Lifestyle: Solihull’s night time offering wins it a Purple Flag

SOLIHULL town centre has been awarded a coveted Purple Flag in recognition of its successful night time economy.

The town was particularly recommended for the ‘diversity offered within the centre and the seamless management of footfall between evening and late night entertainment’.

Purple Flag is a town and city centre award which aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres in the UK and Ireland in the evenings and at night.

The scheme is managed by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) working alongside the Purple Flag Advisory Committee – a partnership of key stakeholder groups backed by Government, police and business, as well as sponsors Diageo Great Britain.

Purple Flag accredited towns and cities have to prove that they are welcoming to everyone, offer safe ways for visitors to travel home after dark and provide a good mix of venues.

Purple Flag towns and cities benefit from more visitors and lower levels of crime and anti-social behaviour. Solihull joins Newbury, Bray and Killarney as newly accredited centres.

John Timms, operations manager for Solihull BID, who led the town’s campaign to be awarded a Purple Flag, said: “This award is a tribute to the outstanding working partnership the BID enjoys with Solihull Council, the town centre leisure businesses and West Midlands Police. 

“We have an outstanding retail and leisure offer in the evening, and, together, we manage the evening environment in the town, offering a diverse range of visitors a fantastic experience.”