SchreiberBike (talk | contribs) You can help. Repaired link to the disambiguation page West Midlands - also some copy editing |
MattJasonBrown (talk | contribs) Adding in background on the safety preparations and concerns associated with Mad Friday |
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In 2013, it started to be named '''Mad Friday'''<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2527748/Emergency-services-busy-night-Mad-Friday-descends.html Daily Mail, 22 December 2013: "'Mad Friday' fallout: Emergency services inundated as drinkers descend on towns and cities on last weekend before Christmas"] Linked 2014-12-05</ref> or '''Builders Friday''' in parts of [[South Yorkshire]] and [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], probably to avoid confusion with the American shopping phenomena at the end of November called [[Black Friday (shopping)|Black Friday]], as this began to be adopted by many UK retailers in 2012-2013, and it usually coinciding with being the last day of work for many construction workers. |
In 2013, it started to be named '''Mad Friday'''<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2527748/Emergency-services-busy-night-Mad-Friday-descends.html Daily Mail, 22 December 2013: "'Mad Friday' fallout: Emergency services inundated as drinkers descend on towns and cities on last weekend before Christmas"] Linked 2014-12-05</ref> or '''Builders Friday''' in parts of [[South Yorkshire]] and [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], probably to avoid confusion with the American shopping phenomena at the end of November called [[Black Friday (shopping)|Black Friday]], as this began to be adopted by many UK retailers in 2012-2013, and it usually coinciding with being the last day of work for many construction workers. |
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==Safety Concerns & Preventative Measures== |
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In anticipation of the festivities, police and emergency services officials begin their preparations for Mad Friday early in December. Ambulance trusts around the country plan and set up mobile "drunk tanks" in city centers to help lighten the load on hospitals and police cells.<ref name="The Telegraph">{{cite news|last1=Harley|first1=Nicola|title=Mad Friday: How police and hospitals are preparing|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11301825/Mad-Friday-How-police-and-hospitals-are-preparing.html|accessdate=June 23, 2015|publisher=The Telegraph|date=December 19, 2014}}</ref> Some of the higher end mobile units can treat up to 11 people at a time with eight beds, seats with restraint straps and two showers, and can cost up to £500,000.<ref>name= The Telegraph</ref> In Manchester, temporary metal detectors, or "knife arches," are erected in the busiest parts of the city to assure the public that no weapons of any kind will be tolerated.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|title=Greater Manchester Police prepare for 'Mad Friday'|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-12015682|accessdate=June 23, 2015|publisher=BBC News|date=December 17, 2010}}</ref> |
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One preventative initiative in particular seems to be paying off: social media. In December 2013, Greater Manchester Police promoted using the hashtag #MadMancFriday to expose some of the embarrassing things that revelers would do in the hopes of discouraging them from getting so publicly drunk again next year.<ref name=Metro>{{cite news|last1=Bartlett|first1=Evan|title=Mad Friday: Binge-drinking, arrests and dancing with office chairs...Britain at its worst on its busiest night before Christmas|url=http://metro.co.uk/2013/12/21/mad-friday-binge-drinking-arrests-and-dancing-with-office-chairs-britain-at-its-worst-on-busiest-night-before-christmas-4239554/|accessdate=June 23, 2015|publisher=Metro News UK|date=December 21, 2013}}</ref>. Christian Nightlife Initiatives have launched a "StaySafe" campaign to encourage responsible behavior via social media. <ref> name= The Telegraph</ref> A 2014 report on the festivities notes that erratic behavior was toned down, as a result of the increased awareness of the ruinous effects of instantaneous social media posts.<ref name=Mirror>{{cite news|last1=Robson|first1=Steve|author1=Eva Simpson|title=Mad Friday: Messiest moments as Brits enjoy the Christmas spirit a bit TOO much|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mad-friday-messiest-moments-brits-4842968|accessdate=June 23, 2015|publisher=Mirror|date=December 20, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="Daily Mail">{{cite news|last1=Press Association|title=Revellers prepare for Mad Friday|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2878879/Christmas-party-season-set-peak.html|accessdate=June 23, 2015|publisher=Daily Mail|date=December 19, 2014}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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Revision as of 16:41, 23 June 2015
In the United Kingdom, Black Friday was a historic nickname within the emergency services for the last Friday before Christmas, as this is the most popular night for office Christmas parties, which consequently makes it one of the busiest nights in the year for ambulances and the police.[1][2] [3][4][5] However in most of the United Kingdom, including Cumbria, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, East Anglia Northern Ireland and Scotland, the Friday is referred to as Black Eye Friday, due to extremely high number of fights that break out in bars, pubs and clubs in the area.[6][7][8]
In 2013, it started to be named Mad Friday[9] or Builders Friday in parts of South Yorkshire and West Midlands, probably to avoid confusion with the American shopping phenomena at the end of November called Black Friday, as this began to be adopted by many UK retailers in 2012-2013, and it usually coinciding with being the last day of work for many construction workers.
Safety Concerns & Preventative Measures
In anticipation of the festivities, police and emergency services officials begin their preparations for Mad Friday early in December. Ambulance trusts around the country plan and set up mobile "drunk tanks" in city centers to help lighten the load on hospitals and police cells.[10] Some of the higher end mobile units can treat up to 11 people at a time with eight beds, seats with restraint straps and two showers, and can cost up to £500,000.[11] In Manchester, temporary metal detectors, or "knife arches," are erected in the busiest parts of the city to assure the public that no weapons of any kind will be tolerated.[12]
One preventative initiative in particular seems to be paying off: social media. In December 2013, Greater Manchester Police promoted using the hashtag #MadMancFriday to expose some of the embarrassing things that revelers would do in the hopes of discouraging them from getting so publicly drunk again next year.[13]. Christian Nightlife Initiatives have launched a "StaySafe" campaign to encourage responsible behavior via social media. [14] A 2014 report on the festivities notes that erratic behavior was toned down, as a result of the increased awareness of the ruinous effects of instantaneous social media posts.[15] [16]
References
- ^ BBC News, 22 December 2007: "'Black Friday' keeps police busy" Re-linked 2014-12-05
- ^ BBC News, 20 December 2008: "'Black Friday' keeps crews busy" Re-linked 2014-12-05
- ^ The Guardian, 18 December 2008: "Ambulance service braced for 'Black Friday'" Re-linked 2014-12-05
- ^ Nursing Times, 18 December 2008: "Warning over alcohol at christmas parties as 'Black Friday. for 999 calls looms" Re-linked 2014-12-05
- ^ BBC News Wales, 17 December 2010: "Second snow band brings disruption across much of Wales" Re-linked 2014-12-05
- ^ The Cumberland News, 18 December 2008: "Cumbrian Police braced for Black Eye Friday" Re-linked 2014-12-05
- ^ Cumbria Crack, 14 December 2011: "Police crackdown on violence in the countdown to ‘Black Eye Friday’" Re-linked 2014-12-05
- ^ Real Whitby, 7 December 2012: Black Eyed Friday In Whitby Re-linked 2014-12-05
- ^ Daily Mail, 22 December 2013: "'Mad Friday' fallout: Emergency services inundated as drinkers descend on towns and cities on last weekend before Christmas" Linked 2014-12-05
- ^ Harley, Nicola (December 19, 2014). "Mad Friday: How police and hospitals are preparing". The Telegraph. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
- ^ name= The Telegraph
- ^ "Greater Manchester Police prepare for 'Mad Friday'". BBC News. December 17, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
- ^ Bartlett, Evan (December 21, 2013). "Mad Friday: Binge-drinking, arrests and dancing with office chairs...Britain at its worst on its busiest night before Christmas". Metro News UK. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
- ^ name= The Telegraph
- ^ Robson, Steve (December 20, 2014). "Mad Friday: Messiest moments as Brits enjoy the Christmas spirit a bit TOO much". Mirror. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
{{cite news}}: More than one of|author1=and|last1=specified (help) - ^ Press Association (December 19, 2014). "Revellers prepare for Mad Friday". Daily Mail. Retrieved June 23, 2015.