Narrative of the night-out: Student engagement in the night-time economy of Kingston upon Thames

Abstract

In the past twenty years the number of people drinking alcohol in the UK has fallen; the average level of consumption has also declined. Meanwhile, a shift in expenditure and preferred drinking venues has been noted among young people in particular: from ‘pub-club’ to ‘home-pub-club’, with connotations of ‘pre-loading’, binge-drinking and intoxication. In response, The Department of Health has reviewed its guidelines on safe drinking. This study focuses on the self-reported drinking behaviour of 604 Kingston University students during a recent night-out. The narrative is set within the policy context and management of the local night-time economy. Evidence from the online survey revealed differences by gender and ethnicity in ‘pre-loading practices’, travel behaviour, the pattern and timing of visits to licensed town centre venues, expenditure on alcohol (pre-loaded and venue-based) and preferred brands. Units of alcohol consumed and travel patterns are related to perceptions of personal safety, experiences of victimisation and use of support services in the night-time economy.