By Preeya Abidi-Fallows
Is it cost, safety or are nights out just not as appealing as they once were?
Cost
The average price of a pint in the UK has risen to £5.34, up by approximately £1.50–£1.60 from five years ago, when the typical cost ranged between £3.70 and £3.95. For young people and specifically students there is a huge debate on whether going out is worth the cost.
Isabel Taylor, age 20, of Chester said: “If I go out for a night out in Chester it can cost me up to £60. It’s two weeks worth of food however if I don’t go out I feel left out. I would much rather socialise without alcohol and save money”.
Chester is an appealing place to socialise, but is it worth it – especially for students?
Safety
Is safety on a night out in the UK an issue?
While the crime rate in the UK has decreased by 2.8% over the past year, any young adults are not going out due to the danger of having to walk home alone and the increase in the spiking of drinks with drugs. There are of course programs in place in all bars and clubs where you can ‘Ask for Angela’ to receive help if you believe you are threatened.
Jason Smith, age 21, of Chester said: “Honestly I don’t see the point of a night out, it just stresses me out. I just would rather stay home with my friends than go out drinking, it’s just not as good anywhere now as it used to be. I think people just can’t be bothered with it, it’s a lot of effort for us just to not want to be out”.
Preeya Abidi-Fallows explores the reason nightlife is becoming less popular with younger generations, witth fellow journalist Nellie Salmon
