Stockport Council is officially celebrating today after receiving the news that Stockport town centre has been awarded the prestigious Purple Flag accreditation for its evening and night-time economy.

This accreditation is similar to the Blue Flag for beaches and aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours of 5pm and 5am.

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

Cllr David Meller, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said: “This highly respected award complements the Council’s vision and our ambitious plans for the town centre and we are thrilled to be recognised. We work closely with partners across the town to provide a safe, vibrant and inclusive place for people to shop, eat, drink, relax and socialise, so today’s announcement is great news.

“We have seen a number of new businesses setting up home in Stockport recently and with the newly revitalised Market Place, the ever popular Redrock as well as a raft of independent businesses, I’m confident that this award will attract even more businesses, as well as visitors to the town.”

Cllr Sheila Bailey, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport, said: “I’m really proud that we have achieved Purple Flag status for the town. Council officers and other partner organisations have worked tirelessly to secure the Purple Flag. People visiting Stockport know they can enjoy the many facilities we have to offer.”

Sacha Lord, Night-time and Economy Advisor for Greater Manchester, said: “I am delighted to confirm, that today, Stockport has been accredited with Purple Flag. This is a huge step forward and comes during the same week of the exciting plans for the Mayoral Development Corporation announcement, looking at a further 3500 homes for Stockport.

“I have gone on the journey with Stockport, their Officers, GMP, key stakeholders and the BID. Officers of the council have put a lot of work into the assessment, which took place a few weeks ago.”

Sarah Walker Purple Flag Programme Manager at the ATCM said: “There are now over 70 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland who are proudly flying the Purple Flag after working hard to gain accreditation. The award is not just about safety, but also the vibrancy and diversity of the evening and night-time offer — this can only be achieved by people working together in a strong partnership to which we are seeing great examples of across the country.”

Purple Flag accredited areas have all reported a consistent increase in footfall and a decrease in crime within the evening and night-time economy. The Purple Flag programme is managed by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM), which works alongside a partnership of key stakeholder groups backed by Government, police and businesses.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here