Worcester's night-life to be judged in bid for Purple flag

A working group led by Worcester BID is set to apply for prestigious Purple Flag status which, if achieved, would see Worcester regarded as one of the country’s safest and most vibrant night-time locations.

Purple Flag accreditation is similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches and is awarded to towns and city centres that meet or surpass the standards of excellence in managing the evening and night-time economy.

Some questions were raised over whether having Purple Flag status would have much of an influence over whether somebody visits and spends time in the city.

Cllr Neil Laurenson was unconvinced that accreditation would bring in more visitors and said it would not sway his decision.

“If I was a student and deliberating whether to go for a pint in Worcester or in Birmingham, Worcester being a Purple Flag city would not sway it for me,” he told the council’s communities committee at a meeting in the Guildhall on June 8. “I’d go where the nearest bars are.

“I wouldn’t go somewhere based on the fact that that place is a Purple Flag place.”

Worcester BID chief executive Sam McCarthy said gaining accreditation would help ‘reassure the public the city was safe’ and ‘put Worcester on the map.’

Ms McCarthy said the national accreditation would also encourage students to study at the University of Worcester, push families to want to live in the city and encourage businesses to invest.

She said a ‘mock’ assessment of the city’s nightlife on a “packed” March evening praised Worcester for being ‘vibrant and diverse’ and was confident the same would be said when the city is judged again later in the summer.

The deadline for the bid is June 24 and the city centre, including the University Arena, Worcester Racecourse and the Diglis area, and The Tything and Lowesmoor, would then be judged overnight between 5pm and 5am on either a Friday or Saturday in July or August.