York stag and hen party guide branded 'pointless' by firm boss

As previously reported by The Press, City of York Council’s online guide would encourage groups to book tables in restaurants in the hope that eating more food will help moderate alcohol-fuelled excess.

York was awarded Purple Flag status – a scheme that “recognises excellence in the management of city centres at night” – in February.

READ MORE: York party boss: stags and hens singled out as 'easy target'

And the council’s director of transport, environment and planning James Gilchrist has said that organisations involved with the Purple Flag accreditation across the city, including the police and Make it York, are looking at ways to encourage people to behave properly and York will follow other cities in producing a guide for partygoers.

But according to the boss of stag and hen firm, Last Night of Freedom, Matt Mavir, yet another guide is 'pointless' given the wealth of information that already exists.

Hen parties have come in for criticism

Mr Mavir said: “When there’s already an abundance of information out there, you have to question why the council believes creating their own guide is a priority – especially when times are so tight.” 

The Tyneside firm has organised around 45,000 stag and hen parties. It, like other firms, already provides a free online guide for stags and hens visiting York.

“Stags and hens want to know where they are welcome, where they can stay, and the best pubs and restaurants to eat,” said Mr Mavir.

“Be it a guide like ours, or a website like TripAdvisor, there are plenty of places to get that information.

“As well intentioned as it might be, I’m not sure that creating a council guide will add much to what’s already out there."

York has exploded in popularity as a stag and hen destination over the past year. Figures supplied by Last Night of Freedom showed the firm’s bookings alone are up 98 per cent during the past 12 months.

York Central MP, Rachael Maskell, has accused the firm of 'wanting to make profit out of the misery' of people living in the city and said that if Mr Mavir lived anywhere near York, he would clearly hear the concerns that residents have across the city with the prevalence of groups drinking in the city, including those here for stag and hen weekends.

Back in August Ms Maskell said: “With the sharp rise in ‘airbnb’ holiday-lets across the city, residents report how city centre drunken behaviour is then taken into their neighbourhoods.

"It is also impacting on businesses as people are no longer going into York, and parents consistently tell me that they will not expose their children to such scenes whereas visitors tell me they will not be back until something is done.

“The night time economy is running out of control, with York being marked out as the UK’s capital of hen parties.

"We need to put it to a stop, place the needs of residents first and return our city to the people of York.”