Business

CAMBERWELL HOPING THE FLY THE PURPLE FLAG IN JUST THREE YEARS' TIME

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7 April 2011

Kevin Quinn
kevin@southwarknews.org

Camberwell is hoping to get a prestigious ‘Purple Flag’ in the next three years, after local businesses owners as well as officers from Southwark and Lambeth councils met with the organisers of the scheme at the end of last month.

Just as a 'Blue Flag' is an indicator of a good beach and 'Green Flag' a good park, a Purple Flag is an indicator of where to go for a good night out. Only a handful of city and town centres across the country have been given the prestigious flag and neighbouring Brixton is hoping to get the award in just over a year’s time.

The scheme, run by the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM), judges locations on how welcoming, clean and well-managed they are.  Lambeth Council, in partnership with ATCM and local businesses, launched the scheme in Brixton last year and Camberwell is hoping to adopt some of the work carried out there.

In Brixton, with the help of a Town Centre Director in the shape of Stephanie Butcher, much has changed to improve the area for businesses, residents and visitors, who were put off from going there mostly through a fear of crime.
Stephanie Butcher was appointed to her newly created role over two years ago.

She stressed to the ‘News’ that the flag was not a scheme on its own, but "more like the bunch of flowers you get when you are better and back to work."

She said: "We have been working on what we call the Brixton Initiative, which among other things is creating better co-ordination and making the town centre safer. Having got the drug dealers off the streets we are working with businesses to improve the night time economy.

It involves clearly linking the day time, early evening and night time economies. It’s not a case that the shops shut and ten minutes later the clubs open, but that you can shop, go to a café and restaurant and then on to a club."

Over in Brixton a team of mystery shoppers are now targeting 20-30 of the hundreds of evening and night time establishments in the town centre, to see whether they are working well, and will be helping those that are not.

This research, combined with other checks and improvements to infrastructure like transport, will form the basis of how they can eventually get to the Holy Grail - that is a Purple Flag.

Purple Flags aim to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of a town centre between 5pm and 6am. Those that have achieved it have shown that a good mix of clientele can lessen intimidation and improve perceptions of a town centre, while widening its range of attractions and consumers, which ultimately leads to longer term economic success and greater use of the town centre.

A spokesman for the scheme, which has so far awarded flags to seven other areas in England, said: "Areas are assessed on a range of criteria, including personal safety, cleanliness, transport, attractiveness and appeal, arts and cultural offer, how welcoming they are, as well as the strength of partnership working.

"A team of experts carry out the judging process and explore, examine and experience the night life of the centres, acting as 'mystery visitors'."

But the lack of money available to fund a town centre manager for Camberwell will mean that achieving a purple flag could be harder than it is in Brixton. Mark Dodds the vice-Chair of the SE5 Forum, said they were determined to do all they could, despite the lack of a Stephanie Butcher in their area: “We met with the Association of Town Centre Management that runs the scheme and have given ourselves an ambitious eighteen months to three year target.

Southwark Licencsing Unit is fully behind the scheme and we have been told that although we won’t have a town centre manager, we’ll have a virtual town centre manager group made up from officers from both Southwark and Lambeth. But what really is needed to get the ball rolling for a Purple Flag is a functioning business forum.

We want local businesses to get involved - otherwise it will be very difficult to co-ordinate it all. We have to have as many local businesses on board, to allow us to develop a clear strategy to improve the lot for businesses, residents and visitors to Camberwell.”

Camberwell is not home to any major music venues like the Brixton Academy and is not expecting to become such a big night time draw as Brixton. The campaign for the Purple Flag is seen more as helping restaurants and bars in the area and to encourage small independent shops that currently close up at around 5pm, to embrace the need to focus activity into the evening and night.

"With the council moving their offices north to a new headquarters in Tooley Street, many of the businesses have lost their lunch time trade," explained Barbara Pattinson, Chair of the SE5 Forum. "But the truth is, so many areas will have this same problem. Most households do not rely on one income but two, so most residents with money are at work during the day.

“The big chains like Tesco, B&Q, etc, know this - that is why they have late night shopping - the Purple Flag would create the right environment to help these small, often one man band businesses do the same.” 

To get involved call Barbara Pattinson
on 020 7274 8045 or email 
barbara@se5forum.org
The  Camberwell Business Forum has been set up for the Purple Flag with local businessman Bora Bicakci  chairing it. You can contact him on 07540 720 736.

FIVE STEPS TO CAMBERWELL GETTING A PURPLE FLAG

1. Wellbeing
The judges need to see that the town centre is welcoming, clean and safe. This is what  Brixton town centre management have been working on to date - some of which Camberwell could look to implement.  

2. Movement
A secure pattern of arrival, circulation and departure. This involves working on parking and transport, which residents and businesses alike agree needs to come from policy change at the council and investment from Transport for London

3. Appeal
A vibrant choice and a rich mix of entertainment and activity. This must include a commitment from Southwark Property to adopt a policy, so that shop licences are granted with a view to not duplicating what is already in Camberwell

4.Place
A stimulating destination and a vital place. Camberwell already boasts a strong arts community, which must be enhanced into this framework.

5. Policy Framework
Evidence of a clear aim and common purpose to ensure a positive experience. And this will come from a strong campaign involving police, the council and most importantly local businesses and residents working together for a purple flag.

To get involved contact Bora Bicakci on 07540 720 736

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