Darlington Borough Council and partners are looking to renew the town’s purple flag accreditation, a standard awarded to towns and cities across the UK that offer safe and enjoyable nights out.
First awarded in 2019, Darlington is the only town in the North East to hold the status.
Similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches, the national accreditation aims to raise standards and improve the quality of towns and cities between the hours of 5pm and 5am.
As part of the reaccreditation process, the council is asking residents, businesses and visitors to the town, to share their views on the town centre night-time economy by completing an online survey available at bit.ly/DBCPF.
The survey closes on Friday 27 October. Responses will be collated and shared with the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM), which oversees the programme and will be considered together with other evidence including a visit from national assessors. Successful destinations will exhibit a vibrant choice of leisure and entertainment, high standards of customer care and a welcoming, safe, accessible environment.
Cllr Chris McEwan, cabinet member for economy said “Keeping our purple flag status is an outward signal that Darlington is a great place to visit and supports the continued growth of our thriving night-time economy.
“The town has a wide choice of leisure and entertainment options for people of all ages, lifestyles and cultures and we work closely with the police and hospitality venues to make sure Darlington remains a welcoming place for all after dark.
“Services such as Number 40 on Skinnergate offer a safe space for people who feel vulnerable or are unwell on a night out, and improvements including the regeneration of Skinnergate and the yards, increased CCTV and free town centre Wi-Fi, are also helping to make sure people coming to Darlington are supported to have the best possible night out.”
To find out more about what Darlington town centre has to offer visit www.enjoydarlington.co.uk
