After four successful pilots across Sydney, the internationally recognised Purple Flag program will now be rolled out state-wide.
Just as beachgoers look for red and yellow flags to know where it is safest to swim, and the Purple Flag program provides similar guidance when it comes to going out after the sun goes down.
Marrickville is the fourth precinct, alongside YCK laneways in the CBD, Parramatta Eat Street precinct, and Lakemba’s Haldon Street, to achieve a Purple Flag accreditation in a pilot program.
Marrickville’s accreditation as a go-to night-time destination is another example of international recognition for the Inner-west suburb previously ranked third coolest suburb in the world in 2022. The suburb’s Purple Flag precinct features iconic Vietnamese and Greek restaurants alongside popular live music venues like Lazy Bones and Gasoline Pony.
The internationally recognised Purple Flag program assesses areas against a set of criteria, including ready transport access, security, adequate street lighting and diversity of offerings, before declaring them excellent night-time experiences.
The program also provides a standard against which businesses and councils looking to develop their night-time economies can measure themselves against, making it a powerful organisational tool for precinct coordination.
Accredited Purple Flag areas allow members of the public to quickly identify them as districts that offer a safe, vibrant and well-managed night scene with a diversity of offerings across retail and dining for a great night out.
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Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:
“The purple flag program gives locals and visitors alike good guidelines of where to go when it comes to going out after the sun goes down. We’ve seen good results in four very different precincts across the city and now we’re going to extend this program across the state.
“Marrickville is fast becoming a nightlife hotspot for people seeking out great experiences including live music.
“Marrickville is truly one of Sydney’s most exciting precincts and we are excited to see more Purple Flag precincts pop up across the state.”
“This globally recognisable symbol shows visitors and locals that they are visiting a safe, well-lit night-time destination with plenty of great offerings to choose from.
“This is about supporting the growth of vibrant, diverse night-time precincts right across the state with public safety at the forefront.”
24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said:
“I am excited to welcome the Illawarra and Marrickville Road precinct to the Purple Flag family. This is the fourth district now accredited in Sydney and marks the conclusion of our pilot program which highlight’s the diversity of Sydney’s going out offering.
“From Parramatta’s Eat Street and YCK Laneways’ small bars to Haldon St Lakemba made famous through the celebration of Ramadan, and now Marrickville’s live music precinct.
“I look forward to more Purple Flag districts in the coming year as we expand the program and help thousands of people across the state identify safe, diverse and vibrant precincts to eat, dine or dance the night away.”
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said:
“Everyone knows that Marrickville is going gangbusters. It is a precinct that is already making waves with its night-time offerings, and the Purple Flag accreditation for Illawarra and Marrickville Roads is yet another feather in its cap.
“The Purple Flag accreditation cements Marrickville as not only a great place to visit, but a safe place to visit as well.”
Marrickville Purple Flag representative and Lazy Bones Lounge co-owner Craig Pietersen said:
“We have been operating on the corner of Illawarra and Marrickville Roads for 11 years. We’ve watched this precinct change and grow overtime into a place that people love coming to visit.
“From our multicultural dining destinations to our live music hotspots, we are excited to have achieved Purple Flag status and look forward to showing visitors and locals alike what makes Illawarra and Marrickville Roads a great place to be at night.”
Background
- Purple Flag is an internationally recognised initiative that has been rolled out in more than 90 locations in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand and now Australia.
- Accredited Purple Flag areas allow members of the public to quickly identify districts that offer a diverse and well-managed night scene with a range of dining and entertainment options. The program also provides a clear pathway for districts to improve their offering for consumers, but also provides a powerful motivator and organising tool for councils and businesses looking to coordinate and reinvigorate their night-time economy.
- The YCK Laneways small bar scene, Lakemba’s multi-cultural nightlife precinct, Parramatta’s Church Street district and Marrickville’s live music hub have now been labelled as safe, vibrant going-out precincts under the program.
- Marrickville is home to some of the vital venues identified in Sound NSW’s State of the Scene: Live Music Report which demonstrated the critical role that the live music industry plays in the NSW economy; the liveability of the state; and attractiveness of NSW as a destination to domestic and international tourists.
- The value of the Purple Flag is to point people in the right direction by demonstrating that certain criteria have been met.
- This criteria includes ready public transport access, adequate street lighting, safety and entertainment. Safety is a key priority in the NSW Government’s Vibrancy agenda. Identifying safe and exciting nightlife destinations is key to unlocking the potential of nightlife precincts across the state and providing the community with even more options for a great night out.
