BRADFORD city centre has been awarded a national accolade which recognises it as being a “safe, vibrant and well-managed place to visit and spend time in after dark”.
Purple Flag status, run by the Association of Town Centre Management, was achieved through submitting evidence collected on topics including crime and anti-social behaviour; alcohol and health; composition of amenities; footfall; perceptions; volume and value of businesses, and range of patronage.
Bradford follows in the footsteps of cities including Manchester, Liverpool, and Hull to gain the award.
The announcement comes amid calls from a group that owns several popular city centre businesses, including City Vaults and the Ginger Goose, for increased policing on the streets at night.
Bradford Council and Bradford at Night worked together to meet the award criteria with support from West Yorkshire Police, Pubwatch, New Vision, City of Culture 2025, The Broadway, Bradford BID and Your Business Crime Network, and other partner organisations.
This work included a 12-hour overnight assessment, carried out from 5pm to 5am to look at activities and behaviours around shopping, dining, bars, clubs, theatres, CCTV, street cleaning, lighting, transport, and the condition of the public realm.
The measures Bradford Council has taken to improve the city centre over the past few years:
- Major work to transform the city centre’s road and pavement layout, including improved cycle access, new pedestrianised areas and landscaping, funded by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund – now almost complete after nearly two years
- Roll-out of the Ask for Angela scheme in licensed venues which enables people to discreetly get help from staff if they feel unsafe
- Active bystander training offered to help people challenge inappropriate/anti-social behaviour
- Tree lights installed by the festival lights team on Ivegate, City Park, Bridge Street, Hall Ings, Bank Street, and Darley Street, and festoon lighting on Aldermanbury, Piece Hall Yard, Well Street, Market Street, Tyrrel Street, and Hustlergate, all funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
- Additional CCTV installed throughout the city centre
- Mirror Pool lighting reprogrammed to stay on all night
- Additional lighting installed at the Impressions Gallery by the landlord of the Aldermanbury Building
- New bollards to PAS68 rating installed as part of the Transforming Cities work to make the city centre safer for pedestrians
- An enhanced city centre cleansing team created
- Partnership working with other agencies cemented – and is working successfully – to report issues such as rough sleepers, anti-social behaviour, and vacant premises.
Reaction to Purple Flag status
Bradford District Commander Chief Superintendent Richard Padwell, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and will be thoroughly welcomed across the city.
“Bradford is a great and vibrant city and we as a partnership are committed to ensuring the utmost safety and perceptions of safety for both the residents and visitors to Bradford.
“This includes the night-time economy, where we want everyone to have an enjoyable and safe night out.
“Operation Nocturnal has seen a visible and supportive presence in the City Centre over recent months and we will continue to take a positive approach to keeping people safe.”
Bradford is now a ‘hub of venues that ooze quality’
Elizabeth Murphy, managing director of Bradford at Night, said: “This is exactly the type of accomplishment that shows how far Bradford has come in recent years.
“It is not just a place where people drive through, it’s now a hub of venues that ooze quality. People enjoy their time in Bradford and the Purple Flag symbolises this.
“I also want to congratulate everyone involved for their time and effort in achieving this accreditation and for making Bradford what it is today.”
‘We want people from near and far to enjoy what we have to offer’
Councillor Kamran Hussain, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, added: “This accreditation should be a great boost for Bradford city centre.
“With it being our City of Culture year, the timing is ideal, when we want people to come from near and far to enjoy what we have to offer here.
“Thank you to everyone involved in the hard work needed to achieve this.”
