Watford is celebrating after receiving the news that they have been awarded the prestigious Purple Flag accreditation for its evening and night-time economy (ENTE) – similar to the Blue Flag for beaches – which aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours of 17:00 & 05:00. Areas awarded the Purple Flag are recognised for providing a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and local residents.

The last few years have not been what anyone expected and we have had to tread new territory in the fight against COVID-19. Purple Flag has been important to many of our towns and cities that hold the accreditation during lockdown, as well as being instrumental in the reopening policies and strategies with key stakeholders as our towns and cities adjust to the new way of life post-pandemic.

Highlights from Watford’s submission include the positive presentation of the Purple Flag area, and the varied early evening offer. There has been an impressive number of restaurants, bars & leisure venues that have opened up in the past couple of years, with more still due to open, allowing fantastic choice for the consumer.

Phil Holby, chair of Watford’s Pubwatch and manager of Walkabout Watford said: “It’s a great achievement for Watford and brilliant to receive such prestigious recognition once again. It speaks volumes about the fantastic offering that Watford has with a huge amount of choice for all different age groups and all walks of life. We’ll continue to work hard to ensure that Watford remains a great evening & night out.”

Maria Manion, chief executive of Watford Business Improvement District (BID) said: “Watford was one of the very first towns to receive Purple Flag accreditation, and it’s brilliant to see that, in 2022, we have continued to be worthy of the status. We’re proud at Watford BID to have worked together with the venues and statutory agencies to achieve accreditation once again, proving the great partnership work that we’re capable of as a town.”

In addition to Watford, 3 other areas received their first Purple Flag, 8 areas received a Full Renewal accreditation, and 4 areas received an Interim Renewal accreditation.

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