Reading flies the Purple Flag again
2nd February 2024
Reading has successfully completed the Purple Flag accreditation for the town centre for the 8th consecutive year, a recognition of the ongoing commitment of many different partners to creating a dynamic, secure, and vibrant evening and night-time experience.
Purple Flag is similar to the Blue Flag for beaches and aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours of 5pm and 5am. This prestigious award highlights Reading's blend of entertainment, dining and culture, all the while ensuring the safety and well-being of residents and visitors in the evening and night time economy.
Key successes in Reading's submission include the fantastic work on safety with the My Reading app, the use of vinyl wraps to improve the feel of the town, and the eye-catching Christmas Lantern Parade. Over the five-year span of the current BID, which ends in March, the partnership has:-
- Supplied 11 defibrillators to night-time venues
- Provided a First Stop service which has saved 868 visits to A&E
- Supplied flip flops for sore feet to 634 night-time visitors
- Distributed 300 individually numbered tabards to Door Supervisors
- Distributed 700 bottles of sanitiser
- Supplied 2500 spiking testing kits to night-time venues
Reading BID, working closely with licenced premises, Council safety and licencing teams, neighbourhood and licencing Police colleagues, volunteers from Street Pastors and First Stop, South Central Ambulance Service paramedics, as well as Reading Buses and the University have been recognised for creating a cohesive partnership in the town centre. Working together, the partnership has been able to respond to issues proactively and collaboratively, planning together around large sporting and annual events, ensuring licenced premises have the support needed to deal with a vibrant night-time economy.
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Alexa Volker, Reading BIDs Manager said “We are proud of the partnerships we have developed over many years in Reading town centre in support of our night-time economy. Reading has a very diverse offer from escape rooms to theatres, bars and clubs to live music, cafés to fine dining and bowling. Our job as a partnership is to ensure the ongoing success of this part of the town centre economy which is underpinned by providing a safe and happy experience.”
Reading BID co-ordinates the Purple Flag accreditation process for Reading town centre. Night-time safety will continue to be a large part of a future Reading Central BID on which town centre businesses are currently being balloted. If a majority of businesses vote in favour, the new BID will start on 1 April 2024.
