Plymouth is Flying the Purple Flag in 2025

Plymouth is celebrating as it proudly receives the Purple Flag accreditation, a recognition of its commitment to creating a dynamic, secure, and vibrant evening and night-time economy.

Purple Flag – similar to the Blue Flag for beaches – aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours of 5 pm to 5 am.

This prestigious award highlights Plymouth's blend of entertainment, dining, and culture, all while ensuring the safety and well-being of residents and visitors in the evening and night time economy.

Key successes in Plymouth’s submission include proactive policing measures such as the introduction of drug safes, leading to the confiscation of £45,000 worth of illegal substances, alongside complementary initiatives on drink spiking prevention and wider crime reduction.

The successful night bus trial has now been made permanent, supported by the adoption of Uber to improve late-night transport, while extended retail trading hours and growing demand for food licences reflect a thriving, diverse hospitality scene that enhances the city’s vibrancy and appeal. In addition to Plymouth, we celebrate 7 areas receiving a Full Renewal accreditation, and 12 areas receiving an Interim Renewal accreditation.

Purple Flag has represented the gold standard of evening and night time economy management for nearly 15 years. Congratulations to Cat Macdonald and all of those who have worked on the submission on behalf of Britain's Ocean City.

Steve Hughes, Chief Executive of the Plymouth City Centre Company, said:

“This is great news and important for the city centre and our businesses as the city centre continues to improve and we develop our evening and night-time economy.”