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Purple Flags are similar to green flags awarded to parks and blue flags awarded to beaches.

Purple Flag towns and cities have shown that they are well-managed and offer a safe, vibrant, appealing positive experience to customers and visitors. They are welcoming to everyone, offer safe ways to travel home and provide a good mix of venues and entertainment that appeal to a range of age groups, with a strong emphasis on families.

As a result of solid partnership working Purple Flag towns and cities generally benefit from a higher quality environment, more visitors and lower crime and anti-social behaviour.

When was Purple Flag awarded to Bury?

Bury Town Centre has retained its Purple Flag accreditation since 2015. This prestigious quality award reflects the strength of the town's evening and night time economy, effective partnership working and the way in which the evening and night time offer is managed. Bury is currently one of only two towns across Greater Manchester to have achieved Purple Flag status.

Purple Flag recognises Bury's ever increasing offer including The Met theatre, and an ever expanding food and drink offer, a cultural events programme (including Greater Manchester town of culture in 2020) combined with family entertainment at the Rock.

What makes Bury a Purple Flag town centre?

Bury offers a wide range of activities in the evenings, ranging from theatre, music and comedy, dining experiences on the East Lancashire Railway to one-off festivals and events.

There's a great choice of retail, leisure and fitness facilities, ample restaurants offering a broad range of different food and plenty of bars to choose from too. The Culture Quarter caters for wider entertainment and enjoyment of the arts and The Rock retail and leisure development offers more than 50 retail units, 8 food and drink outlets, a 10 screen cinema and bowling. Bury Council continues to invest in Bury town Centre to support and develop the town centre offer. A town centre masterplan has been produced to attract and guide investment and £20m ( Levelling Up Funds) has been secured for a Bury Market Flexi hall which enhance the town centre with an additional events space and food and drink offer.