Newbury recognised as a safe place to socialise

The accolade comes from the Association of Town Centre Management, which has awarded Purple Flag status to the area.
Purple Flag is a town and city centre award - similar to the Blue Flag for beaches - backed by government, police and business.
To achieve Purple Flag status towns and cities must be welcoming to everyone, offer safe ways for visitors to travel home, provide a good mix of venues and be appealing after dark.
Indeed, Newbury is the first town in Berkshire to receive the award.
Purple Flag towns and cities are said to benefit from more visitors, lower crime and anti-social behaviour and a better reputation.
To build on the town’s prestigious new status, Thames Valley Police is backing a new scheme to promote licensed premises and Newbury town centre as a safe place to work and socialise.
The force has teamed up with West Berkshire Council, West Berkshire Business Watch and Newbury Pubwatch, supported by the Newbury Business Improvement District (BID), to introduce the Safer Socialising Award.
Inspector John Donachy, of the Newbury town centre policing team, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for the licensed trade and other agencies in Newbury to further the good work to promote the town centre as a safe and vibrant socialising destination with a healthy mix of cultural venues, restaurants and pubs for people to enjoy."
Any venues that demonstrate high levels of management and a commitment to reducing alcohol related crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour will be accredited and awarded by the Business Watch scheme.
West Berkshire Council’s executive member for community safety, Graham Jones, said: “The Safer Socialising Award will help to maintain and continuously improve safe socialising standards and will also provide a best practice framework for licensees to work within.”