Teessiders accused of causing city ‘bad karma’
COUNCILLORS IN YORK HOPE TO SEE FEWER ROWDY HEN AND STAG DOS
YORK is declaring war on rowdy Teessiders flocking to hen and stag parties.
The ancient city is a favourite destination, with more and more visitors from our area heading there for boozy weekends.
But drunken disorder on the streets means city officials are seeking to crackdown on the wilder side of the night time economy.
Leader of York City Council Councillor Keith Aspden sees hen and stag parties as a particular problem and wants action to make the city centre safer.
He is bidding to achieve Purple Flag status under a scheme that “recognises excellence in the management of city centres at night”.
The award would certify the city as a good place to go for a night out, with clean and safe venues, great bars and clubs, a range of cultural attractions and excellent transport links.
But achieving the award means confronting the “challenges” posed by hen and stag parties in particular.
Cllr Aspden said: “York city centre’s evening and night-time economy is both vibrant and challenging.
“The continued growth of our reputation as a place to visit for leisure has seen the number of bars and restaurants in the city centre increase in recent years.
“The challenges that this growth presents are related to the conflicting needs of different users of the city centre, and are most sharply expressed.
“It is these challenges that Purple Flag seeks to address.”
While there are no specific details yet about what the council will do to tackle the issue, it is set to appoint a new member of staff and earmark £83,000 to the project in the council budget.
It is not the first time that visitors from our region have been criticised by city officials. Cheap rail fares have been blamed for anti-social behaviour around the railway station and on the infamous “last train back to Middlesbrough”.
Cllr Tony Richardson said in October that more could be done to “alleviate the bad karma” caused in the city by Teessiders.
“On Saturdays at 6pm, the number of inebriated people is staggering,” he said.
“I have been there a number of times and there seems to be predominantly people from Teesside.”
He added: “We are trying to get the balance within the city. Come and enjoy yourself but don’t cause any trouble with the police.”
In 2015 First TransPennine Express introduced an alcohol ban on early evening services out of York on Saturdays following a number of disturbances on trains.
A number of prosecutions followed incidents that included fights, harassment of staff, urinating and – in one case – a stark naked runner.
British Transport Police chief inspector Derek O’Mara noted an “increasing trend” of large groups of people from Teesside travelling to York for the day.
He said a number were “pre-loading or bringing large quantities of alcohol” before hitting the highdensity bars and pubs in York.
Licensees, police, tourist bodies and a new force of street rangers are working in partnership to help regulate the city’s high-performing night-time economy.
York contains one of the highest densities of pubs and bars in the country, and while the number of bars and pubs has fallen by 23% across the UK since 2008, the city is bucking the trend. Fifteen more licensed premises have opened in York since 2001.
The Purple Flag status will be discussed by councillors on Wednesday.