Bournemouth has been awarded the Purple Flag status for the fourth year in a row for offering a great evening experience and a safe and enjoyable time for everyone.

Being accredited with a purple flag recognises Bournemouth’s ambitions to develop and improve the town ‘after dark’ inspiring visitors by the development and promotion of excellent dining and cultural experiences. The scheme assesses all aspects of Bournemouth at night from cleanliness, access and transport, street lighting and signage to entertainment and variety of bars and clubs.

Just as Blue Flag is an indicator of a great beach, Purple Flag is the indicator of where to go for a ‘better night out’ bringing positive publicity for successful town and city centres.

Councillor John Beesley, Leader of Bournemouth Council, said: “A vibrant and well-rounded night-time economy is vital to attract visitors and keep residents and their families entertained. Our Purple Flag accreditation demonstrates the value that we place on making the town at night a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.”

“Open-air events have been drawing great crowds into Bournemouth in the evenings, such as the award-winning Gardens of Light and the extraordinary fire spectacle in the Lower Gardens during the Arts by the Sea Festival in the Autumn. We hope that our improvement work currently underway at Pier Approach will encourage more families to enjoy this beautiful area in the evening.”

The Purple Flag national accreditation scheme is an objective assessment to help improve town or city centres at night and provide recognition for areas managing their night-time experience well.

Originally published on Let’s Go Out.