Sheffield city centre has been reaccredited with a Purple Flag award for the way it manages the city centre's night time economy.
Purple flag status is awarded by The Association of Town and Centre Management (ATCM) to towns and city centres that meet or surpass standards of excellence in managing the evening and night time economy and in 2012, Sheffield was the first city in Yorkshire to apply for accreditation.
Purple flag is an internationally recognised accreditation for the management of a city centre and Sheffield has had this accreditation now for 13 years.
We are all very pleased again this year to receive this accreditation and its testament to the hard work of partners, city centre businesses and the Council.
It shows that people feel welcome when they visit our city centre. We’re continuing to build on its appeal to a wide range of people, from restaurants and bars, the culture and heritage, events and entertainment and making sure that it is a safe and clean attractive space for those who visit, live and work here. It’s clear that the judges were impressed by what we’re doing.
Our Purple Flag Working Group will continue to work together with its partners and organisations so that the city centre stays on course to continue to receive this prestigious accreditation.
Councillor Joe Otten, Chair of Waste and Street Scene
Businesses and partners continue to support initiatives in the city centre that add to the city’s nighttime offer.
One of these initiatives is the ‘Best Bar None Scheme’ which operates in licenced businesses who sign up to the scheme to help venues make sure that customers and staff feel protected. More information, including how businesses can become a member is at Best Bar None.
The Ask for Angela scheme also operates in the city centre, and is supported by a nighttime charter and toolkit, a Council initiative to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls and to improve the safety of women and girls who work, visit, or socialise in the nighttime economy.
‘Sheffield Safe Square’ is another initiative that aims to support Sheffield’s nighttime economy and keep residents and visitors safe when out in the city centre and after a pilot, has been extended into the Spring.
The Sheffield Safe Square service is based at Barker’s Pool and is made up of a Medical Treatment Unit Trailer, a privately funded ambulance, and two heated tents. This combination of facilities offers both medical and welfare assistance to anyone on a night out in Sheffield city centre.
Judges for this year’s Purple Flag award assessed the city centre on a range of criteria including:
- Personal safety
- Cleanliness
- Transport
- Food and drink offer
- Bar and restaurant offer
- Attractiveness and appeal
- Arts and cultural offer
- How welcoming the city is
- Strength of partnership working
Sheffield’s partners in the Purple Flag Process are:
- Sheffield City Council
- South Yorkshire Police
- Sheffield BID
- City Centre Retailers Group
- Changing Sheff
- Friends of Sheffield City Centre
- UNIGHT The City Centre’s Pubs and Clubs Group
- Sheffield Street Pastors
- Marketing and Tourism Sheffield
- Business Sheffield