Cambridge secures Purple Flag award for safe nights out

Cambridge has secured renewal of its Purple Flag Award, which is given to towns and cities judged to be safe and vibrant places to enjoy a night out.

The Purple Flag standard, launched in 2012, celebrates excellent management of the night-time economy. It is an accreditation process similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches.

Superintendent Adam Gallop, of Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: “I am delighted that Cambridge has maintained the recognition as being a safe and vibrant destination. Thanks to the collective efforts of all agencies we have made Cambridge one of the safest city centres in the region. We continue to work hard to provide a visible presence in our communities and to protect those who live, work in or visit the city centre.”

The Cambridge Purple Flag partnership is run by Cambridge BID and Cambridge Business Against Crime (CAMBAC) and works with key stakeholders including Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire police, CCTV, Street Pastors and Hyline Security to ensure the city is a safe place to visit in the evening.

Safety initiatives include taxi marshals (operating payday Friday and Saturdays at St Andrews Street taxi rank) funded by Cambridge BID, who help people get home safely after a night out. Cambridge also champions the national campaign Ask for Angela, where customers can ‘ask’ a staff member for Angela if they feel unsafe and will be taken to a safe space.

Jenny Granshaw, of Cambridge BID, said: “Purple Flag is gaining traction year on year, as we build on partners’ evidence and insight to develop night-time economy projects. In the run-up to the festive season we’ll be inviting city centre venues to free training for their staff, around customer welfare. We have also welcomed important new perspectives into the Purple Flag steering group, with representation from MASH nightclub, Stagecoach and Cambridge University Students’ Union.”