BOURNEMOUTH town centre’s nightlife has been internationally recognised as being “dynamic, secure and vibrant”.
This is now the renewed official accreditation, among many, of the town centre after it was awarded Purple Flag status for the 14th year running.
The Purple Flag, an international accreditation programme run by the Association of Towns and City Management, aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of centres when it gets dark.
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Similar to the Blue Flag for beaches, the Purple Flag is a reflection of high standards; it highlights Bournemouth's “blend of entertainment, dining, and culture and its commitment to safety”.
Assessors are said to be impressed with Bournemouth's work on crime prevention, including targeted police operations and the roll out of a new incident reporting system to town centre businesses.
The judges also highlighted the town centre’s events such as Arts by the Sea and Christmas Tree Wonderland.
Paul Kinvig, chief operating officer of the Bournemouth Town Centre BID, said: “The Purple Flag entails a comprehensive set of standards, management processes and examples of good practice.
“Achieving this accreditation is a clear and independently-verified indication that Bournemouth town centre offers a well managed, entertaining, diverse, safe and enjoyable night life.”
Bournemouth Town Centre BID recently hired Victoria Sheppard as the town’s night time economy co-ordinator.
Her role is to link all stakeholders – BCP Council, Dorset Police, the BID and businesses – during the night to ensure a safe, successful and well-managed night out.
She said: “The Purple Flag reflects the extensive and ongoing work to make the town centre safer and better for all visitors, from more visible policing in the night-time economy, to businesses getting behind the Unity Promise partnership initiative to support the safety of women and girls.
“We hope this positive news will help support positive public perceptions which better reflect the reality that Bournemouth town centre is a safe place to visit, and our night-time economy has a huge amount to offer.”
Bournemouth is one of 100 Purple Flag destinations around the world, with town or city centres in Sweden, Malta, New Zealand and Australia all being awarded the status.
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