Christmas
has come early for millions of young revellers flooding the streets
tonight on what has become known as black eye Friday.
Police
have issued warnings all over the country for the evening of
frivolities, which marks the beginning of the Christmas holiday for
millions, but is also known for heavy drinking and the crime that comes
with it on Britain's streets.
A
and E departments are typically flooded with boozed-up Britons who
start drinking early at 5pm on the night that thousands of firms throw
farewell Christmas parties, and alcohol sales soar by 142 per cent.
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Santa baby: Police have issued
warnings all over the country for the evening of frivolities, which
marks the beginning of the Christmas holiday for millions, but is also
known for heavy drinking and the crime that comes with it on Britain's
streets
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Club casualties: A and E departments
are typically flooded with boozed-up Britons who start drinking early at
5pm on the night that thousands of firms throw farewell Christmas
parties, and alcohol sales soar by 142 per cent
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Early
night: This reveller in Newcastle enjoys an early burger on a night
where authorities struggle to deal with drunk people, many of whom start
drinking at lunchtime
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Lads night out: This group dresses for
the occasion to celebrate black eye Friday, with Christmas jumpers and
even a bespoke snowflake suit
Police
forces across the country have issued warnings for 'Black Eye Friday',
which gets its name from the the violence on the streets associated with
what is one of the busiest nights of the year for pubs and clubs.
Officers
are out in force, expecting an increase in crimes including drink
driving, assaults, sexual assaults and domestic abuse.
Ambulance
services are now on high alert after reporting huge rises in the number
of call-outs in previous years, with thousands ending up in A&E
departments.
Last year
the London Ambulance Service attended 32 alcohol-related incidents in
just one hour on Black Eye Friday. Between Friday and Sunday December
19-21, the service was called to a total of 731, and 5,059 for the month
as a whole in 2014.
In
total, Britons make an estimated 165 million trips to bars, pubs and
clubs in December, spending £2.3billion on alcohol in bars, pubs and
clubs in December – with far more spent in shops.
Meanwhile,
law firm Stephensons have released figures showing a 125 per cent
increase in demand for lawyers on Black Eye Friday last year.
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Unwrapped: It's a night known for frivolities, when people often get carried away with festive cheer after too many drinks
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Duck face: These girls pose up in their Christmas jumpers on a night when alcohol sale soar by around 142 per cent every year
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Singing to the tune: These part-goers
sing some karaoke in the street outside the tiger tiger nightclub in
Newcastle where a busker entertains the crowds on one of the busiest
nights of the year
Leading
criminal lawyer Sean Joyce said: '[It] is one of the busiest days of
the year for our solicitors and we experience a huge jump in enquiries
as Christmas party season reaches its peak.
'In
the vast majority of cases, this phenomenon is directly attributable to
over indulgence, where increased alcohol consumption can cloud a
person’s judgement and cause them to act out of character.
'Many
of those we are asked to represent are first-time offenders whose
behaviour gets out of hand and results in a night in the cells, or even a
criminal record.
'Even
minor misdemeanours can result in life-changing consequences. You may
be unable to apply for certain jobs or may find yourself barred from
your local high street.
'Few
people go out looking to get themselves arrested, but revellers should
take care not to get carried away and keep themselves safe and out of
trouble.'
It
comes as questions were raised about the NHS’s decision to have its Dry
January campaign run by a PR firm receiving millions from the drinks
industry.
Officials
are paying Freuds thousands of pounds to handle the marketing for the
drive which urges Britons to give up alcohol next month.
But
the same firm also oversees the advertising for Diageo, the drinks
giant behind brands including Guinness, Baileys and Smirnoff vodka.
Experts said it was nonsense for such an important public health campaign to be run by a firm with a clear ‘vested interest’
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Big night out: These women hit the
streets on the busiest night of December, when Britons make an estimated
165 million trips to bars, pubs and clubs throughout the month,
spending £2.3billion in drinking establishments
Controversially,
Freuds also runs the PR for the NHS’s anti-obesity drive Change4Life –
whilst also doing the advertising for Mars, KFC and Pepsi.
Public
Health England, the Government agency responsible, would not disclose
how much money it had paid the firm for either campaign.
But financial accounts show it is about £90,000 a month, just under £2million a year.
The
campaign, which launches today, encourages adults to abstain from
alcohol throughout January to give their livers a rest after Christmas.
It was initially set up by Alcohol Concern.
Over
the next two weeks Freuds will send messages out on Twitter and
Facebook websites urging Britons to sign up on a website and raise money
for charity.
They
will be reminded of the numerous health benefits of giving up alcohol
which include losing weight, having clearer skin and being less tired.
And
last month a major study by the Royal Free hospital in London showed
that stopping drinking for a month was as good as a drug – and reduced
liver damage and blood pressure.
But experts questioned why Public Health England were paying Freuds to run the campaign rather than doing it themselves.
There
are 5,000 full-time staff members employed by the quango – an
arms-length body of the Department of Health – including 50 in press and
marketing.
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