Thanks to York’s vibrant evening economy and night-time safety record, the city has had its Purple Flag status renewed.
York BID were told of the news following a rigorous 12-hour overnight assessment.
Purple Flag is an award from the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) that recognises destinations that demonstrate exceptional standards in their evening and late-night offerings.
The prestigious designation means that York offers a vibrant, diverse, and – most importantly – safe experience for residents and visitors using the city from the early evening and into the night.
The administration of Purple Flag recently passed to York BID, following City of York Council first gaining the accreditation in 2021.
Purple Flag status ensures residents and visitors can enjoy safety, diversity, cleanliness and vibrancy in their city.
The judges found that York fostered a safe and welcoming nighttime environment through partnership working from city leaders and frontline organisations.
BID Street Rangers take part in joint patrols with North Yorkshire Police, for example.
Other key factors which counted towards York’s Purple Flag status included
- the city offering a variety of diverse food and drink options, as well as non-alcohol centred evening activities
- clean public spaces throughout the city, with York BID and the council adopting a joint targeted cleaning approach
- the vibrant atmosphere that provides a great nighttime experience – investments in projects such as Colour & Light make York come alive at night.
Other keys to York’s successes include the commitment of the BID team and their partners, the excellent CCTV system which provides comprehensive cover across the city, and the volunteer River Rescue Team who offer valuable support to safety after dark.
Carl Alsop, operations manager at York BID, said: “I’m so pleased that the city can once again boast having Purple Flag status.
“This status isn’t something the city have given themselves; it is an international accolade given by the Association of Town and City Management on the back of a thorough assessment from two independent qualified assessors – in this case from two different countries.
“There will, of course, be the negative comments from the same people about how they perceive York, but this accreditation confirms that, although isolated incidents may occur, we as a city have a strong and coordinated partnership response to deal with them both proactively and on the ground.”
Leader of City of York Council Cllr Claire Douglas said: “This renewed accreditation cements York’s city centre as one of the UK’s best loved and top-rated destinations.
“It’s a fantastic accolade and confirms what we and our millions of visitors know as a safe, welcoming and beautiful place to visit day and night.
“Thank you to everyone who plays a part in creating and maintaining York’s fun, diverse and vibrant nighttime offer for everyone.”