Guidance notes for students’ unions:commercial bar crawls

Foreword NUS is the national voice of students in the United Kingdom. We are made up of around 7 million students from some 600 students’ unions, associations and guilds in further and higher education. Our mission is to promote, defend and extend the rights of students and to develop and champion strong students' unions. Drinkaware (www.drinkaware.co.uk) provides consumers with information to make informed decisions about the effects of alcohol on their lives and lifestyles. Its public education programmes, grants, expert information and resources help create awareness and effect positive change. An independent charity established in 2007, Drinkaware works with the medical profession, the alcohol industry, government and independent members to achieve its goals. Drinkaware and NUS have developed a partnership which will work towards encouraging students to make more informed choices about alcohol and to improve their health and well-being. While we recognise that responsible drinking has an acceptable role within adult students’ lives, we are concerned that organised bar crawls can leave students vulnerable to both health and social problems. The recommendations in this guide are intended to help students’ unions in developing a strategy to tackle the problems associated with commercial bar crawls. However, your local police licensing officer or local authority licensing officer should remain your first point of contact in trying to resolve these problems.

Contents The NUS position on commercial bar/pub crawls ....................................................... 1 Your rights as an interested party ........................................................................... 2 Powers available to the police ................................................................................ 5 Practical steps to take ........................................................................................... 9 Points to remember .............................................................................................10 Template students’ union council motion ................................................................11 Template letters ..................................................................................................12 Template code of conduct for bar crawls .................................................................14 Useful links.........................................................................................................16

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The NUS position on commercial bar/pub crawls Bar/pub crawls contribute to the negative image of the student binge drinker, can worsen social tensions in the local community and can be dangerous to students’ health and well-being. Students’ unions are often made to take the blame for external companies that have little or no corporate social responsibility, and this cannot be allowed to continue. The Licensing Act 2003 places a statutory requirement on all people licensed to sell alcohol, including those who run pubs and clubs, to promote four fundamental objectives, known as ‘licensing objectives’. These are:

• The prevention of crime and disorder. • The promotion of public safety. • The prevention of public nuisance. • The protection of children from harm.

Where licensed premises do not promote these objectives, a number of enforcement agencies, including the police, and what the Act terms ‘interested parties’ (people who live or work near to licensed premises, or organisations – such as students’ unions – that represent these people), can take action. In the case of interested parties, this action includes the power to trigger a review of the premises licence. NUS believes that licensed premises which take part in large-scale bar crawls are not promoting these licensing objectives. Universities and students’ unions, acting as interested parties, should therefore make premises that participate in commercialised bar crawls aware of any concerns about the organisation of the event, and remind them of their duty to promote the licensing objectives. The police and the local authority also have a duty to promote the licensing objectives, and universities and students’ unions should ask these bodies what action they intend to take about large-scale pub crawls.

Key questions sabbatical officers should be asking 1. Do bar crawls:

• Encourage responsible drinking? • Promote any of the licensing objectives? • Comply with guidance on responsible drinks promotions

In many cases the answer to these questions is likely to be ‘no’. Therefore why should commercial bar/pub crawls be tolerated? To fulfil their responsibility towards student welfare – and to reduce the risk to the general reputation of students – students’ unions need to take action to ensure that these events are either prevented or rigorously controlled. 2. Are your students, other local residents and community groups aware of their powers

under the Licensing Act 2003? This legislation enables people to call for reviews, at which they can present evidence that licensed premises are associated with crime, disorder or public nuisance.

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Your rights as an interested party An interested party is defined in the Licensing Act 2003 as:

• ‘A person living in the vicinity of the premises in question’ (local authorities will often extend this to those who live on routes home from the premises, etc).

• ‘A body representing persons living in that vicinity’ (e.g. a students’ union). • ‘A person involved in a business in that vicinity’. • ‘A body representing persons involved in such businesses’ (e.g. a trade association).

It is important to note that a member of a licensing authority is also an interested party. This means that a councillor can take action on behalf of residents and can call for a premises licence or club premises certificate to be reviewed (the councillor does not have to live near the premises to be able to do this). If you have concerns about a particular event or venue, you should approach your local councillor for support. While you might not want to close down a premises or have their licence reviewed, stating that you are an interested party will cause the council to take your concerns and any supporting evidence you submit more seriously. If a number of pubs and clubs in the same area are taking part in a commercialised bar crawl, you could highlight the cumulative effect of this. As an interested party, your students’ unions can raise concerns or objections about the ‘cumulative impact’ of a concentration of premises on the four licensing objectives (see page 4).

Cases should be presented to your local licensing authority. The licensing authority is part of your local council and should be contactable through the main switchboard, or should have contact details on your local council website. It is the duty of all licensing authorities to carry out their functions under the Act with a view to promoting the four licensing objectives. Licensing authorities can issue premises licences, club premises certificates, temporary event notices in their area, as well as personal licences for residents and renewals of personal licences for those who had previously applied for a personal licence while resident in the licensing authority's area.

The licensing objectives in detail The prevention of public nuisance ‘Public nuisance’ is the most commonly-cited licensing objective in official objections raised by interested parties. It is for the licensing authority to make judgments on what constitutes public nuisance, but common concerns include:

• Noise nuisance. • Light pollution. • Noxious smells and litter.

The most common is excessive noise coming from inside a pub or bar, or from people leaving the premises. You should bear the following in mind when seeking to demonstrate that a public nuisance exists:

• The number of people making an objection. • The existence of a petition • The extent and remit of any representative body raising an objection (e.g. a

residents’ association, trade association or students’ union). • Whether local councillors are involved. • The geographic spread within the area.

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• The time and place of the nuisance. • The effects of the nuisance. • The frequency of the nuisance.

Official objections or representations should relate to the likely effect of a specific event. For example, in the case of R (Bar1 Ltd) v First Secretary of State and Westminster City Council [2007] EWHC 808 Admin, a planning case seeking an extension of hours from midnight to 1am, the judge ruled that if lots of people left a licensed venue late at night, the local authority was entitled to assume that there would be some noise nuisance. The protection of children from harm If an interested party is concerned that underage drinking is taking place at a licensed venue, there are grounds to cite this licensing objective in any formal objections to the police or local authority. There is now a ‘two strikes and you’re out’ rule for underage sales, after which the police may take action under the Licensing Act 2003 or other legislation. The prevention of crime and disorder The crime and disorder objective relates to matters such as fighting, selling or taking drugs and disorder. It may be worthwhile for interested parties who have concerns about crime and disorder to contact their local police Safer Neighbourhoods Team to ask for support. The police are a responsible authority and can raise official objections to licensing authorities (and call for reviews of alcohol licences) in their own right. The police also have numerous powers under the Licensing Act 2003 and other legislation to tackle crime; disorder and nuisance (see Powers available to the police on page 8). It is important to note that ‘crime and disorder’ does not have to mean large-scale violent crime. The promotion of public safety The public safety licensing objective relates the physical safety of people using the premises (e.g. concerns about overcrowding), rather than with public health. The police are usually be best placed to draw these concerns to the licensing authority’s attention, but if residents or other interested parties have evidence of public safety issues, they can of course include it in their correspondence with licensing authorities. Examples include if the pub has been too overcrowded at similar events in the past, or has had crowds of people drinking or grouping outside the premises on the public highway, forcing pedestrians on to the road. If the pedestrians are children, you can also refer to licensing objective concerning the protection of children from harm. What information should you take to the council? To be relevant, your objection must be about the likely effect of an event on at least one of the licensing objectives. It is important to show that the problems experienced specifically relate to bar/pub crawl in question. But you may be able to see from the local authority’s register if any problems have occurred at premises involved in previous commercial bar crawls, e.g. if a premises licence has been reviewed. It is also important to consider whether any conditions could be attached to the event to ease your concerns (e.g. restricting the number of participants or the timing of the event), or whether the only remedy is the cancellation of the event. It may also be useful to speak to other community groups likely to be affected by the event, such as a local residents’ association. Councillors should be able to provide help and assistance if necessary. Publicise your concerns as widely as possible – you may want to start a petition, for example.

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The council will need to have details of the problems that are experienced by bar crawl participants as well as other interested parties. Photographs, video and sound recordings are very useful forms of evidence to back up your concerns.

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Powers available to the police The police have powers to deal with problems relating to commercialised bar crawls under numerous sections of the law. These powers relate to both licensed premises and participants of bar crawls. Below is a summary of the powers available to the police to tackle problems that may arise during commercialised bar crawls, to help you to warn your students and to assist you in preventing, or objecting to, events that cause you concern. It is not an exhaustive list or a legal guide. A more detailed guide to this legislation, legal penalties and guideline sentences can be accessed at http://tinyurl.com/28mxjbh Good, proportionate, use of these powers by the police and other agencies will ensure that problems associated with bar crawls are tackled in a positive way. In general, police have similar powers relating to activities and behaviour on licensed premises and at venues with temporary event notices. If your students are served with a Penalty Notice for Disorder, they will receive a criminal record as well as a fine. This may affect their job applications and opportunities for travel overseas, so it is worth emphasising to your members that bad behaviour on commercialised bar crawls can have real repercussions, and that being drunk is no excuse. You should encourage your students to keep an eye on their friends’ behaviour, to minimise any problems. The Home Office has indicated that the following behaviour can be classed as ‘drunken’ and or ‘drunk and disorderly’:

• Noticeable change in behaviour aggressive, offensive language, becoming boisterous or disorderly, becoming physically violent, becoming incoherent, slurring

• Lack of judgment being careless with money, annoying other persons, employees etc, exhibiting inappropriate sexual behaviour, drinking quickly or competitively

• Loss of coordination swaying, staggering, falling down, bumping into furniture, spilling drinks, difficulty in picking up change, fumbling for cigarettes

• Decreased alertness drowsiness, dozing or sleeping, rambling conversation, loss of train of thought, difficulty in paying attention, not understanding what is said, glassy eyes, lack of focus

• Appearance unkempt, dishevelled. The information contained in this summary is correct as at 1 January 2011.

Public/open spaces Directions to Leave Section 27(2) Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 Police can ask individuals to leave a specific place for up to 48 hours if their presence there is likely to cause or contribute to alcohol-related crime or disorder. Failing to comply with a direction is an offence that attracts fines at up to level 4 on the standard scale. Designated Public Space Orders Section 13 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (amended by S155 Licensing Act 2003) A police officer, police community support officer or ‘designated person’ may require someone not to consume alcohol in a specific place and may confiscate their alcohol. Failing to surrender alcohol is an offence, and offenders may be liable for arrest under Section 12 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.

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Premises Right of Entry to Licensed Premises Sections 108, 179 and 180, Licensing Act 2003 Police or people authorised by a licensing authority can enter and search premises, using reasonable force, if they have reason to believe they are being used to sell alcohol. Unauthorised Sales Closure Notice/Order Sections 19 and 20, Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 A police officer or person authorised by the local authority can issue a closure notice where premises are/have been selling alcohol without a licence in the previous 24 hours, or where premises have not complied with the terms of their licence. If unauthorised sales continue or the licence conditions are not corrected, police may apply for a court order to close the premises. The seller is committing a criminal offence and can be arrested or receive a court summons. Area Closure Order Section 160 Licensing Act 2003 Where there is, or is expected to be, disorder a police superintendent may apply for a court order to close one or more licensed premises for up to 24 hours. Police may use necessary force to do this. Emergency Closure Order Section 161, Licensing Act 2003 This allows the police to close premises immediately without a court application, in the public interest (for example to deal with unanticipated or imminent disorder). It is good practice to seek voluntary closure before issuing a formal order. Expedited Review Section 53A, Licensing Act 2003 Police can bring about a review within two working days if they believe serious crime and/or disorder is taking place on licensed premises is serious. The Licensing Authority must consider action within 48 hours and can suspend licences pending a full licence review. People convicted of serious crime may receive a custodial sentence of three years. Mandatory Licensing Conditions Order (2010) Condition 1: No Irresponsible Promotions An irresponsible promotion is any activity or offer that encourages customers to drink in a way that could cause a significant risk of breaching one or more of the four licensing objectives (see page 4 for a list of these objectives). Any breach of this condition can be treated in the same way as breaches of existing conditions – failure to comply is a criminal offence, which on conviction would be punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment and a review of the premises, subject to the Section 139 due diligence test. Police Closure Order for Noise Nuisance Section 161, Licensing Act 2003 and Section 40, Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 If police or the local authority judge noise coming from a premises, its beer garden, courtyard or street terrace to be a nuisance to the public, (for example if the police or local authority have received complaints about noise) they may issue a Section 161 order to close the premises.

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Individuals Simple Drunk Section 12, Licensing Act 1872 Drunk and Disorderly Section 91, Criminal Justice Act 1967 When an individual is drunk in a public place, (including a public building, outside or on any licensed premises), they may be given a level 1 fine (£200) or a £50 Penalty Notice for Disorder. When an individual is drunk and disorderly in a public place, police may give them a level 3 fine (£1,000) or a £80 Penalty Notice for Disorder. Allowing Disorderly Conduct on Licensed Premises Section 140, Licensing Act 2003 The holder of a premises licence, the designated premises supervisor, or any person who works at the premises in a capacity which authorises them to prevent disorderly conduct, commit an offence if they knowingly allow disorderly conduct on licensed premises. If they don’t address the problem or call the police, one or more people may be liable for a level 3 fine (£1,000) or an £80 Penalty Notice for Disorder. Sale, or Allowing the Sale of Alcohol to a Person who is Drunk Section 141, Licensing Act 2003 The holder of a premises licence, the designated premises supervisor, or any person who works at a licensed premises in a capacity that gives them authority to sell alcohol commits an offence if they knowingly allow alcohol to be sold to a person who is drunk, for consumption on or off the premises. One or more people may be given a level 3 fine (£1,000) or an £80 Penalty Notice for Disorder. Obtaining Alcohol for a Person who is Drunk Section 142, Licensing Act 2003 Knowingly obtaining or attempting to obtain alcohol for a drunken person for consumption on licensed premises can attract a level 3 fine (£1,000) or an £80 Penalty Notice for Disorder. Failure of Person who is Drunk or Disorderly to Leave Licensed Premises on Request Section 143, Licensing Act 2003 A person who is drunk or disorderly commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, they fail to leave a licensed premises when requested to by a police officer, the designated premises supervisor, the licence holder, or any staff at a licensed premises. It is also an offence for a drunk or disorderly person to enter or attempt to enter premises after one of the people listed above have asked them not to. These offences can incur a level 1 fine (£200) or an £80 Penalty Notice for Disorder. Licence holders can ask police to help eject a drunk and disorderly person from their premises, or prevent them from entering the premises. If a person is not drunk or disorderly the officer is only required to prevent a breach of the peace. Violent Disorder Section 2, Public Order Act 1986 When three or more people are involved in serious disorder, not necessarily in co-operation with each other. For example when three or more people fight using weapons, or a fight between rival groups that causes severe disruption or fear to the public. Violent disorder on

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licensed premises may trigger an Expedited Review of the premises licence. On conviction, these offences can attract custodial sentences of five years and/or unlimited fines. On summary conviction, these offences can incur custodial sentences of six months and/or a level 5 fine (£5,000). Affray Section 3, Public Order Act 1986 This relates to physical conduct which is knowingly threatening and directed towards a person or group. For example, a fight between two or more people in a pub or club where members of the public are in substantial fear of their safety. When affray occurs on a licensed premises it may trigger an Expedited Review of the premises licence. People convicted of affray may be sentenced to a custodial sentence of three years and/or an unlimited fine. On summary conviction, affray can attract a custodial sentence of six months and/or a level 5 fine (£5,000). Fear or Provocation of Violence Section 4, Public Order Act 1986 When a person uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to another, to cause that person to believe immediate violence will be used against them or with the intent to provoke violence. For example, scuffles, violence or threats of violence during a brawl. On summary conviction, this sentence can incur a custodial sentence of six months or a level 5 fine (£5,000). Intentional Harassment, Alarm or Distress Section 4A, Public Order Act 1986 When a person uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress. On summary conviction, this sentence can incur a custodial sentence of six months or a level 5 fine (£5,000). Harassment, Alarm or Distress Section 5, Public Order Act 1986 When a person knowingly uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within hearing of someone likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress. No actual or threatened violence is needed to be in breach of the law. For example, rowdy behaviour in a street late at night which might alarm residents or passers-by. This offence may attract a level 3 fine (£1,000). When the accused is drunk, Section 91 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 1967 may be used instead.

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Practical steps to take 1. Adapt the template union council motion included in this guide to create a specific policy

at your students’ union relating to large-scale bar crawls. 2. Make sure your university is aware of any upcoming bar crawl events, and work with

your vice-chancellor to send an all-student email concerning safety at the event. Make sure that university security staff do not allow people to promote commercialised bar crawls on campus through posters, leaflets, door knocking, etc.

3. Send the two template letters enclosed in this guide to your local council and police

force. You should send these out from your students’ union rather than in a personal capacity, and ask your university to send a copy to as many individual students as possible, perhaps by email. Your students, your union and your university are all classed as interested parties under the Licensing Act 2003, so the more responses you can get, the better. You may also wish to approach your local councillors and MP to ask them to raise their concerns.

4. Organise a meeting between the local police, your council, the university and students’

union, your local primary care trust and any other community groups you consider appropriate as soon as possible. Make sure you agree the following:

• Actions that the police and council will be taking to reduce any risk to student welfare.

• Actions that licensed premises will be expected to take to promote their licensing objectives (see page 4 for a list of these objectives).

• Actions that your local accident and emergency department will be taking such as pre-event consultation and planning.

• Whether funding from the licensees or event organiser will be sought to pay for any extra policing costs incurred by commercialised bar crawls.

5. Investigate whether your students’ union has a responsible retailing policy in place. If

you do not, this is worth exploring as otherwise you may come under fire from the council, police, licensed venues and event organisers for not practising what you preach.

6. Step up your responsible drinking campaign – contact NUS if you need any tips or

resources. 7. You could organise an alternative event at your union for students to attend instead of

the bar crawl – maybe a charity fundraiser? 8. Get a team of welfare reps out on the night to make sure that everything is running

smoothly and to help prevent any incidents. Make sure this is about promoting student welfare rather than ‘spying’ on specific events.

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Points to remember 1. As a group, students are very diverse - many are mature students, many come from

overseas and many from a range of faith groups. Almost 60 per cent of students work during term-time, and most are acutely conscious of the need to get a good qualification. The idea that all students are drinkers is inaccurate. Despite popular perception, students report broadly similar spending on alcohol compared with the wider population (students reported a weekly spend of £16.20 on alcohol in the 2007 Unite Student Experience Report, compared to a weekly spend of £17–£22 in a 2006 PruHealth survey on alcohol consumption).

2. New research released by alcohol charity Drinkaware, following the launch of their

partnership with NUS, indicates that despite popular myth, students’ attitudes to drinking may actually be healthier than their working counterparts. Nationally, a third (32 per cent) of students aged 18–24 say they stop drinking before they have reached their personal limit, while only around a quarter (28 per cent) of those who work manage to do the same.

3. Students’ unions are on the whole responsible licensees. They are evolving as the

market they serve changes, with many opening alcohol-free spaces, coffee shops and juice bars to cater for the increasing number of students who choose not to drink alcohol. Any commercial profit made by students’ unions is reinvested in services such as welfare advice, sports clubs and societies, volunteering projects, student media and a host of other activities.

4. Companies operating organised bar crawls which actively encourage irresponsible

drinking and a binge culture among its participants are of a great concern to NUS. There is an acute and real danger to students who get caught up with these nights, not to mention the danger to members of the local population, and the harm done to relationships between students and the local community.

5. These companies take students on pub crawls that degrade the participants, put

students’ welfare at risk and lead to antisocial behaviour. They make their money and then disappear, leaving students’ unions, police and sometimes even hospitals to pick up the pieces.

6. An increasing number of universities want to see the end of these events and are doing

all they can to stop them by prohibiting ticket sales and banning all publicity, as well as working with the council and local police force.

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Template students’ union council motion This students’ union notes:

1. Recently, there have been numerous stories in the media of students engaging in derogatory behaviour while on commercial organised bar crawls, including cases of students urinating on war memorials.

2. Young people and students are stereotypically viewed as binge drinkers and the headlines that surround commercial bar crawls do nothing to dispel this.

3. That despite claiming to promote ‘responsible drinking’ one events company organises a private ambulance and two paramedics to follow its bar crawls.

4. A number of students’ unions, including Loughborough and York have already acted to ban large-scale commercialised bar crawls.

This students’ union believes:

1. That large-scale organised bar crawls, by their very nature, promote binge drinking, and students will often feel pressured by the situation to consume alcohol to excessive levels.

2. That external companies run bar crawls to make a profit, and create atmospheres that encourage participants to consume a large amount of alcohol in a small period of time.

3. That large scale organised bar crawls negatively affect the relationship between the local community and university students.

4. That licensed premises which take part in these events are not promoting the Government’s licensing objectives, and that they leave themselves open to the danger of committing the criminal offences of selling alcohol to drunks or allowing disorderly conduct on licensed premises.

5. That students’ unions are often blamed for events organised by external companies with little or no corporate social responsibility.

6. The demographic of students is changing but students’ unions still need to deal with the culture of binge drinking and irresponsible drinking.

This students’ union resolves:

1. To work with the university to ban any activity promoting large-scale organised bar crawls from campus and halls of residences.

2. To lobby the local council and police to ban these sorts of events from taking place within the local area.

3. To write to local councillors and our local MP to voice our concerns about these sorts of events and to ask for their support.

4. To write to the Minister for Crime Prevention, to lobby for national legislation on large-scale organised bar crawls.

5. To implement a responsible retailing policy on selling alcohol in the students’ union. 6. To run the NUS/Drinkaware ‘Why Let Good Times Go Bad?’ responsible drinking

campaign on campus.

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Template letters The following two letters should be sent out to premises taking part in any bar crawls and to your police licensing officer and local authority principal licensing officer. Online versions can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/2vwe9uh http://tinyurl.com/3yhg5ef Your local council should have the contact details for both your local police licensing officer and local authority principal licensing officer. Template letter to police licensing officer and local authority principal licensing officer Dear Bar/Pub crawl [DATE] We are writing in our capacity as interested parties under the Licensing Act 2003 to express our concern about the organised bar/pub crawl to take place on the [DATE] at [DESCRIPTION OF AREA]. While we understand the desire for students to have fun, we wish to express concern about the above event due to our position in promoting the students welfare at [NAME] University. The forthcoming organised bar/pub crawl is not, in our opinion, conducive to the responsible supply or sale of alcohol and premises involved in the event could easily undermine their legal duty of promoting the licensing objectives under the Licensing Act. We are concerned that by their very nature, and particularly if they are not well-organised and run, criminal offences of selling alcohol to drunks or allowing disorderly conduct on premises could easily be committed by premises taking part in the event. We would ask you to confirm to us what actions are being undertaken by the [POLICE OR LOCAL AUTHORITY DEPENDING ON WHO THE LETTER IS GOING TO] to ensure that the premises taking part in this event promote the licensing objectives. We can only reiterate that a prime objective of ours is to promote the well-being of students, while they are at [NAME] University and we have genuine concerns about the organisation of this event. We are writing in a similar vein to the premises that we understand are taking part in the event. We look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, [Vice-Chancellor] [Students’ Union representative]

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Template letter to premises involved in the bar crawl Dear Bar/Pub crawl [DATE] We are writing in our capacity as interested parties under the Licensing Act 2003 to express our concern about the organised bar/pub crawl to take place on the [DATE] at [DESCRIPTION OF AREA]. We understand that your premises will be taking part in the event. While we understand the desire for students to have fun, we wish to express concern about the above event due to our position in promoting the students welfare at [NAME] University. The forthcoming organised bar/pub crawl is not, in our opinion, conducive to the responsible supply or sale of alcohol and, by being involved, you could easily undermine your legal duty of promoting the licensing objectives under the Licensing Act. We are concerned that by their very nature, and particularly if they are not well organised and run, criminal offences of selling alcohol to drunks or allowing disorderly conduct on premises could easily be committed by premises taking part in the event. We would ask you to confirm to us what actions you will take to ensure that you promote the licensing objectives during the event. We can only reiterate that a prime objective of ours is to promote the well-being of students, while they are at [NAME] University and we have genuine concerns about the organisation of this event and the promotion of the licensing objectives by you and other premises taking part. We are writing in a similar vein to the police and local authority. We look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, [Vice-Chancellor] [Students’ Union representative]

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Template code of conduct for bar crawls This is a model code of conduct, designed to encourage bar crawl organisers to incorporate high levels of safety into their event, and to become examples of best practise. The code should be signed and returned to the council/police/community partnership in advance of any promotion of the event. NUS encourages students’ unions to lobby police and local authorities to incorporate the adoption of this code of conduct as a condition of licences to organise and hold commercialised bar crawls. You should also persuade your university to endorse this code of conduct to safeguard the welfare of your students, the reputation of your students and your university, and your university’s relationship with the local community. With thanks to Newquay Safe for permission to base this template on their code of conduct. 1. Submit written risk assessments and a copy of £5million public liability insurance

certificate to be submitted to [LOCAL AUTHORITY NAME] and local police one month before commencement of operation (publicity, ticket selling, etc.).

2. Routes of the event and prohibited routes to be determined by the police. The event can

only use [INSERT ROADS NAMES/STREETS/ACCEPTABLE LOCATIONS OR ROUTES]. The event cannot use [INSERT ROADS NAMES/STREETS that should not be used].

3. The event should have one marshal for every 20 participants. 4. The movement of patrons in a public place or on the highway should be limited to a

maximum of 50 people at any one time. Participating premises must not accept larger groups.

5. Marshals must be easily identifiable. 6. Marshals are not to drink any alcohol. 7. Nobody involved in the bar crawl is permitted to consume alcohol in a public place. 8. No sex games are to be played in public places or within the licensed premises, and

there must be no nudity whatsoever during the event. 9. Event participants must not play games in any public space. 10. The event must not start before 8pm and cannot leave the meeting venue until after

8.45pm. All participants must reach the final event destination by 11.45pm. 11. Organisers must give all event participants a joint briefing to highlight: alcohol restriction

zones; a zero tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour; the fact that drunken people must leave the bar crawl; and the requirement not to commit offences under sections 140, 141, 142 and 143 of the Licensing Act 2003.

12. Event participants must be easily identifiable to the police. 13. The event must only visit pre-arranged venues and all participants must buy event

tickets in advance. 14. There must be no ticket sales in the town centre at any time of day in relation to the

event.

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15. The written permission of private landowners must be shown to the police or council upon request if trading from private premises. Any private premises where sales are made will be approached by the council and/or police to verify permission is given if no written consent supplied. Landowners and business rates will also be informed in case of any breach of tenancy and rates obligation.

16. The Challenge 25 ID scheme must be used throughout the event. The only acceptable

forms of ID should be the PASS card, a passport or driver’s licence. 17. There must be no selling of bar crawl tickets or entry to the event after 9pm on the

night. 18. The event code of conduct should be clearly displayed on the website of any bar crawl

organiser.

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Useful links

Information for consumers and responsible drinking campaigns:

www.drinkaware.co.uk

Information about the ‘Why Let Good Times Go Bad?’ campaign and resources for students’ union sabbatical officers:

http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/campaigns/welfare/31410/

For health advice visit:

www.alcoholconcern.org.uk

The practical guide for preventing and dealing with alcohol related problems:

www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugsalcohol/drugsalcohol

Pocket-sized guides on licensing powers for licensing officers and frontline staff are available for download from:

www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugsalcohol/drugsalcohol104.htm

National Union of Students4th Floor184–192 Drummond StreetLondon NW1 3HPwww.nus.org.uk

Drinkaware3rd floorSamuel House6 St Albans Street London SW1Y 4SQwww.drinkaware.co.uk