Student drinking nights criticised

By Helen Neill
Newsbeat health reporter

The National Union of Students (NUS) has criticised companies that organise nights out in cities all over Britain.

Members of NUS are calling for the union to promote more responsible drinking and try to shed the image of students as drunk and irresponsible.

The motion is being put forward at the NUS annual conference this week.

Students who support it say that people feel under pressure to drink and are putting themselves at risk of sexually transmitted infections and crime.

Drinking to excess

Carnage UK organise student events in 16 cities including Leeds, Nottingham and Swansea.

The nights out usually involve a bar-crawl and access to a club.

The company's website boasts that "It's Going To Get Messy".

Ben Whitaker, President of Derby NUS, said that companies like it "actively promote excessive drinking".

Responsible marketing is something we have been doing for four years Paul Bhatia, Group Director of Carnage UK

Paul Bhatia, Group Director of Carnage UK, strongly disagrees and said that he was shocked by the accusations.

Mr Bhatia insisted that "responsible marketing is something we have been doing for four years" and that the company has "never discounted alcohol" at its events.

He added that Carnage UK nights are "not a cheap option" and that student unions that are more likely to offer cheap drinks promotions like "three shots for the price of one".