POLICE and pub bosses are on alert over plans for a massive student drinking session predicted to bring “mayhem” to the streets of York this weekend.

The event will take place on Remembrance Sunday and has been organised by Carnage UK, the company behind the recent event in Sheffield that led to outrage when a student urinated on a war memorial.

It encourages students to dress as doctors and nurses and pay £8 for a T-shirt giving free entry to four bars and a nightclub: Varsity in Lendal, Orgasmic and Revolution in Coney Street, The Parish in Micklegate and Tru in Toft Green. On the website Facebook, the event is billed as a “party – night of mayhem”.

York’s licensing chiefs have distanced themselves from the event, and a local politician has criticised it, but Carnage UK has defended its events.

Coun James Alexander, former chairman of City of York Council’s licensing committee, said: “These hedonistic jaunts encourage drinking to dangerous levels, encourage drinking to dangerous levels, encourage young women to dress in a far too provocative way, put students at unnecessary risk and cause nuisance and antisocial problems for local residents and other people trying to enjoy themselves.

“Events such as this affect young people’s health and add to a habit of binge drinking. I like to go out and enjoy myself as much as other people but in this instance I feel very, very strongly that there should be no place in York for events such as this.”

On Wednesday, a student who had been at a Carnage UK event was told he could face jail for outraging public decency by urinating on a poppy wreath in Sheffield.

District Judge Anthony Browne told Philip Laing, 19, of Macclesfield: “Carnage is the name of the organisation I believe promotes this type of activity and some might say somebody should be standing alongside you this morning.”

Laing had drunk a bottle of whisky before attending the event, the court heard.

John Lacy, City of York Council’s head of licensing, said: “The council would wish to distance itself from events like the Carnage UK one, and in fact discourages any event which promotes or discourages binge drinking.”

He said the aim in York was always to discourage inappropriate drinking and to promote health awareness, and said the summer Altn8 campaign had worked towards that.

He said: “Both licensing and police are very much aware of this event and have been liaising with those premises which are involved.”

He said they had spoken to managers about capacity limits and the importance of not serving people who are drunk.

PC Mick Wilkinson, North Yorkshire Police’s licensing officer, said the event was similar to others run by local students’ unions, and he did not anticipate much trouble.

A force spokeswoman said police were working closely with event organisers.

She said: “We are mindful of past publicity surrounding the event in other areas. Police will be in the area and ready to respond to any incidents, however the event took place in York last year and it was well marshalled with no incidents reported in connection with it.”

Organisers’ response

THE organisers of Carnage UK disassociated themselves from the shamed student who urinated on a war memorial in Sheffield, and defended their events.

Varsity Leisure Group, which owns the Carnage UK brand, said it did not promote the commission of criminal offences and “publicly and unequivocally” denounced Philip Laing’s actions.

A spokesman said: “VLG does not promote binge drinking nor does it promote drinking to dangerous levels.

“VLG prohibits all promotions on alcoholic drinks at all participating venues. At the request of VLG, participating venues supply free soft drinks and, where they have the facilities to do so, sell discounted bar food to students attending the event.”

He denied that the events promoted provocative dressing and said they offered students more choice alongside the events organised by their own students’ unions.

He also said trained medical experts were on hand if needed, for routine occurrences such as asthma attacks, and said stewards were provided to help students move safely between venues. There are also extra security staff at the venues.

Offers ruled out

Andrew Bardy, assistant manager at Orgasmic in Coney Street, one of the bars on the Carnage route, defended the event.

“Carnage has been going on in York for years,” he said. “They did one two years ago that I attended and I found it was not promoting irresponsible drinking at all.”

He said staff at the bar would be wearing Altn8 T-shirts, which encourage customers to drink responsibly and have soft drinks between alcoholic ones.

Mr Bardy said: “We are advised not to offer discounts on drinks more than we normally would.

“Each venue has 45 minutes which would, for most people, be one or two drinks.

“There are only four venues and my belief is that it’s not promoting irresponsible drinking at all.

“The sheer volume of people on the route means people will not be able to get lots of drinks.

“I think people may be reading more into the name.

“I do not think it is promoting irresponsible drinking.”