Lib Dems Aim to make Bar Crawl Company Pay

12.00.00am GMT Tue 3rd Nov 2009

Liberal Democrats on Sheffield City Council are set to try and make a commercial organisation that they believe promotes pub crawls pay for any extra costs the public have to pick up as a result of their events. 'Carnage UK' is a company responsible for setting up events across the UK at which dozens of young people pay to be taken on what the Lib Dems believe to be a boozy bar crawl, which can lead to increased mess and the need for extra policing in city centres. The events gained notoriety after pictures emerged showing an individual on a 'Carnage UK' event urinating on a war memorial in Sheffield.

Lib Dems on the Council will move a proposal at tomorrow's Full Council meeting requesting that council officers urgently look into ways of recovering costs, such as cleaning up afterwards. Also Lib Dems will ask the Council to contact the Police and NHS requesting that they do the same.

Cllr Paul Scriven, Liberal Democrat Leader of Sheffield City Council, said "In my view a private company should not be able to make a profit from encouraging young people to binge drink and cause mayhem. But regardless of the moral arguments, if these events leave a trail of destruction behind them then it's clear to me that 'Carnage UK' should be paying for the resulting costs rather than leaving the taxpayer to foot the bill."

After the pictures of the event in Sheffield emerged Cllr Scriven wrote to 'Carnage UK' to ask them to cancel another planned event last Sunday. However, the event went ahead as planned and the local media reported five arrests.

Paul added "There is nothing wrong with young people or anyone else going out to enjoy a drink in Sheffield's many excellent bars, pubs and clubs. However, we need to come down hard on those who we think are using binge drinking as an easy way of making a quick buck."