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University voices concerns over town bars alcohol push – University of Reading

As a new group of first year students arrive at the University of Reading this week, the University and Reading University Students' Union (RUSU) are concerned that attempts to promote safe and responsible drinking are being undermined by unsolicited and irresponsible bar promotions targeting students.

Over the last weekend, the University's halls of residences were targeted without permission by a flood of alcohol promotion fliers from bars in Reading town centre, offering cheap drink promotions such as spirit shots at £1.

Tony Downes, University of Reading Deputy Vice Chancellor, said: "We are very concerned about the messages that our new students are getting in their first few days in Reading. Excessive drinking can have a major impact on health and personal safety as well as adversely impacting on the local community. We have been working very hard to promote safe and responsible drinking to our students, requiring student clubs and societies to sign an initiations and alcohol code of conduct, running joint campaigns with Thames Valley Police and not offering promotions for alcohol such as spirit shots and alco-pops in our bars.

"In recent years, Reading town centre licensees have worked with us to promote safe and responsible drinking messages and we are disappointed that this informal agreement seems to have broken down ahead of Fresher's Week. The University offers a 52 weeks a year commitment to responsible drinking and we are concerned that a two-week headlong rush by town bars to gain the custom of new students will undermine our work as well as previous agreements not to offer cheap alcohol. While many of our students will not be interested or influenced by these irresponsible promotions, the promotions may, potentially, result in putting the health and safety of some of our students at risk."

ENDS

Further information from Alex Brannen, Media Relations Manager, on 0118 378 7388

Notes to editors:

RUSU safe drinking campaign includes:-

• Campaign through posters, website and plasma screens in RUSU.

• Joint campaign with Thames Valley Police in Freshers Week

• Soft drink promotions

• Sports club and societies sign an initiations and alcohol code of conduct.