We’re thrilled to announce that Barnsley town centre has been awarded a coveted Purple Flag for the fourth consecutive year in recognition of our outstanding evening and night-time economy.
Purple Flag is a national accreditation, similar to the Blue and Green Flags awarded to beaches and parks, which aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours of 5pm to 5am. It honours towns and cities that provide a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and residents.
Judges examined how well the town’s nightlife met five core standards: policy, wellbeing, movement, appeal and identity.
The Association of Town and City Centre Management (ATCM), who organise Purple Flag, noted the highlights of our submission as the completion of The Glass Works, continued partnership strength through schemes like Best Bar None, and the addition of the nightlife angels, who are there to assist anyone vulnerable or alone who needs assistance, with a particular focus on preventing violence against women and young girls.
Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council, said: “It’s incredibly pleasing to have retained our Purple Flag status once again.
“A lot of hard work and significant investment have been put in to improve the town centre, support businesses and make Barnsley a welcoming, safe and inclusive place to visit, day or night.
“Many of our venues are Best Bar None accredited and run the Ask For Angela safety scheme, while we have introduced the nightlife angels, as well as the street pastors and nightlife marshals, to provide a visible presence in the town centre late into the night and early hours of the morning.
“Research showed that our town centre was sixth best in the UK for recovery after COVID for both footfall and spending, bucking national trends, which is a testament to what’s on offer.
“In the past 12 months, we’ve welcomed national chains Nando’s and Fridays to Barnsley, while The Botanist will open its doors at the end of this month, taking occupancy in The Glass Works to 88% and adding to an already exceptional and varied leisure offer we feel has something for everyone across all ages and interests.
“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from people outside of Barnsley who have come for a night out and really enjoyed themselves, which is particularly pleasing. We’re developing and growing a fabulous reputation as a great place to come for shopping, entertainment and culture.
“If you haven’t visited the town centre yet, I highly encourage you to do so.”
For more information on having a safe night out in Barnsley, please visit our dedicated webpage.
