NATIONAL Purple Flag manager Sarah Walker has paid tribute to the Salisbury BID.

She attended the local Purple Flag partnership steering group meeting, and visited the Big Business Event in the Guildhall and joined the BID and local businesses at a Chamber of Commerce 90-minute business lunch.

She said: “Purple Flag is about strong partnership working and Salisbury has definitely been able to demonstrate that. I can see a great deal of work has gone in to developing strong relationships and increasing the perception of how important the Purple Flag status is for Salisbury.

“The prestigious Purple Flag award is a national accreditation programme that recognises excellent management of town and city centres in the ENTE similar to the Blue Flag for beaches and Green Flag for parks, and is backed by the various key strategic partners. Purple Flag status demonstrates a clean, safe and vibrant town or city where people can have a good night out, not just in the local pubs and clubs but at a wide range of activities including arts and culture, leisure, food and dining, education and events.”

Steve Godwin, business manager for Salisbury Business Improvement District (BID), said: “Salisbury has been awarded the Purple Flag in February for the third year following an extensive visit by two ATCM Assessors last October, who spent a Saturday night out in the city. They visited many late night pubs and venues, worked with the BID, the police, Street Pastors and other partners, finally witnessing the dispersal policy in operation at 3.30am when hundreds of revellers safely left the late night economy and returned home.

“Purple Flag aims to raise standards and improve the quality of our city between the hours of 5pm and 5am, its purpose to ensure that people visiting Salisbury feel safe and are in a city that is clean, attractive and accessible.”