Nottingham has once again been awarded Purple Flag status by the Association of Town and
City Management (ATCM) – marking the 15th consecutive year the city has been recognised
for excellence in managing its evening, night-time and visitor economies.
The Purple Flag is a recognised accreditation that is only awarded to towns and cities where
public and private sector organisations collaborate to offer visitors a safe, diverse, and vibrant
nightlife.
Nottingham’s continued success reflects the strength of partnerships across the city, involving
It’s in Nottingham – the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), funding partner – the
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), Nottinghamshire
Police, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner,
Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham, stakeholders and a range of local
businesses.
The assessment process considered various factors, including safety measures, the diversity
of the city’s late-night offer, and the overall management of the city centre at night. In awarding
the Purple Flag to Nottingham, governing body ATCM highlighted effective communication
between businesses and partner agencies through the Purple Flag working group and the
introduction by It’s in Nottingham of both strategic and tactical forums to ensure businesses
can take part in safety initiatives across the city.
Other highlights noted by the ATCM include:
● Enhanced safety measures: Nottingham’s investment and commitment to enhancing
safety stood out, with initiatives such as the Body Worn Video camera radios, jointly
funded by It’s in Nottingham and the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Violence
Reduction Partnership. These units enable live streaming to CCTV for rapid
emergency response. The Safe Space Pledge also demonstrated significant
engagement from local businesses, with its positive impact evident during incidents
involving vulnerable individuals. During 2024, transport drivers were recognised for
their exemplary actions in such situations
● No Place for Hate Charter: Business participation in the ‘No Place for Hate’ charter
surged from 88 to 346 businesses, showcasing a unified commitment across the
sector. The focus on aftercare and wellbeing for hospitality staff experiencing incidents
is a crucial part of Nottingham’s holistic approach to safety
● Vibrant events calendar: Nottingham’s robust event calendar, particularly the success
of Light Night, has positively impacted spending, footfall, and public perceptions,
drawing diverse crowds into the city during evening hours
● Growing nightlife scene: Amid a national trend of nightclub closures, Nottingham is
bucking the trend, with new venues opening and contributing to the city’s vibrant
nightlife
● Strong partnerships: The working group behind Nottingham’s Purple Flag status
remains committed and has expanded to include all city bus providers, representatives
from CCTV Control, Best Bar None, and city cleansing. Key partnerships with the
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire VRP, Consent Coalition, Pubwatch, Nottingham Trent
University, the University of Nottingham and the Office of the Nottinghamshire Police
and Crime Commissioner have been pivotal in making Nottingham a safer place.
Rich Lane, Head of Operations and Business Crime at It’s in Nottingham, said:
“Achieving Purple Flag status once again highlights the incredible teamwork and commitment
of our partners. From the VRP, Consent Coalition and Pubwatch to Nottinghamshire Police
and the universities, everyone has played a crucial role in creating a night-time environment
where safety and enjoyment go hand in hand.”
Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Gary Godden, said: “This is national
recognition that Nottingham is a safe and vibrant city where all of our diverse communities can
come together and enjoy what the city has to offer. With tens of thousands of people visiting
Nottingham every day, this award is a real testament to the collaborative work of a number of
agencies that goes on in the background to make Nottingham a safe and enjoyable place for
all.”
Chief Inspector Karl Thomas, who oversees neighbourhood policing in Nottingham’s
city centre, said: “I am delighted that Nottingham retained its Purple Flag status. It’s an
incredibly positive achievement and it shows that police and partners are working well to
ensure Nottingham is an attractive and safe destination.
“We are fortunate to have strong partnerships with It’s in Nottingham and Nottingham City
Council and we work closely with them to understand what issues are affecting the
communities in the city and how best to tackle them.
“The Purple Flag accreditation is testament to the hard work of a number of agencies and I am
pleased that we have done our bit to ensure that we kept that status as a city.
“As with any large city, there will always be a number of crimes reported to us – this is no
different to any other area with a large population and thriving night-time economy and
Nottingham remains a safe place to live, work and visit. Where people are coming into our city
to commit crimes, we are actively working to identify them and bring them to justice as
demonstrated by the plethora of arrests made in recent weeks.
“All I would ask from the public is that they continue to report incidents to us and engage with
officers out on patrol if they have any concerns or issues. We will always work to ensure
appropriate action is taken if an offence has been committed.”
Councillor Corall Jenkins, Nottingham City Council’s Executive Member for
Communities, Waste and Equalities, commented: “We are delighted to be celebrating
another year of Purple Flag status in Nottingham – a testament to our partnership efforts.
“The judging panel highlighted our outstanding events calendar, in particular our fantastic Light
Night event, and our collective commitment to enhancing community safety.
“We recognise there’s always more to do, but this accreditation recognises our commitment to
improvement, and we look forward to building on this, to ensure that Nottingham is a safe and
welcoming city for all.”
Wayne Cliff, Head of Campus Security and Community Liaison at Nottingham Trent
University said: “Nottingham’s continued success in retaining the Purple Flag status for the
fifteenth consecutive year is a testament to the strength of collaboration across the city.
“As a university, we are proud to be part of this collective effort to foster a safe, inclusive, and
vibrant night-time economy. Our students, colleagues, and the wider community benefit from
the city’s commitment to providing a welcoming and enjoyable environment, and this
recognition reinforces Nottingham’s reputation as a leader in promoting both safety and
nightlife culture.”
The Purple Flag status reinforces Nottingham’s reputation as a city that balances safety and
entertainment, creating a night-time environment residents and visitors can enjoy with
confidence.
ENDS
Photo attached: (L-R)
Wayne Cliff (NTU), Olivia Brooks (NTUSU), Nathan Hunt (It’s in Nottingham), Michele Somers
(Pubwatch), Insp. Paul Gummer (Nottinghamshire Police), Louise Graham (Consent
Coalition), Gary Godden (Nottinghamshire Police & Crime Commissioner), Alex Flint (It’s in
Nottingham), Brydie Adams (University of Nottingham), Rich Lane (It’s in Nottingham), Nick
Burns (Nottingham City Council), Councillor Corall Jenkins (Nottingham City Council)
Notes to editors:
About Purple Flag:
Purple Flag is an international accreditation program managed by the Association of Town and
City Management (ATCM). It recognises towns and cities that meet or surpass standards of
excellence in managing their evening and night-time economies (ENTE). Achieving Purple
Flag status indicates a safe, vibrant, and well-managed environment after dark, benefiting
both residents and visitors.
About Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Violence Reduction Partnership
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s Violence Reduction Partnership aims to bring together
specialists from health, police, local government, probation and community organisations to
tackle violent crime and the underlying causes of violent crime. A major funding body for
partnership safety initiatives in Nottingham city and Nottinghamshire, the VRP contributed
over £89,000 in 2024/25, including £50,000 for projects which were match-funded by It’s in
Nottingham, including –
Bleed Kits – designed to provide an intervention ahead of the ambulance crew arriving in the
event of an emergency, and delivered during April 2024. The funding for bleed kits sees a
distribution of bleed kits to city centre businesses updating a previous initiative by It’s in
Nottingham/VRP that began in 2019. Alongside the distribution of the kits full training will be
provided to ensure safe and effective use.
Body Worn Cameras – video cameras with radio communication functionality, co-funded,
distributed and managed by It’s in Nottingham, and deployed across both retail and night-time
economy businesses in Nottingham city centre. The units help share information to prevent
and detect crime, protect staff, improve feelings of safety, and provide a clear message that
Nottingham won’t stand for violence or abuse. The technology works similar to a mobile phone
and has abilities to live stream both video and audio to the Council City Centre CCTV control
room to enable faster and more appropriate responses from partner agencies depending on
the scenario.
Consent Coalition – working together to raise awareness of consent and reduce sexual
violence and supported by It’s in Nottingham. Made up of 20 Nottingham-based statutory and
voluntary sector organisations who are specialists in the sexual violence field, they collaborate
to raise awareness about the importance of consent, challenge myths about rape and sexual
violence, and encourage victims-survivors to access support and report incidents.
Mobile Treatment Centre – delivered by St Johns Ambulance, this mobile treatment centre
run by volunteers provides medical help for those who need it in the city centre during busy
nights. First aiders are available to help and can provide a safe space for people while they
wait for their taxi, bus or lift back home. This aims to reduce the need for admittance to QMC.
Who’s Your Mate – focusses on bystander action through comms messaging around
● Managing escalation
● Embedding education about abuse and harassment in all forms, towards all genders
(but primarily women)
● Address internal conflict by building confidence
● Intervening safely
● Supporting survivors
● Challenging attitudes and issues that underpin abuse
● Addressing sexism and abuse in the moment and afterwards
● Embedding knowledge about abuse, VAWG, misogyny, misandry, homophobia, and
transphobia
● Supporting someone with their own trauma to change
● Audience – focus on younger ages initially (16-30 years old)
Street Pastors – through their presence on the streets, Street Pastors provide support,
assistance, and a listening ear to those in need, contributing to the safety and well-being of
individuals in various urban settings. Match-funded by It’s in Nottingham, the Street Pastors
play a role in engaging with the local community, building trust, and fostering positive
relationships between residents, businesses, and authorities. Within this, they have 1,681
conversations with 342 vulnerable individuals including those affected by violence, drugs and
alcohol.
About It’s in Nottingham:
It’s in Nottingham – Nottingham’s business improvement district (BID) – is a not-for-profit
company that is privately funded by member businesses and organisations in the retail,
leisure, hospitality, office and education sectors within a defined area of Nottingham city centre
● With over 700 members, It’s in Nottingham is one of the largest Business Improvement
Districts in the country
● It’s in Nottingham aim to put Nottingham firmly on the map as a safe and welcoming
city in which to live, study, work and play, by delivering a range of initiatives which are
driven and shaped by its members for their benefit and the benefit of Nottingham
residents and visitors
● It’s in Nottingham is the brand used by Nottingham BID Company Ltd. to promote the
city which includes delivering campaigns and events throughout the year as well as a
dedicated website and social media accounts
For further information please contact: judi@itsinnottingham.com