Sligo town businesses are celebrating after winning a prestigious international Purple Flag award for excellence in a city’s nightlife
The new status was formally recognised at the First Irish Awards Ceremony in Dublin on 10th February and again last week at a ceremony in City Hall.
Sligo is the first town in the North West to secure the flag and joins four other newly accredited towns – Galway, Mullingar, Waterford and Westport. Purple Flag is similar to the Blue Flag for beaches and aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres in the evenings and at night. The scheme is managed by the Association of Town and City Management in London.
The award follows 11 months of a rigorous programme to achieve the status. Sligo Purple Flag Committee presented Sligo’s strengths and led two assessors on a recent walk around to sample the nightlife.
The town was particularly commended in its diversity of venues that could compete with larger urban areas, the strength of the partnership that worked on the project and the support given from Sligo County Council.
Sligo Town Centre Coordinator Gail McGibbon and head of the Sligo Purple Flag Committee said that they were delighted with the award: “We are very proud to fly the Purple Flag, reflecting the strength of ongoing partnerships and engagement with residents,” she said.
“We look forward to promoting the Purple Flag and using it as a stepping stone in our continuing development of a vibrant and safe night time environment for both our residents and visitors.”
Sligo Purple Flag 