Nottingham is celebrating 12 years of having the Purple Flag accreditation to keep the city a safer place during the night.
The Purple Flag accreditation is an award that is put forward to recognise various cities’ attempts to put safety and diversity at the forefront of importance.
The scheme encourages late-night venues, whether it be bars, clubs, or restaurants, to constantly innovate ways to keep the environment safe for those visiting.
Multiple organisations in and around Nottingham, including Nottinghamshire BID, Nottinghamshire Police, and Nottingham City Council all work hard and pride themselves on being a safe city for people to visit and reside in.
“I feel that the city is pretty well set up in safety nightlife department.”
Zuz Drozdowska, Team leader at Slug and lettuce
Slug and Lettuce, Market Square, is just one of the many venues around Nottingham that shared their opinion on the Purple Flag accreditation.
Team leader at Market Square Slug and Lettuce, Zuz Drozdowska, said: “As a drinks venue in Nottingham, I would say we are very safe and pride ourselves on that.
“We follow all licensing rules to a strict level, for example, we don’t let people have glass outside past 10 pm to avoid issues, and we are always aware when the football is on so we take extra measures to provide people are safe and enjoying their time.”
Nottingham currently holds the national record for the most accredited venues with 116 bars, pubs, and restaurants receiving the Purple Flag in 2019.
Team leader, Zuz, further explained: “There is security on most doors of night venues in Nottingham on the weekends, and they all communicate between the various bars and nightclubs so I feel that the city is pretty well set up in safety nightlife department not much the actual city centre.”
The Purple Flag scheme runs alongside another award, Best Bar None, which accredits well managed pubs, bars and other venues.
Even though the city holds this incredible achievement and prides itself on creating a safe environment, some would argue that the city is not always as safe as the awards suggest.
Matt, a bartender at Market Square Slug and Lettuce, said: “If we are talking about bars around the area, I would say they are safe and if you are taking the correct precautions when out.
“I would have to disagree with the city itself being completely safe though, the weekends in Nottingham are always hectic and I always see fights on the street throughout the city centre.”
