Student nightlife in Northampton among the worst: high prices and low safety scores

The security experts at Get Licensed have looked into the number of pubs, bars and clubs, the cost of a pint, the cost of a taxi, the safety sentiment for people in the city and the safety index score of the UK’s most populated university cities to reveal Britain’s Best and Worst University Night Out. You can find the full report here: https://www.get-licensed.co.uk/get-daily/britain-best-and-worst-university-night-out-cities/

Britain’s Worst University Night Outs

• London takes the unfortunate title of the worst city for a student night out, scoring just 1.36 out of 10. It also has the highest average beer price at £6.50 per pint and ranks third highest for taxi costs, at £1.95 per kilometre.

• Coventry ranks second to last on the list, with only nine pubs per 100,000 people, the second lowest proportion. It also scores poorly on safety, ranking third from last with a score of 64 out of 100 for concerns about being mugged or robbed.

• Birmingham, another West Midlands city, follows closely with a low safety index of 36.16 out of 100. Birmingham ranked in the bottom five for concerns about being mugged (63 out of 100) and attacked (62 out of 100), contributing to its overall score of 2.56 out of 10.

The research also revealed:

• Durham can be crowned the best university area for a night out. The city ranks highly across the board, particularly regarding safety, ranking first for the four factors concerning wellbeing. It also has the second-highest percentage of bars and clubs rated three stars or above at 95%.

• When heading out on a night out, you’ll want to know your chosen club or bar is clean, safe, and good value for money. High Wycombe has the highest proportion of bars and nightclubs rated three stars or above.

• If you’re on a tight budget at uni, you’ll want to find an affordable place to kick back with your mates, relax and have fun without breaking the bank. Middlesbrough is the uni town with the cheapest pints, averaging £3 per drink.

• Knowing you’ll be safe when going out in your chosen city is crucial, as students are often more vulnerable to crimes such as burglary and muggings, especially if you’re new to an area. However, you won’t have to worry too much if you’re in Durham. It has the highest safety index score on the list, at 80 out of 100.

Shahzad Ali, CEO and Security Expert at Get Licensed has advised on staying safe on a night out:

“With fresher’s week approaching, university students will be looking forward to going on nights out, making new friends, and getting used to their new home town. However, they must know how best to stay safe during this excitement. Before going out, make sure your phone is fully charged and that you have the contact details of others in your group, this way you can get in touch with one another if you get split up. It can also be good to take a group photo before heading out, especially for those who have only just met - this way you can help recognise each other and the outfits you’re all wearing if anyone gets lost.

When out, you should also make sure that you are watching your drink; both how much you’re drinking and the drink itself. Make sure you are alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and also that you are covering your drink with your hand throughout the night to protect yourself against spiking. If you do believe that you or someone in your group has been spiked, get them water immediately and take them home. If they are unresponsive, call an ambulance and make sure someone stays with them for safety and support.

It’s important to have fun throughout fresher's week and university, however, by looking out for yourself and others, you can make sure this fun is had by everyone.”