Purple Flag Places -
WINCHESTER

Winchester is England’s ancient capital and has a wealth of cultural attractions bringing in over 4.3 million visitors per year.  The city is also home to both the University of Winchester and the University of Southampton School of Art, together hosting over 6,000 students.  Combined with a local population of over 38,000, this makes our delightful city a busy and vibrant destination for an evening out.

An evening out comes in many shapes, starting in the late afternoon with an elegant tea at one of our many cafés, choral evensong at Winchester Cathedral, or climbing the Westgate for a great view.  As the evening unfolds, so does the range of entertainments: sample a meal out at one of our award winning restaurants serving local produce; take in a show at the Theatre Royal, or put on your dancing shoes and head for a nightclub or late night bar.  Special occasions bring the streets to life for all ages – lantern parades; a brightly-lit continental market and ice rink, or aerial spectacles during the Hat Fair festival of street theatre; and there’s always the alternative of relaxing at the cinema or finding out what’s on in the galleries and performance hall at Winchester Discovery Centre. 

Winchester is well located on bus and train routes, with Park and Ride services recently extended into the early evening and plenty of long stay parking.  Its compact shape makes it easy to walk around, admiring the buildings, monuments and public art as you go.

The Purple Flag assessors and panel were impressed by specific actions, including: 

• The ability of partners to put policy into practice to deliver real results such as community safety initiatives;
• The excellent cultural offer and welcoming atmosphere including the creative use of public buildings;
• The well managed Pubwatch scheme with active participation from licensees;
• The successful partnership working between Winchester City Council, Winchester BID and other key partners such as the police, local businesses and key transport hubs; and
• The exceptionally clean and tidy city centre.

“The Purple Flag assessment has enabled us to see ourselves as others see us, and to celebrate our successes.  Winchester offers many opportunities for an evening out, and our nationally recognized PubWatch partnership has played a key role in ensuring that it’s a safe place for everyone.”

Cllr Dominic Hiscock, Winchester City Council 

 

Contact
Kate Cloud
Head of Economy and Arts
Winchester City Council
E: kcloud@winchester.gov.uk 

Information Files:

Winchester Case Study
Filesize: 539 Kb