READING has been awarded accreditation recognising a commitment to safety and standards in its night-time economy.
Reading Business Improvement District (BID) has announced that the town has once again been awarded Purple Flag accreditation for the 8th year in a row.
Similar to the Blue Flag accreditation for beaches, the accolade is in recognition of work towards safety of residents and visitors, adherence to standards, and a blend of entertainment, food, and culture.
It follows the continued collaboration between Reading’s BID and Reading Borough Council, as well as representatives of Thames Valley Police, Reading Street Pastors, First Stop, South Central Ambulance Service, Reading Buses, Reading University, and the businesses across town.
The current BID term has seen the supply of 11 more defibrillators to licensed venues, provided a First Stop service saving more than 860 visits to A&E, and supplied venues with 2,500 spiking testing kits.
It has also provided 700 bottles of sanitizer, 300 tabards for door supervisors, and even supplied flip-flops for night-time visitors in town.
It also works closely with projects such as Reading Pubwatch, which encourages high levels of standards and safety in participating venues.
Their work with schemes such as Best Bar None sees the auditing of venues and has supported the Ask For Angela initiative to promote quality and safety in Reading’s nightlife.
Alexa Volker, manager Reading BID, said “We are proud of the partnerships we have developed over many years in Reading town centre in support of our night-time economy. Reading has a very diverse offer from escape rooms to theatres, bars and clubs to live music, cafés to fine dining and bowling.
“Our job as a partnership is to ensure the ongoing success of this part of the town centre economy which is underpinned by providing a safe and happy experience.”
