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Cambridge – Flying the Purple Flag
Purple Flag celebrates Cambridge for being a safe and vibrant evening and night-time destination, with its diverse array of dining, entertainment, and cultural activities. Cambridge first secured Purple Flag status in 2019 and is one of only 70 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland, which have achieved this national performance standard.
The Purple Flag working group work on a number of initiatives across the nighttime economy, including the following which are designed to keep us all safe on a night out:
Taxi Marshals – Providing professionally trained licensed Taxi Marshals on key dates throughout the year helps to ensure people get home swiftly and safely after enjoying a night out in Cambridge. Operating from the central St Andrew’s Street Taxi Rank, the Marshals manage the busy night-time queues, providing priority to anyone in distress or vulnerable whilst assisting the wider City requirements of dispersal. They operate on the last weekend of each month and some extra dates such as Bank Holidays, Halloween, each weekend in December and New Years Eve.
Street Pastors – working primarily on Friday and Saturday nights the street pastors are trained volunteers from local churches. Their aim is to care for, listen to, and help people who are out on the streets after a night out in the city.
Ask for Angela – a nationally recognised scheme that has been adopted in Cambridge, facilitated by Cambridge Business Against Crime (CAMBAC). The scheme arose in response to an increase in online dating with people meeting strangers in venues and supporting people who may feel uneasy when meeting someone for the first time. Individuals can approach bar staff, ‘ask for Angela’ and in doing so discreetly alert them to the fact that they feel vulnerable so staff can take appropriate action.
Purple Flag celebrates Cambridge for being a safe and vibrant evening and night-time destination.