NIGHT-time safety initiatives in Coventry city centre have been awarded a major international accreditation for the first time.
The city has been recognised with prestigious Purple Flag status, recognising the city as a safe destination after dark.
The award highlights Coventry city centre, Earlsdon High Street and the Kasbah in Primrose Hill Street as providing a ‘safe, entertaining, diverse and enjoyable night out’.
Coventry Business Improvement District (BID), Coventry City Council (CCC) and West Midlands Police have been working to raise standards and ensure safe nights out for residents, visitors and city centre workers.
Coventry Community Safety Partnership’s measures to improve city centre management and safety include licensing and compliance activity, taxi safeguarding checks, Ask for Angela and Best Bar None, and preparedness activity under Protect & Prepare.
Purple Flag assessors from the Association of Town Centre Management visited Coventry in November.
Joanne Glover, Chief Executive of Coventry BID, said: “The safety of visitors to the city centre is our highest priority, so it is fantastic to have received Purple Flag recognition after many years of hard work across the city.
“It was great to hear how impressed the assessors were with the collaboration shown, and their feedback that they were surprised we had not applied sooner speaks volumes.”
CCC Deputy Leader Coun Abdul Salam Khan said: “The accreditation reflects years of hard work led by Coventry City Council’s Regulation & Community Safety teams and our partners, demonstrating our commitment to a safe, vibrant and well-managed city centre.
“We want our city centre to feel safe and welcoming and I’m grateful for the efforts of the Council, Police, BID officers and Coventry Street Pastors as well as so many hospitality venues in helping achieve this.
“The assessment process helped us showcase the city’s many fantastic venues and the feedback we received from the assessment team was overwhelmingly positive.”
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said: “Purple Flag status is hard to achieve, and it reflects the dedication of Coventry BID and the council in making the city a vibrant, safe, and well-managed place after dark.
“Everyone using our pubs, clubs, and venues, as well as the 100,000 people working in hospitality, deserves to feel safe and supported. That’s why I set up the Night-time Economy Commission: to support venues, protect jobs, and help the sector not just survive, but thrive.”
Chief Inspector Hamir Godhania, from West Midlands Police, added: “We are incredibly proud that Coventry has been awarded the Purple Flag accreditation. West Midlands Police work closely with the BID, Council and other emergency services to ensure we are doing our very best for Coventry’s evening and nighttime economy.
“We want everyone to feel safe when visiting Coventry. We have three dedicated neighbourhood teams for the city centre, a Priority Crime team, response units and specialist teams like Project Guardian who proactively seek those wanting to cause harm.
“We want to continue to reduce antisocial behaviour and violence across the city and the Purple Flag accreditation is just another step closer to achieving this.”
