PURPLE FLAG AWARDS RETURN

Canterbury hosts awards following a decade of success as an accredited city

Exactly two years after the first full day of lockdown, ATCM held the Purple Flag Awards, the first big in-person event since the onset of the pandemic.

The event was hosted by Canterbury BID on the grounds of it’s magnificent cathedral, bringing together local stakeholders with those from other accredited destinations to celebrate excellence in the management of evening and night time economy.

Not only was this event significant for being ATCM’s first big gathering since the outbreak of the pandemic, but Canterbury was also able to celebrate it’s tenth consecutive year as a Purple Flag city, and it was joined for the first time by York, worthy newcomers to the Purple Flag family.

This event was not just a celebration of the excellent work done by a broad range of urban practitioners, but an opportunity to discuss other key issues with a captive audience.

Recovery of the Evening and Night Time Businesses

During the Awards Dinner, delegates were delighted to hear from the wonderful Paula Gillespie, Chief Operating Officer of the Marlowe Theatre. Paula discussed the proactive actions taken throughout the pandemic to invest in its people and in innovative COVID secure measures which have bolstered the theatre’s reputation as one the UK’s best cultural institutions and leaves it in a strong position to thrive now.

ATCM was also able to announce the forthcoming Night Time Economy Gift Card from Miconex to support business recovery following the pandemic. The Gift Card provides a unique opportunity to build the profile of Purple Flag with consumers of the night time economy.

Zero Tolerance to Sexual Harassment

The morning after the Awards Dinner provided an opportunity for delegates to hear about Canterbury’s multi-agency approach to zero tolerance to sexual harassment. This led to a wide-ranging panel discussion covering challenges around drink spiking, victim blaming and being inclusive of the LGBTIQA+ community.

The next Purple Flag Awards will take place on the night of the 21st June as part of Summer School and the return of the Town and City Management Industry Awards in Cardiff. Save the date.