Purple Flag Week Sheds New Light on Bath

A number of iconic Bath buildings are to be lit up in an unusual colour as the city highlights the diversity and safety of its night-time economy during Purple Flag Week.

Bath Business Improvement District and Bath & North East Somerset Council are organising an array of initiatives to mark the national Purple Flag Week, which is an annual celebration of the vibrancy of the best evening economies in the UK.

Like Blue Flag status for beaches, Purple Flag status is the ‘gold standard’ for well-managed town centres at night. Bath was first awarded Purple Flag status in 2010 and the accreditation was last renewed in August this year.

The week will be launched at the Slug and Lettuce on George Street at 7.30pm on Saturday, 21^st September with the Thermae Bath Spa, and Hall & Woodhouse, as well as the Slug and Lettuce itself, being bathed in purple light.

From September 26th to 28th, After Dark Guides will be out and about on Bath’s streets. Dressed in purple, they will be handing out guide leaflets that highlight the many facets of the city’s evening economy. 

Andrew Cooper, manager of Bath Business Improvement District, said: “Bath has a safe, varied and well-run night-time economy, and Purple Flag Week will celebrate those achievements as well as conveying important safety messages.

“The BID-run taxi marshalling scheme and our Nightwatch initiative, which promotes safety by connecting licensees and the police via the latest radio technology, are just two of the schemes that help make Bath a safe place in which to enjoy a night out, and we are committed to making the evening economy even safer and more enjoyable."