Carnage UK events to rise
The owners of controversial student pub crawl brand Carnage UK plan to run 24% more events this academic term compared to 2009.
Varsity Leisure Group (VLG) defended the events, which attract around 250,000 students per year, and unveiled additional plans to encourage students to act sensibly.
A spokesman said this week: "VLG currently has confirmed 54 events across 30 locations, which will take place before 10 December 2010."
Extra dates are being finalised and the current number represents a 24% rise in business on the same period last year. Events are held on "non-trading" or "low-trading" nights and there's a "lengthy reservation list" among venues wanting to take part.
Carnage UK hit the headlines after a student in Sheffield was pictured urinating on a war memorial during one of its events last year.
VLG points out the student in question drank a bottle of whisky at home before entering the city centre.
The spokesman said VLG tells venues not to discount drinks at events and premises are expected to operate "to the highest standards".
Selected soft drinks will continue to be free.
Trials of a free food offer called "Feast for Free" will take place this year.
Carnage UK also continues to: communicate with police and taxi companies prior to events; communicate information on personal safety via T-shirts, flyers, online and other means and provide paid-for medical staff.
VLG will also help ensure anyone who appears to have pre-loaded is identified quickly. For the first time, VLG has been approached by primary care trusts to trial schemes to plug sexual health and sensible drinking.
The spokesman criticised "inaccurate reporting" of events in the tabloids.
He said the events are "clearly not appealing for reasons such as cheap drinks prices or a high number of participating premises" — an average of four venues take part per event.
Rather, it's for the "entertainment content, the small choice of venues combined with differing ambiences, consistently varied fancy-dress themes and the opportunity to meet like-minded young people who want to enjoy themselves in a safe environment".
Students' unions stage boozy nights
VLG has sent the MA examples of promotions run by students' unions to show the contrast between Carnage UK and those operated by the unions themselves.
Examples include Bedfordshire University Students' Union's Pirate Beach Party in June 2010.
This invites punters to "drink the bar dry" with "massive drinks deals", saying: "All stock must go." Students were also encouraged to "drink the bar dry" at Winchester University Students' Union in Hampshire on 26 March 2010.
The bar was turned into a "stock exchange", so when trading began, prices went up and down based on what customers were buying.
Cardiff University Students' Union is advertising the "Mega Lash" promotion, which is being held on 29 September 2010.
And Swansea University's "official" bar crawl is a "Beer Race 2010", which involves two clubs and seven bars, with half a pint in each — "all in fancy dress and as fast as you can".
