Guildford Town Centre Awarded a Purple Flag for Seventh Year

Published on: 13 Feb, 2022
Updated on: 16 Feb, 2022

Councillors and members of Experience Guildford celebrate Guildford’s seventh Purple Flag award.

Guildford town centre has been recognised once again by the Purple Flag assessors for providing evenings and nights out that are safe, vibrant and varied for all. It remains the only town in the county and one of around 70 in the UK to hold the award.

The Purple Flag accreditation is similar to Blue Flag for beaches or Green Flags for parks: eight of the borough’s parks and countryside sites have received this award. The flags are intended to be symbols of quality the public can trust when choosing where to visit.

The Guildford Town Purple Flag Partnership Group (GTPFP) is led by Guildford Borough Council and Experience Guildford (the town’s Business Improvement District). It includes a broad range of town and county organisations including Surrey Police, the Safer Guildford Partnership, Street Angels and Guildford Pub Watch.

Cllr James Steel

Lead councillor for Environment, Cllr James Steel (Lib Dem, Westborough), said: “Congratulations to those who make Guildford town centre a great place for our evenings and nights out.

“It is important that we continue to ensure our town centre events, music venues, theatres, bars and restaurants are safe, vibrant places to visit in the evenings.”

Cllr John Redpath

Lead councillor for Economy, Cllr John Redpath (R4GV, Holy Trinity), said: “Our hospitality businesses have had a very difficult time throughout the past two years.

“It is exciting to see residents and visitors enjoying our ever-growing range of restaurants, pubs and bars again and the delicious foods and drinks they have to offer.

“The Purple Flag is one of the ways we promote our exciting historic town, ensuring visitors and residents continue to choose Guildford.”

Amanda Masters

Amanda Masters, chief executive officer at Experience Guildford, said: “Gaining Purple Flag accreditation this year is a huge testament to the resolve of the pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs in the evening and night-time economy who have pulled through excessive hardship over the past two years to retain the utmost professionalism in making Guildford a safe and vibrant place to come.

“Guildford’s venues have risen to the challenges they have faced, and we are extremely proud to remain the only town in Surrey to be able to claim this prestigious award.”

Responses to Guildford Town Centre Awarded a Purple Flag for Seventh Year

Janet Moorhouse Reply

February 14, 2022 at 10:52 am

Guildford may be a good place for a night out but, during the daytime, it lacks shops that sell the essentials. Go there on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday for food and the only places to buy meat, vegetables or bread are Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s.

The town needs useful shops for the residents who actually live there. True there is the North Street market on Friday and Saturday but the town centre sadly lacks small, useful shops selling teabags, newspapers etc.
Helen Avery Reply

February 14, 2022 at 6:12 pm

There is also Waitrose, a Co-op near GLive plus much smaller shops on the Upper High Street Bridge Sreett has a small Tesco and Bedford Road a Londis.

There are also other smaller shops.