Leamington receives Purple Flag award for nighttime economy

Purple Flag is a town and city centre award - similar to the Blue Flag for beaches - which aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours 5pm and 5am.

Areas awarded the Purple Flag are recognised for providing a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and residents.

The bid was led by Warwick District Council in partnership with Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire County Council, Street Pastors, Public Health Warwickshire, Bid Leamington, Shakespeare’s England, University of Warwick Students’ Union, Regent Court, Royal Priors, Warwick and Community Voluntary Action, Murphy’s Bar and The Assembly.

In their report the independent assessors who visited Leamington during the summer rated four areas; Going Out, Staying Safe, Your Town, Your Choice, Enhanced Police Initiatives and Street and Taxi Marshalls as excellent or outstanding.

Assessors also praised four key initiatives that have been undertaken by Warwickshire Police in conjunction with partner agencies including Going Out, Staying Safe, Enhanced Police Initiatives (EPI), Your Town, Your Choice and Street/Taxi Marshals.

Councillor Moira-Ann Grainger, Portfolio Holder for Health and Community Protection at Warwick District Council commented: “I’m delighted that Leamington has achieved purple flag status, which truly reflects the fantastic range of evening entertainment and hospitality our town has to offer visitors and residents whatever their age. I would like to thank the team at Warwick District Council and the partners involved for the work they have put into the Purple Flag bid and very much hope to see Leamington’s night-time economy reaping the rewards in the near future.”

Philip Seccombe, Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire, said: “Gaining Purple Flag status is a huge achievement for Leamington Spa and a first for Warwickshire.

“The award recognises the hard work that has gone into ensuring the night-time economy is safe and fun for all and demonstrates how the police, licensed premises, the local authority and other partners can work successfully together to deliver real improvements to the community.

“All involved should feel very proud of this achievement and I will be encouraging similar approaches across the rest of the county.”

Chief Insp Faz Chishty from Leamington Spa Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “This is an excellent achievement for the town and highlights the dedicated efforts that have gone into making Leamington a safe and enjoyable place to visit at night.

“Our committed officers and staff continue to work with partner agencies and local businesses to keep Leamington safe.

“Thank you to everyone who has been involved in making the Purple Flag status achievable.”

Sgt Paul Calver from South Warwickshire Harm Hub added: “I’m delighted that Leamington has been accredited with a Purple Flag status.

“This gives national recognition to the fact that Leamington is a safe and vibrant place for people to visit, especially within its night-time economy.

“We have been working hard with local businesses and partner agencies to keep our town a place we can all be proud of, especially at night.

“As well as our partner agencies, I’d also like to thank the licensed premises within the town for working positively with us over the years to make the night-time economy a safe environment.

“The award is a testament to the positive working relationship held between the police, council and other partner agencies to ensure that Leamington continues to be a safe and pleasant place to live, work and visit.”