CASH seized from criminals totalling £21,000 has been given to a York scheme to support safe nightlife.
City of York Council has approved transferring the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) funding to the local Business Improvement District (BID) to support the city's Purple Flag status.
Council officials stated the money would fund initiatives including family fun days aiming to offer an alternative to stag and hen do culture in the city centre.
They added it would also support giving awards to bars, pubs and other venues being run well.
Funding set to be given to the BID has come from cash recovered from scams investigated in Yorkshire by national Trading Standards teams.
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It is part of the ARIS fund which redirects the proceeds of crime recovered by the authorities back into local communities.
York's Purple Flag status, from the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM), has been awarded in recognition of the city's management of its evening and late-night offering.
Best Bar None, which celebrates excellence in the way licensed premises are managed, and Family Friendly Saturdays are among the initiatives supported by the scheme.
It has also provided taxi and riverside marshals, public safety campaigns and the regeneration of York's historic alleyways, ginnels and snickets, which are collectively known as snickleways.
York Street Angels, City of York Council, York Dungeon, York BID, North Yorkshire Police, Minster Police, with the Purple Flag (Image: York BID)
A council report on the latest funding stated: "The York BID run numerous projects to help provide a vibrant, enjoyable and safe night-time economy as part of the city’s Purple Flag status.
"This is an excellent example of redistributing money from crime back into the local community and help support York feeling safer and more vibrant and encourage people into the city."