THE ‘vibrant Victorian Quarter’ and the success of the public bike scheme were some of the reasons given for Cork retaining its coveted Purple Flag status.

The international accreditation, awarded by the Association of Cities and Towns Management, celebrates areas of excellence in the nighttime economy and has to be renewed every two years.

In August, independent assessors came to Cork to evaluate the city. Criteria included the quality of the offering, ease of movement through the area and the level of partnership across the city.

“The arts and cultural offering was impressive and the offering of ancillary bars and cafes in each location was very evident and no doubt an ingredient to attracting footfall,” an assessor commented.

“Many diverse offerings of food outlets with good occupancy of customers were observed during the assessment, of all ages. The vibrant ‘Victorian Quarter’ and its diverse mix of bars, restaurants and cafes offering food in addition to the supporting arts offering must be commended.”

In addition to praising the success of the bike scheme, assessors described the city as ‘very walkable’ and added: “During the visit to the retail areas, they were all busy with good footfall with passionate staff who completely encapsulated the Purple Flag initiative.”

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Tony Fitzgerald welcomed the retention of the award, which was first granted to Cork in 2015.

“The award reaffirms that Cork is a destination not to be missed,” he said.

“There is great enthusiasm by all stakeholders in the city to want to continuously improve on what is currently on offer and achieving the Purple Flag status for a second time is a credit to those who work tirelessly to make the area appealing for an evening out.”

City Centre Co-ordinator with Cork City Council, Paul McGuirk, paid tribute to the work of many different groups who have a part to play in making the city a popular and safe destination.

“The businesses together with key stakeholders such as the Gardaí, Cork City Council, Cork Chamber and Cork Business Association continue to work hard to ensure that it remains a city comparable with the best,” he said.

To celebrate the accreditation, Cork City Hall will be illuminated purple for Purple Flag weekend on October 6-8 and several nighttime venues will fly the Purple Flag.