Drunken Nights Out: Motivations, norms and rituals in the night-time economy Drunken Nights Out: Motivations, norms and rituals in the night-time economy Simon Christmas and Fiona Seymour September 2014 1 Drunken Nights Out: Motivations, norms and rituals in the night-time economy Acknowledgements We are very grateful to the many people without Consultant, Public Health England; Clive Henn, whose expertise and support this review would Policy Lead, Public Health England; Simon Jackson, not have been possible. While any errors in the National Director, Best Bar None; Adrian Lee, Chief following pages are entirely our own responsibility, Constable, Northamptonshire Police; Tom Lemon, most of the best ideas can be traced to the input of Paramedic, Waterloo Ambulance Station; Sue others. Nelson, Executive Officer, Institute of Licensing; Jean Nichol, Alcohol Policy Lead, Department of Particular thanks are due to Anne Foster at Health; James Nicholls, Research Manager, Alcohol Drinkaware, who has provided unstinting support Research UK; Samantha Redmond, Head of Insight, and (when requested) wise guidance, while always Home Office; Lynn Robinson, Deputy Registrar, respecting our independence; and to Marcel University of Bristol; Rod Thomson, Director of Wallace, whose contributions to the completion of Public Health, Shropshire; Paul Wallace, Chief this review were many and significant. Medical Officer, Drinkaware CMA; Emma Webb, Drug and Alcohol Lead, University of Bristol; and For their roles in our qualitative research team, Kate Winstanley, Programme Manager, Community we are indebted to Annabelle Butler, Cait Miskelly Alcohol Partnerships. and Andrew Phillips (Big Island); and to Paul Heath and John Holland (Further Afield). Cait deserves a We are also grateful to participants in a workshop special mention for her creativity and patience in convened to review preliminary findings from the delivering a complex pre-work task. first phase of our research: Daisy Blench, BBPA; Dave Spencer, Chief Inspector, Northamptonshire Police; Jo We are also grateful to the team at Drinkaware Wilson, Deputy Director of Students Support (Health for their support and flexibility throughout the and Wellbeing), Essex University; Kaiah Burridge, review process: Sarah Salisbury, Anastasia Terzeon, Home Office; Louisa Todd, Home Office; Matthew Matthew Britton, Lizzie Worth, Kate Owen and Mitchell, Home Office; Paul Blakey, Street Angels; Elaine Hindal. Peter Harrison, Research Director, Brain Juicer; Rod Thomson, Director of Public Health, Shropshire; and The review has benefited beyond measure from the teams at TBWA, Neo, and Cohn & Wolfe. the contributions of a number of key informants who gave up their time to participate in interviews: We would like to thank all those who responded to Simon Antrobus, Chief Executive, Addaction; Drinkaware’s call for evidence in connection with Ashley Baruah, A&E Nurse, Royal Free Hospital; this review, too many to list here. Paul Blakey, Chief Executive Officer, Street Angels; Jo Bray, Head of Strategic Communications, Home Finally, we would like to thank the participants in Office; Ellie Gordon, Clinical Lead on Alcohol, Royal our qualitative research, without whose openness College of Nursing; Alison Hardy, Communications and insight we would never have arrived at an understanding of drunken nights out. 2 Drunken Nights Out: Motivations, norms and rituals in the night-time economy Executive summary This strategic review, undertaken for Drinkaware, gender and, in particular, youth. addressed the question: ‘what role could and should Drinkaware play in reducing the harms Participation in drunken nights out, and therefore associated with drunken nights out?’ The review associated harm, is at a peak among young adults. draws on original qualitative research comprising However, it is essential to stress that: pre-work, interviews and workshops with a total of ◊ Much alcohol-related harm occurs outside the 80 participants in drunken nights out aged 18 to context of drunken nights out, or any other 29, a review of literature, and interviews with key kind of drinking by young people. informants. ◊ Many young people do not participate in drunken nights out or indeed drink at all. The remit of the review was to make evidence- based recommendations regarding the role that Drinking and getting drunk are gendered activities, education and communications could and should but there are striking similarities in the behaviour play in reducing the harms associated with drunken of women and men in the young adult age nights out. It does not make recommendations for range, especially with regard to intentions and wider policy, for agents other than Drinkaware, or consumption. One key difference is that women regarding interventions other than those which are more likely than men to report many negative Drinkaware might make. consequences. There is no evidence to suggest that students are more likely to participate in drunken Introducing drunken nights out nights out than non-student peers of the same age. The term ‘drunken night out’ refers to a package of behaviours which take place in a specific Often represented as the excessive behaviour of context (temporal, spatial and social). Drinking a ‘small minority’, drunken nights out are in fact and drunkenness are central to this package of entirely normal – at least from the perspective of behaviours, but they are not the only behaviours those who participate in them. Field studies reveal involved. widespread excessive drinking among users of the night-time economy (although much consumption The widely used term ‘binge drinking’ is may take place at home before going out). Roughly problematic: definitions are inconsistent; there two fifths of 18 to 24 year olds agree with the is a credibility gulf between recommended statement ‘I really enjoy going out to get drunk’,1 and actual consumption; a focus on quantities and 15% of this age group state that they drink with consumed neglects the social nature of drinking the intention of getting drunk every time or most and drunkenness; and the term is associated with times they drink alcohol.2 A regular intention to get unhelpful stereotypes shaped by attitudes to class, drunk is associated with drinking more frequently, 1 GB TGI 2013 Q2 (Jan 2012–Dec 2012), Kantar Media UK Ltd. 2 Ipsos MORI (2013). 3 Drunken Nights Out: Motivations, norms and rituals in the night-time economy drinking more, getting drunk more often, and Benefit 1: Escape running an increased risk of experiencing/causing The norms and rituals which structure the harm. There is also evidence that the intention drunken night out mark a special social context to get drunk is associated with a different way of distinct from the rest of life. Individuals describe drinking, and with choices of venue in the night- entering this special context in terms of taking on time economy. a different identity – a drunken night out identity – characterised by doing things one would not Behaviour during drunken nights out is also highly normally do. structured – in contrast to common representations as chaotic, reckless and out of control. The In particular, the drunken night out provides an structuring role of social norms and rituals is arena within which more intense and extreme particularly important. Moreover, a drunken night social interactions are permitted, both within one’s out is undertaken, not by individuals, but by group of friends and more widely. One of the core groups of friends. These groups play a central role benefits of the drunken night out is escape, from in managing some of the risks associated with a the norms of interaction in everyday life, to this drunken night out. more permissive social arena. Why do people go on drunken nights Benefit 2: Bonding and belonging out? The drunken night out provides an opportunity for Participation in drunken nights out can be a group of friends to strengthen their bonds and explained in terms of social norms or other kinds collective identity, while also confirming individuals’ of social pressure; as a response to prompts identities within the group. In this context, group in the situation; or as a habit. Alongside these members can engage in interactions which might explanations, however, the decision to go on a not normally be possible, for example, banter. drunken night out can also be seen as a rational They can also synchronise behaviour, for example, choice, made on an assessment of benefits and through dancing. costs. Drunken nights out deliver a number of clear benefits to their participants (see below); and Groups tend to be stable over time. In some there are few if any other social experiences which instances, the drunken night out is the sole provide the same mix of benefits. Many participants mechanism by which the group is maintained. in drunken nights out find it hard to think of other Drunken nights out may also be used as a way of things they could do. building a group where one did not previously exist – in particular among students. Groups are often single-gendered. Partners often continue to socialise with separate groups. 4 Drunken Nights Out: Motivations, norms and rituals in the night-time economy Benefit 3: Social adventures Stories also transform experiences. Experiences Other people outside the group of friends are that were in reality uncomfortable, painful or a critical component of the drunken night out, distressing may be transformed into positive and providing the opportunity for social adventures – amusing stories. Many stories described by their more intense and extreme social interactions with protagonists as ‘embarrassing’ are in fact prized for strangers. Social adventures can range in extremity their role in creating and confirming a desirable from simply meeting and talking to new people to drunken night out identity. However, there are sexual encounters of different kinds and, for some limits to the extent to which bad experiences can people, fighting. be transformed in this way. Moreover, stories may become genuinely shaming when shared with However, other people also introduce an the wrong audiences – for example, older family inescapable element of risk.