Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Carnage UK

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Type
  
Private

Headquarters
  
Birmingham, UK

Products
  
Pub crawls

Founded
  
June 2007

Key people
  
Paul Bahia

Industry
  
University student entertainment

Carnage UK is a company that organises drinking events for students in the United Kingdom. The idea for Carnage UK was originally taken from a University of Birmingham event 'Carnage' run by the University's raising-and-giving society Carnival Rag. The original Carnage has since been rebranded to 'Karma', with all proceeds going to charity.

Contents

Market share

They arrange events for an estimated 350,000 undergraduate students in 45 towns and cities each year. The company charges students £10 for which they receive a t-shirt and free entry to around 10 pubs, bars and nightclubs. Many of the venues offer drinks promotions during the events. It is "owned" by Varsity Leisure Group.

University of Bath

In 2008 a student at the University of Bath hanged himself behind a nightclub during an event organised by Carnage UK.

Sheffield Hallam University

In October 2009, A Sports Technology student at Sheffield Hallam University, was photographed urinating on a war memorial in Barker's Pool after drinking for several hours on a bar crawl organised by Carnage UK. The photograph was later published in a number of newspapers. The student pleaded guilty to outraging public decency. The judge in the case said that he felt the student's actions were directly caused by his heavy consumption of alcohol and that Carnage UK should also have been present in court. Responding to this criticism a press officer for Carnage UK told PR Week that much of the press coverage over the incident had been unfair. He pointed out that more than 2000 students attended the event and that the student who urinated was responsible for his own actions.

University of Exeter

After an event in Exeter in October 2009 it was reported that the police are to consider charging the company for the extra police officers that must be deployed whilst their events are run.

Bangor

In March 2009, a 61-year-old man was assaulted by one of its organisers after he asked about arrangements regarding to the event,.

Southampton

In October 2010, another heavily intoxicated student, this time from the Southampton University, was photographed urinating on a war memorial.

Cardiff

In June 2014, the Daily Mail reported that a group of drunken women emerged from a Carnage pub in Cardiff and commenced verbally abusing, and physically assaulting, a homeless man, initially profanely yelling at him to get a job, then dragging him across the pavement and street, punching him, pulling his trousers down and kicking his face.

Student organisation prohibition

The National Union of Students has launched a campaign to stop the organisation hosting more events and according to a poll by The Observer at least 17 student unions have banned them from advertising on their premises.

Binge drinking

The founder of Varsity Leisure Group, 29-year-old Inderpaul Sandeep Singh Bahia has denied that the company encourages binge drinking saying, “Our events are heavily focused on group identity, social and ethical cohesion, and fancy dress themes.”

References

Carnage UK Wikipedia