners. Those visiting the Cathedral Quarter can be assured of a warm welcome and an enjoyable experience in a safe environment, whatever the time of day or night.
Helen Wathall, Chair of St Peters Quarter BID Board said:
A key objective of the St Peters Quarter BID Business Plan is to provide a safe and inviting environment for visitors, workers and residents to enjoy and it works closely with the local authority, Police and other partner agencies to ensure that this is the case. Having Purple Flag status is great for the city and a recognition of all of the hard work which takes place.