Bradford at Night, in partnership with Bradford Council and Safer Bradford, hopes the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) will award Purple Flag accreditation to the area for the first time.
Purple Flags recognise a place’s commitment to creating a vibrant and safe night-time destination for residents and visitors alike.
There are 100 Purple Flag destinations around the globe across the UK, Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand and Australia – and it is hoped Bradford will be awarded the top status in time for City of Culture 2025.
Businesses, law enforcement, council members, and community organizations are supporting efforts to get Bradford city center accredited as a Purple Flag destination. Bradford at Night stated that it was responsible for organizing the team effort and that it is now in charge of making sure all accreditation requirements are met. Bradford will also have to prove that it can offer a variety of entertainment and cultural events, promoting a nightlife that appeals to all age groups.
The city will also need to demonstrate its dedication to public health and safety.
Managing director of Bradford at Night Elizabeth Murphy predicted that the city center would undergo a “turning point” if it were to receive a Purple Flag, but she also noted that it was “not a done deal” and that “commitment and action was needed from all stakeholders involved”.
“This project does not come without its challenges, critics and sheer determination,” she stated.
“Purple Flag won’t make the city center’s issues go away.
“But it’s something that will support the efforts that city centre businesses have been working on for the past few years and, in some cases, decades.”
A Purple Flag, according to ATCM’s research, can have “real benefits” for a location, such as higher visibility and a better public image, more patronage and spending, and a decrease in crime and anti-social behavior.
Additionally, a Bradford at Night representative stated, “Bradford is battling an age-old argument that it needs to change, and we and our partners agree.”
With projects like the Purple Flag proposal, they called on everyone to “pull together to put Bradford back on the map”.
Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime for West Yorkshire, Alison Lowe, continued, saying: “A Purple Flag for Bradford city center is a piece of the jigsaw that’s been missing.”
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