Weymouth has been awarded the Purple Flag for the second time. The town is one of over 70 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland who have been awarded with Purple Flag status for their achievements in helping people have a great night out.
The town went through a rigorous schedule including the setting up of a working group to involve all partners and stakeholders, self-assessment and submitting a final application by the end June 2019, with Weymouth passing all 30 Purple Flag criteria as well as decreasing crime statistics. Additionally, Weymouth was able to show that it is providing appropriate transport, has a vibrant appeal and is a stimulating destination with a strong sense of partnership working.
Weymouth has an excellent variety and choice of eating venues and buzzing pubs and was commended on its substantial partnership working across the membership of the group and on equal measure within each sector supported by a highly committed Weymouth Town Centre Management Group.
Purple Flag is a town and city centre award, similar to the Blue Flag for beaches and Green Flag for parks & gardens, which aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres in the evenings and at night. The scheme is managed by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) working alongside the Purple Flag Advisory Committee, a partnership of key stakeholder groups backed by Government, police and businesses.
Purple Flag accredited towns and cities have proven that they are welcoming to everyone; Weymouth offers safe ways for visitors to travel home after dark and provides a good mix of venues. Weymouth’s night time economy benefits from more visitors, lower crime and anti-social behaviour and improved perceptions of the town centre.
Mayor of Weymouth, Cllr Graham Winter, said:
“We are delighted that Weymouth has been awarded the Purple Flag status again, in recognition of our dedicated efforts and investment in the creation and enhancement of our night time economy. We are very happy to be flying the Purple Flag, this shows that all stakeholders involved (Weymouth Town Council, Dorset Police, Weymouth BID, Dorset Council, Street Pastors, NHS, Public Health England and Pubwatch) have a strong partnership. We will promote the Purple Flag and use it as a benchmark to strive towards a vibrant and safe night time environment for both our residents and visitors.”
Claudia Moore, Chief Executive of Weymouth BID, said:
“It is fantastic for the local community and for Weymouth to be awarded a Purple Flag. We have all worked very hard to create a safe and well-managed evening and night time environment, with a variety of social activities on offer for residents of all ages.”
