Wigan town centre is 'a place of vibrancy and culture' thanks to new award

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Wigan town centre has been hailed as a place of ‘vibrancy and culture’ after being awarded Purple Flag accreditation. This recognises excellence in the evening and night-time economy - a place that is diverse, vibrant, safe, attractive and welcoming.

During the full council meeting at Wigan Town Hall this week, Dane Anderton, lead member for district centres and the night-time economy, emphasised this success to the chamber and received rapturous applause from his peers.

He said: “The Purple Flag is a mark of confidence for our town centre. “As well as recognising the hard work that Wigan Council and our partners are doing to support a safe and thriving evening economy, it will help to raise the profile and improve the image of our town centre, increasing visitors and money spent locally. READ MORE: Evacuated residents hear bang from 'controlled explosion' after 'hand grenade' found “We were particularly commended in our application for our great partnership working and for our Safety of Women at Night initiatives.

We will be formally awarded our Purple Flag accreditation at an awards ceremony in October, after which we will explore whether there is scope to apply for Purple Flag for other areas within the Borough.” Areas that are awarded the Purple Flag have evidenced that they provide a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture between 5pm and 5am, whilst ensuring and promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors.