Barnsley town centre has been awarded the prestigious Purple Flag accreditation for the sixth consecutive year, in recognition of its safe and thriving night-time economy.

The Purple Flag scheme is a nationwide initiative that recognises and promotes high standards in town and city centres’ evening and night-time economies. It aims to create safe, vibrant, and diverse places for people to enjoy from 5 pm to 5 am.

Assessors from the Purple Flag scheme said that a ‘strong network’ of safety schemes in Barnsley Town Centre, including council wardens, marshals, and street pastors provided a ‘supportive presence for night time visitors’.

A safety scheme for licensed venues run by police and the council also received praise.

The Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative provides a digital self-assessment tool to help venues raise their security standards. The initiative offers key advice, best practices, and policy examples to help operators create safer environments for both patrons and staff.

Thirty venues in Barnsley are rated as 4.5 stars or above on the initiative.

Other aspects earmarked for praise included annual training conducted with night-time economy staff, taxi and marshal services, night angels, the Ask for Angela safety scheme, and Barnsley’s Violence Against Women and Girls agenda.

Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have received the Purple Flag accreditation for a sixth consecutive year. Doing so is a great testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in making Barnsley’s evening and night-time economy a success.

“The collaborative efforts between ourselves, services and partners in both the public and private sector continue to be vital as we all work toward the shared goal of making Barnsley a safe and vibrant place to come with a diverse offering that provides something for everyone to enjoy, day or night.”

The partnership includes Doyle Security, South Yorkshire Police, Barnsley Council’s licensing team, the Violence Reduction Unit, Barnsley Hospital, Trading Standards, Safer Neighbourhood Service, Street Pastors, Barnsley Recovery Steps, and licensed premises and staff.