Please find attached very useful toolkit that Revo have just released on: rough-sleeping-tactics-toolkit-final which may be of interest to you and your staff. This information has come from the ATCM Purple Flag BaseCamp forum.
Purple Flag Renewal and Actions for 2020
Our Purple Flag renewal documents have been received by ATCM for assessment on Jan 31st. Confirmation of our status is expected within a few months.
The evening and night-time economy is a major driver of tourism, leisure and business growth in Waterford City; to support the various stakeholders involved in the evening and night time economy, we are asking you to voice your opinion and let us know what areas you wish the Working Group to concentrate on for 2020. We are currently refreshing our Action Plan for 2020 – 2022 and all. Please add comments to our forum or email comments to mfitzsimons@waterfordcouncil.ie
Safety a Priority for A Good Night Out in Waterford This Christmas:
Purple Flag Stakeholders are reminding everyone to be aware of their own personal safety when they go out this festive season. The Christmas party season is upon us and the City Centre is already getting busier with shoppers trying to beat the festive rush.
We are working together to remind everyone to be aware of their own personal safety this Christmas to ensure they don’t put themselves in any dangerous situations. “We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy a good and safe night out in our Purple Flag Zone. It’s in all our interests; the general public, business and the emergency services, to keep the day and night-time economy vibrant and safe places to visit. Our venues are working together to place the personal safety of visitors at the top of its priority list”.
The Gardai have issued their safety message and posters are saying that they always encourage responsible drinking, plan ahead and let your family and friends know where you are going and who you are going with which are available for download on this site.
We recommend that you plan how you are going to get home by pre-booking a licensed taxi or by making sure you know the times for your bus. Also make sure your phone is charged, never leave your drink unattended and take care of your bag and belongings. When you’re out with family or friends look after one another and make sure you all get home safely.”
Venue owners advise that “Should you witness any inappropriate behaviour; if it is not acceptable when sober, it is not acceptable when under the influence of alcohol; please tell a staff member if you have any concerns or contact the Gardai”.
The Purple Flag ethos is centred around quality; quality of experience when going out; quality of customer care; and quality being applied to every aspect of your visit into and around Waterford city.
Purple Flag is an international accreditation and award scheme aiming to raise standards amongst licensed venues, recognising positive management helping to facilitate safe and enjoyable nights out for the public. Members work together to reduce crime, reward excellence, and raise standards of alcohol licensed premises.
Help ensure safer nights out while the festive season is in full swing.
Prior to the Festive Season kicking into full swing, we are asking all venue owners/manager to make safety a priority for a good night out for all by reminding staff (full/part-time and security) of the standard safety operations/policy to ensure the safety of all, including:
- Everyone is responsible for safety.
- Be a good host, and serve alcohol responsibly. Don’t serve alcohol to drunk people/ under 18 years.
- Promote safe transport options for your customers, including calling taxis or have bus time tables available.
- Promote the ‘Ask for Angela’ safety campaign – refresh the programme with staff members so they understand what to do if the code word is used.
- Promote the ‘Get Home Safe’ campaign for WIT Students on their nights out.
Watch out for our Christmas bollard wraps as part of our partnership with Winterval
Purple Flag website and Members Forum launched Friday 18th October 2019
Calling on all businesses and community stakeholders in the Purple Flag Zone:
- Please sign up on to the Members Area of the Purple Flag website, which will enable you to communicate directly with us; your input into the Action Plan and/or suggestions on topics of importance to Waterford are very welcome.
WITSU Purple Flag Info
Flying the Purple Flag for Purple Flag month
PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY TO CELEBRATE DURING PURPLE FLAG MONTH
Waterford City Centre will be taking part in the official annual celebration of the Purple Flag programme for those who have been recognised for excellence in the management of the evening and night-time economy (ENTE) in Ireland and the UK, taking place during the whole month of October 2019.
The evening and night-time economy significantly contributes to our local economy and Purple Flag Waterford aims to support this economy and drive standards within the Zone in partnership with key stakeholders. To celebrate Waterford City’s Purple Flag status since 2015, we intend to capture people’s imaginations, change perceptions and encourage people to do something different with their evenings in a variety of locations across the Zone area; the invitation is to experience the quality, diversity and vibrancy Waterford City Centre has to offer.
Gerald Hurley, local Coordinator of Purple Flag Waterford encourages everyone to get out and about during Purple Flag Weekend over 4th – 6th October saying “This gold standard award is not just about safety, but also recognises the vibrancy and diversity of our evening and night-time offer —this has been achieved by members working together across the Purple Flag Zone and is amazing example of what can be achieved by partnership working.
Chair of the Purple Flag Working Group, Eric O’Brien agreed, adding “It is great to see so many local businesses really celebrating their Purple Flag achievement and putting so much effort into the celebrations.”
The Purple Flag programme is run by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM). Ojay McDonald, CEO of the ATCM congratulated Purple Flag location holders saying “There now are over 70 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland who are proudly flying the Purple Flag after working hard to gain accreditation”.
“Ask for Angela” campaign launched
Purple Flag Waterford partnering with WIT Students Union, An Garda Siochana and working with local venues launched an ‘Ask For Angela’ campaign – a simple code-word campaign for people feeling unsafe while on a night out. The campaign welcomed and supported by local venue owners and managers as it is seen as a positive step in raising the perception of safety in Waterford.
The Ask for Angela campaign has got global attention since introduced by Hayley Child in Lincolnshire, England in 2016.
Eric O’Brien, Chair of the Purple Flag Working Group outlined that the ‘Ask for Angela’ campaign is in place to give assurance that where required, informed assistance is available. He commends the support shown by venues who display campaign posters encouraging those in a situation where they feel vulnerable to approach staff and ask for ‘Angela’ – this code word will alert staff that help is needed to get out of a situation discreetly.
At the launch, Michael Murphy, President of WIT Students Union says that “the ‘Ask For Angela’ campaign has the potential to make Waterford a safer place by encouraging people to discreetly ask for help by going to venue staff and ‘Ask for Angela’ – a phrase aimed at alerting staff so they can help defuse a situation.
It is encouraging to see so many local businesses engaging with the campaign, all with a common objective to protect people who find themselves in vulnerable or distressing situations”.
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