The Gloucester Business Improvement District (BID) has stepped in to fund the city's taxi marshal scheme.

Members of the BID board unanimously approved to grant £5,000 to support taxi marshals at a meeting last month with Gloucester City Council contributing another £2,168.

The presence of the highly visible marshals help ensure residents and visitors to Gloucester city centre on a Friday and Saturday night are made to feel safe, and to focus resources at the main weekend taxi rank outside GL1 Leisure Centre on Eastgate Street.

As Gloucester's night-time economy continues to thrive, the taxi marshals are just one of the schemes the BID is supporting to promote safety in the city centre.

The marshals have been key in preventing potential incidents from erupting in queues between late night revellers as well as ensuring unlicensed taxis are not in operation.

The taxi marshals scheme was originally run with funding from the Gloucester Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) until it expired in June last year.

The Gloucester Licensed Victuallers Association (LVA) agreed to pay for the scheme from July to October last year, as all parties were keen to continue the great work established by the PCC. However, this was always to be a short-term option whilst a new backer was found.

The existence of the taxi marshals scheme, alongside other initiatives including the BID's City Protection Officers and Gloucester City Council's Best Bar None Awards, all play a part in bidding for Purple Flag status. This is an accreditation that the council is working towards, which would recognise Gloucester as a city centre that offers an entertaining, diverse, enjoyable, and most importantly, a safe night out.

Manager of Butlers and Gloucester BID board member, Justin Hudson, said: "We are delighted to be able to assist our vibrant night-time economy by contributing towards the taxi marshals.

"It is a tried and tested, and now, requisite service to ensure that Gloucester's night-time economy continues to flourish."

The taxi marshals scheme is operated by J.A.K.K. Security in partnership with Gloucester BID, Gloucester City Council, Gloucester City Safe, with support from the Gloucestershire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Picture caption: Left to right: Jacob Parkman, Justin Hudson, Darren Mountford, Cllr Jennie Watkins, Jason Smith and David Bevan.