Weymouth town centre is officially celebrating after receiving the news that we have been awarded the prestigious Purple Flag accreditation. We have been awarded this for our evening and night-time economy.
Blue, Green… and now Purple!
Similar to the Blue Flag award for beaches and the Green Flag award for gardens, the Purple Flag gives Weymouth the rare Triple Crown!
In July, Sandsfoot and Greenhill Gardens in Weymouth and Easton Gardens in Portland were recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme.
Cllr Richard Kosior, briefholder for Tourism etc says: “Weymouth Beach has always drawn residents and tourists to it’s beautiful shoreline and magnificent views across the bay. The gardens are a credit to the teams. We know how much quality green spaces are appreciated by the public, too. This award celebrates the continual high standard that the gardens are presented in.”
Dedication of our partners
Cllr Jeff Cant, leader of Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, said: “This is not only a tribute to our Town Managers energy – and the fantastic work being done by all our colleagues – it is another step towards our vision of our 21st century town as an all year round destination. We are driving forward our ambitious regeneration plans. The Purple Flag award confirms and reinforces how much we can achieve if we all work together.”
Other partners that worked on this project include:
Dorset Police
Melcombe Regis Board
Town Centre Management
Weymouth BID
Street Pastors
Pubwatch
WeyPROGRESS community group
… and many dedicated officers and members from Weymouth & Portland Borough Council!
How Weymouth won
The Purple Flag aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours of 17:00 & 05:00. Areas awarded the Purple Flag are recognised for providing a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture. They do this while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and local residents.
Weymouth scored particularly well on a wide range of eating venues with enough quality independents and bustling shopping streets with bunting. The Town Bridge, harbour area and Nothe Fort /gardens were very attractive indeed.”
Purple Flag background
Since 2007, the programme has awarded the Purple Flag status to over 70 towns and cities. Purple Flag accredited areas have all reported a consistent increase in footfall and a decrease in crime.
The Purple Flag programme is managed by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM). They work alongside a partnership of key stakeholder groups backed by Government, police and businesses.
