Canterbury receives Kent’s only Purple Flag award

Canterbury has received the prestigious Purple Flag award for its thriving evening and night-time economy

The Purple Flag standard is awarded by the Association of City and Town Management (ACTM) to town and city centres that offer an entertaining, diverse and safe night out.

Similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches, the Purple Flag recognises locations that meet or surpass standards of excellence in managing the evening and night-time economy.

There are 70 Purple Flag towns and cities in the UK, and Canterbury is the only accredited location in Kent. 

Lisa Carlson, Chief Executive of Canterbury BID, said: "This is a fantastic achievement for Canterbury city centre, and very well timed as we welcome back students and shoppers after the stresses of the Covid lockdown. 

“Achieving this accreditation is a testament to the efforts of so many individuals, organisations and businesses who work hard every day to ensure people remain safe while they enjoy an evening and night out in Canterbury.”

The accreditation campaign was led and coordinated by Canterbury Business Improvement District (BID) and the city was praised for its street marshal scheme and the Street Pastor scheme, as well the work of the Canterbury City Council's Enforcement Team, Kent Police and the Zero Tolerance Steering Committee. 

Safety in the city centre continues to be a top priority for the Purple Flag partnership. The annual Freshers’ Safety Pop-Up Hub was in place on Friday 25th September from 8-10pm outside McDonald’s in St George’s Street, with members from Canterbury City Council, Canterbury Christchurch University, the Street Pastors and Canterbury BID out to promoting safety messages to students (in socially distanced groups).

Canterbury City Council has also been busy promoting their Lit Routes, to show residents the best routes around Canterbury’s night spots and where to access transport or assistance in the evening. 

Canterbury’s Purple Flag committee includes representatives from Canterbury Christ Church University, Christ Church Student Union, the University of Kent, Kent Union, Canterbury City Council, District Watch, Kent Police, as well as security firms and owners and managers from various businesses across the city.