to think chavy, tacky hen parties should SOD off [Edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

[CannoninD]

I’m fed up.
I’ve lived in my beautiful, respectful and historic city my entire life .... but over the last year it’s been invaded by GOD AWFUL hen parties!

20+ strong groups of horrifically common (referring to behaviour not social class) women who inflict their horrific behaviour on everybody within reach.

They’re EVERYWHERE and I know it’s not just me as there are sunbstantial concerns being raised by residents all over the city.

I counted 23 large groups this weekend (I only walked into the (small ish) city centre on Saturday morning and witnessed the following behaviour-

• Loud swearing (F and C word) right in front of/across young families and children just trying to enjoy a day out.
• Shop doors slammed in elderly shoppers faces (too busy pratting around to pay any attention).
• Stock being damaged by pratting about (and then hidden) to avoid paying.
• Horrifically vulgar and inappropriate content being loudly discussed in family areas (a garden/park area) to the point that families got up and left.
• Completely inappropriate Lingerie being worn in the street (before 2pm).
• Vomiting in the street! Whilst being jeered by the rest of the group.

Personally I would rather bleach out my own eyes than go on a hen do like this- but honestly at what point do we just call the police on these ridiculous idiots inflicting such unreasonable behaviour on families and regular people? What’s worse is, I bet back home they’re perfectly normal women. They just all get together and come away from home and behave like total arseholes!

Being in a large group and celebrating an event- does not give you a hall pass to behave like scum. 😡

I said passive aggressive, but happy to change that to “rather negative”.

I was just surprised to see that after hearing that the OP has - somewhat indirectly- raised some awareness about this, you are still saying people (ie OP) should do something rather then saying great pinkarsedfly & OP, I hope something comes of that from YorkMix going to the council.

Can I ask, what are you and your family doing about it?

Looks of disapproval, comments about parties being inconsiderate when talking with friends etc etc (aka social pressure) can have much more effect than any policing.

Honestly, these groups don't care about any of that. You're probably more likely to get a smack in the mouth.

@SinisterBumFacedCat

And why the emphasis on women? What about the stag nights?

I simply don't see nearly as many stag nights in York.

Sometimes I wonder if people are still offended by the sight of a group of women having fun

Sorry but that's fucking ridiculous. How can you read this thread and come to that conclusion? Puking and pissing in the streets, waving inflatable cocks around, wearing a tshirt that says "smash my back doors in", that's really stretching the definition of "fun" and it becomes a real issue for other people.

I'm so glad the groundswell of opinion on this thread thoroughly agrees with the OP. Why indeed do such parties of idiots make their way to cultural places, York with it's wonderful cathedral, The Shambles, Jorvic Viking Centre, or Bath with it's Roman baths and Regency crescents, I wouldn't go as far to use League of Gentlemen language "if you aren't interested in culture there is nothing for you here", because there is always a nice collection of shops and lovely tea rooms such as Bettys if you don't want the cultural aspect.

Why! oh why! must these marauding scumbags ruin such places for residents and tourists alike. Not to mention when they export their appalling behaviour abroad, and to be stuck on a plane with them where you can't escape, doesn't bare thinking about. I can't get my head round why anyone would defend them and bring up the spurious notion it's a class issue, it isn't, it's about base, vulgar and truly unacceptable behaviour which shouldn't be inflicted on any town anywhere. I think radiator's excellent post have resonated on MN because she has bluntly outlined how society will put up with the unacceptable, because we have reached an unfortunate stage where no group of people can be shamed, and that it seems is always put down to the notion that they may come from a disadvantaged strata of society, well disadvantaged because they are vulgar, trashy morons maybe, but no one has to go down that road it's a choice and clearly they don't take into account that they are not performing their antics in a vacuum, no it's quite evident they are playing to an audience, an unappreciative audience, but they don't care about that. So those that seek to defend them clearly never mind that these people behave in a licentious manner, that they foul the pavements with their vomit, piss and in worst cases shit, they walk about in a state of undress, that they use disgusting language in front of the very young and very old, that they allude to sexual acts, some will tie up the valuable time of paramedics and A&E services. But hey no demonisation, because as we know that is far more damaging than appalling behaviour

The link to the report in The Independent with regards to Dublin provided interesting reading

Honestly, these groups don't care about any of that. You're probably more likely to get a smack in the mouth.

Have to say, I love York and DH and I have been many times in the past, but this has totally put me off visiting again.

@BlandingsEmpress I suspect you live somewhere near me. Surprisingly I have noticed a drop in the number of stag and hen parties as they move to city locations or travel abroad. The general opinion of where I live is lower than a snake' s belly anyway so nothing much to lose in that respect.

The "nice" places need to get this under control before they lose the families and genuine tourists.

I think a lot of people (myself included) don’t say anything at the time as they are worried about the reaction they’d get.

The jeering, swearing, throwing things and from some of the comments on here (by those who have tried to stand up to these groups) the fear is warranted.

Personally I think the city needs to take a stand and express that this behaviour will not be accepted or tolerated! I believe that ‘obvious’ hen parties should be turned away and discouraged from any daytime presence in the city (obvious meaning loud and obnoxious dressed up group/ inflatables/signs...etc).

To be honest I have noticed an increased police presence- and ‘street rangers’ are EVERYWHERE trying to manage the situation.

BUT... (and it’s a big but) they seem far less willing to intervene with hen parties than any other type of large group.

I can understand why.

Yesterday Becky was drunk by noon, stripping a top of a local monument wearing a vulgar worded T-shirt 🙄 But today she’s a sober BT manager crying to the daily mail about being ‘manhandled’ by a male police officer 😡

Well Claire, I’m not sure why you are going for me in this way but to answer your question, my cousin has written to her local mp, along with her neighbours on the street, they have met with local council to raise concerns.

^ Im not saying that’s always the case but I do think that women on these types of hen do’s believe they are untouchable. Despite horrific behaviour, the moment law enforcement actually take action the ‘HEN PARTY!’ Mentality will drop and it’ll just be Sandra the school teacher crying about how ‘badly’ she’s been treated!

Actually my experience of stag dos is that they either do some extreme sports or golf or something and/or watch sports in the pub until about 8pm before going on to bars and clubs. I have never seen them causing havoc in the street in the afternoon in the same way. Yes they might get into fights and things but not usually in front of kids in the middle of the day. So still awful behaviour but not as likely to affect families, the elderly etc.

So still awful behaviour but not as likely to affect families, the elderly etc

But I have had evening and nighttime experiences ruined by stags as well as the afore-mentioned train trip. I've also been on a Northern bound train the same day as a big game - men were boarding the train at 11am already drunk and with cans of lager. I've also had disrupted evenings in chain hotels caused by raucous stag parties.

That’s good they’ve done that Greenglass, and it’s equally good that the OP has (or is going to) email YorkCityCouncil and has given her consent for the thread to be referred to by YorkMix

Fair point, I did say it was my experience.
Certain clubs in my city only contain stag and hen parties now. It seems like everyone has decided to leave them to annoy each other and all the locals have gone somewhere nicer. Easier in a massive city with various different areas of bars, restaurants etc. The impact must be worse in smaller city centres like York where you can't avoid them and shouldn't have to!

Had the pleasure of seeing one of these groups of women ages 40 to 50, hassle a group of young lads, ages 15 to 18, being escorted around a seaside resort by a couple of much older men.

They were told to back off and decided to start hitting these gentlemen. They got a surprise when this turned out to be several martial arts experts who were there to give a demonstration!

They were quickly restrained in a manner which seemed quite painful and serve them right!

A relative of mine has worked the doors for years and she's always said women are far, far worse than men when they're drunk. They just get away with a lot more.

The male staff darent touch them because they have and will threaten sexual assault. Also a lot of sexualised behaviour which men would be arrested for (( rubbing breasts in faces, grabbing crotches, pulling trousers down etc )) just isn't reported.

And this is in a small town. So God knows what cities are like.

dh and I went to out to the local big town thats full of bars and clubs and got a taxi home after the pictures one night a few years ago.

The lady driver we had was chatting to us and she said she had been a taxi driver for about 10 years and she will nearly always pick up male fares from the cab rank rather than women as they are much better behaved ( even if they are drunk) and a lot more polite.
we were surprised at this , she said she doesnt mind if its one or two women, but a crowd of younger women she tends to ignore or refuse to take anywhere. she said shes had more abuse and been spat at by women and never by any men, again we were shocked.
I havent been on a hen night in decades, but it does all sound very grim. our own town is small with only one nightclub, but lots of pubs and that is always a bit of a no go area on a friday and saturday night.
I hate all the aggression that tends to go with people drinking too much as well.

Ds was a student in Norwich and he said that all the nightclubs and bars being in one place is ideal as they knew where to avoid!

As a female police officer I would say that a lot of male officers in my experience are a bit reluctant to get hands-on with females. Whereas I have no issues with grabbing females because I am one. However I MUCH prefer dealing with drunk males over drunk females. I find the latter to be intolerable banshees and more likely to kick off plus they are like an octopus in a struggle-all arms and legs. I also think men are used to being man handled eg chucked out of a club but females are not so they are really affronted when it happens.

So we need more female police officers!!

Octopus! That made me laugh. Sorry OldSiam, your job can't be easy. It's probably better dealing with semi-comatose people. They're a dead weight, but at least they aren't spitting and clawing at you.

I think minimum standards of behaviour should be set nationally and anyone who steps out of line should receive a fine at the minimum and prosecution for the very worst behaviour.

How can society be open and inclusive for everyone if residents and visitors are terrified to be out and about and going on public transport. The elderly, disabled, children, people with mental illness and trauma are often too scared to venture out as it is. People should just suck it up and stay indoors because the ferals have taken over the town and city centres? What a disgusting country we live in. People are like animals rutting and shitting in the fields.

And why the emphasis on women? What about the stag nights?
People have already mentioned that it's because we are talking about daytime drunk behaviour of hen parties.As many people have said, stag nights tend to start later and then are rowdy in a different way later on. Generally it's hens drinking prosecco from 10am who are talking about sex acts around young families whilst cuddling an inflatable penis at 2pm.
Stag groups can be loud and antisocial, but generally thats 1am, not stumbling in the shops by lunch.
Sometimes I wonder if people are still offended by the sight of a group of women having fun
Yes, people hate women having fun. It's so sexist to think adults who flash their boobs, simulate sex acts and are falling around drunk at lunch time are out of order. It's nothing to do with appalling behaviour - obviously we all hate women having fun.

The emphasis is on women because, as the OP and many others have said, it’s hen parties rather than stags they’ve seen behave particularly badly and get away with it.

The council et al will know about it. Unfortunately York being a dump has been in the papers for years...

“York becoming "no go area" on Saturdays, say city leaders...”.

www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/13343876.york-becoming-no-go-area-on-saturdays-say-city-leaders-licensees-called-to-crunch-talks-visiting-hordes-from-south-yorkshire-and-north-east-blamed/

“It’s become a bit more like a holiday destination. Like Magaluf...”.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/23/york-overrun-heavy-drinking-stag-hen-parties-locals-say

“York is no longer viewed as a safe, family friendly city on a Saturday.”

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/16/keep-stag-and-hen-parties-away-from-your-mics-york-buskers-told

Not quite in the same league as Ladies Day at Aintree, though?

Oh god, another person who just believes everything they read in the Daily Mail. Have been to a number of ladies days at Aintree and not seen any of the horrific behaviour described above. Some pissed people yes but nothing shocking.

I'm one of those people who were going to visit York for a weekend so I'm glad I read this thread. I would have had dd 8 with me so just don't want to see behaviour like that in the streets in the afternoon. I imagine it would be quite frightening.

We have alot of stags and hens in Liverpool but they have been managed into specific areas of the city so very easy to avoid on a night out.

Local bars & clubs could stop the flood of hen parties by refusing to admit large groups. They would soon stop coming. I suspect they are making alot of money though so would be reluctant to do this. We were in krakow a few years ago and they had done this successfully. They refused to admit groups of men into any bars. They were determined not to be the next Prague wrt stag nights. They also had 'drunk tank', a jail you got thrown into overnight if you were drunk and disorderly. Looks like we could do with something like that in the UK!