COUNCIL chiefs are urging Leamingtonians to get behind their bid to paint the town purple.
Warwick District Council and a host of partners have launched a campaign to gain Purple Flag accreditation for Leamington.
The purple flag is a nationally recognised award – similar to the Blue Flag for beaches – highlighting welcoming town centres.
To qualify for purple flag status, a town needs to provide a range of evening activities, from bars and restaurants to cinema and theatre, for young and old, and families.
Safety issues such as CCTV and street lighting, cleanliness, policing and the availability of public transport between 6pm and 5am are also judged by independent assessors.
And part of the assessment criteria requires residents who visit Leamington at night to give their views on their experiences in an online survey.
Warwick District Council community and health spokeswoman, Moira-Ann Grainger, said: “The most crucial factor in qualifying for a purple flag status is having a diverse offering for visitors and residents who wish to enjoy a night out, whatever their age.
“This is an area where I believe Leamington excels. We very much hope that residents and businesses will get behind the Purple Flag campaign by completing the online survey.
“Towns and cities – including Oxford, Bath, Nottingham and Birmingham – who have this accreditation are reaping the rewards in terms of a stronger night time economy for businesses and a safer environment for families and individuals to enjoy.”
Those completing the survey will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win tickets to the Leamington Spa Comedy Festival at the Royal Spa Centre later this year.
Visit www.warwickdc.gov.uk/purpleflag to complete the survey.
