Chelmsford City Council has announced that the city has been awarded Purple Flag accreditation for its night time economy, for the 11th year in a row.
Purple Flag assessments investigate the standard and appeal of what a city offers between 5pm and 5am, with assessors confirming that Chelmsford was ‘above standard’ in all of the five themes. Every aspect of the city’s visitor experience was assessed, including safety, transport, and movement, as well as the range of activities and venues that are available.
Partnerships have been key to Chelmsford’s success, with coordinated services regarded as ‘outstanding.’ Chelmsford City Council, Essex Police and Chelmsford’s Business Improvement District have worked closely together, as well as collaborating with local businesses and stakeholders to ensure that joint projects are even stronger since the last assessment. One such project is the Chelmsford Women’s Safety Charter.
Cabinet Member for a Greener, Safer Chelmsford, Cllr Rose Moore, said:
“Seeing Chelmsford at night through the eyes of the Purple Flag assessors is always enlightening. A lot can happen in 12 months in the life of a city, and when you’re here night in, night out, you don’t always notice how far you’ve come. It’s great to see projects like the refurbishment of Chelmsford Theatre, independent venues, and restaurants, and the pedestrianisation of Tindal Square recognised for having a really positive impact, helping visitors to have an enjoyable and safe evening out.”
Following the assessment, a number of recommendations were made to ensure that those being inspected can continue to improve over the course of the next 12 months. Recommendations for Chelmsford include establishing a culture plan for the night-time economy, as well as increased focus on areas of the city around the rivers.
Commenting on how the city can keep improving, Cllr Moore added:
“Now that Chelmsford is an established Purple Flag city it’s vital that we keep challenging ourselves to be better every year. There are some great things already in place, but observations from Purple Flag experts on a real night out in Chelmsford are incredibly valuable in helping us to think about how we build on what we have and take our night-time economy to a whole new level.”
Image credit: iStock
