YORK looks set for its biggest wave of hen parties ever this year, according to a company which plans the arrival of thousands of groups.

GoHen.com says from its figures that enquiries for trips in 2024 are a 21 per cent increase on the peak year, and just over 34 per cent higher than for 2023.

Jon Stainer, creative director of the hen party company, said: “York is the perfect city for a memorable celebration and it’s no surprise it attracts visitors from far and wide, including hen parties.”

This follows recent news of data from Last Night of Freedom, a hen party and stag firm, which said York was the third-most booked hen do location in Europe in 2023.

Read next:

Dragon’s Den star and comedy writers among 2024 University Honours

High impact light show in York city centre pauses for 'slight issue with power'

WATCH: Spectacular show lights up one of York's historic buildings

Responding to a seven per cent decrease in enquiries to GoHen.com about entry to local nightclubs, Jon Stainer said: “The drop shows people aren’t just looking for a big night out, they want a weekend away they’ll remember forever.

Matt Boxall, head of public protection at City of York Council, said: “As a city, we are proud of how safe and welcoming our night-time economy is.

“We are one of the safest cities in the UK, and more importantly, visitors have recognised this and return year on year to enjoy the range of activities on offer.

“York’s popularity as a safe and welcoming city has been recognised by the international Purple Flag award, a credit to the many businesses who contribute to, and benefit from, our vibrant night-time economy.”

'It would be great to get it to a point where locals and visitors could enjoy it simultaneuously'

Addressing any potential concerns from York residents, Mr Stainer said: “GoHen.com is based in Bath, which is the UK hen party capital, and it’s a city which is fairly compact like York, but there don’t seem to be the same issues.

“It would be great to get it to a point where locals and visitors could enjoy it simultaneously as it would be a shame for the one per cent of groups to spoil it for the rest.

“We always do our best to encourage our groups to act responsibly, but this certainly something we can review for those heading to York.”

Mr Boxall said: “We know the behaviour of a small minority of larger groups can be intimidating and, on occasions, inappropriate.

“The vast majority of larger groups, which in York are predominately female, respect the city and the people who live here, choosing to bring their hard-earned cash to help keep our destination economies one of the strongest in the country.

"To continue to keep our city welcoming to all, we're working on a campaign to encourage people to think about how alcohol can affect their behaviour, to consider the choices they make and the possible negative outcomes.

“The campaign is being overseen by a multi-agency group and will focus on different themes throughout the year.

“To help visitors be better prepared, like other cities, we and partners have produced a short guide on how to continue to be safe, welcoming and considerate.

“Across the city, licensees welcome smaller groups, especially those which have booked in advance and are eating, and our partners including the York BID street rangers, are in the city centre to encourage anyone acting inappropriately to reconsider their behaviour.”