Aberdeen has won its fifth consecutive Purple Flag award for safety in the city centre – more than a decade after the area was deemed one of Scotland’s most crime-ridden police beats.
Shock figures previously revealed that there were more crimes in the heart of the city than anywhere else north of the border apart from Edinburgh’s New Town, due to problems with drunken revellers, antisocial behaviour and shoplifting.
Aberdeen Central recorded 4,825 crimes, compared with 4,858 in New Town, and 3,556 in the capital’s Holyrood district, which came third in the survey in 2006.
But nightspots in the city have been less busy in recent years due to the downturn in the oil industry and the number of violent crimes has reduced as a result of additional police and Street Pastor patrols.
Aberdeen became the first city in Scotland to be awarded the accreditation in 2014 and has now been given the Purple Flag status again for the fifth time.
Led by business organisation Aberdeen Inspired, with support from Police Scotland, Unight, Aberdeen City Council and the Street Pastors, the city has achieved the coveted standard for providing a safe nightlife.
Last night former divisional commander for the Aberdeen City division Adrian Watson, who is now chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “Safety is a fundamental for any town or city centre and with the rigour that the Purple Flag accreditation scheme brings, allows us with some confidence to continue to move forward and explore ways in which we can build on our city centre’s vibrancy and offering.”
The Purple Flag scheme is a town and centre award managed by the Association of Town and City Management.
Craig Duncan, managing director of Craigton Foods which owns McDonald’s on Union Street, said the award was an endorsement of all the work carried out in Aberdeen city centre to turn it into a safe and “extremely enjoyable” place to go out in.
Council co-leader Jenny Laing, said: “Receiving Purple Flag accreditation for the fifth year is testament to the strong partnership work undertaken by the Community Safety Partnership, Aberdeen Inspired, Police Scotland and a number of other agencies.”
While Chief Inspector Martin Mackay, said: “This award is the fruition of years of investment in time, effort and passion by groups and individuals who are all determined to ensure that Aberdeen is one of Europe’s safest city centres.”
