Inside UK’s binge drinking hotspot where drunk revellers have sex al fresco, run into car washes & flash their boobs

IT’S 5pm on a Saturday night in Leeds City Center where the bars are already full of gangs of raucous women letting their hair down as cocktail shakers clink noisily in the background.

An hour later, the tables are littered with empty martini glasses from porn stars and half-empty bottles of Prosecco, as the lively crowd takes to the dance floor.

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Samantha Yule used to like to let her hair down with a few drinks on the town Credit: Samantha Yule

After a heady afternoon it seems the punters here have had their fill, and that’s the scene that will play out between now and Christmas in this bustling northern town where I was born and raised.

It’s a place where women sure know how to let their hair down, and I used to be one of them.

On nights out, I’ve encountered anything and everything – from my friend flashing s**ts and running through the car wash, witnessing a loving couple having sex in the parking lot, me turning away from the table, to another friend who was sprayed with extinguishing fire with an ejector.

That was until I ended up so paralyzed after a day of drinking with friends in the city that I ended up in a car at midnight with strangers who saw me stranded and offered me a ride home.

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I vaguely remember getting into a taxi a moment ago, but a few minutes into the six mile journey home the driver told me to get out.

I’m not sure if I offended him or if he was worried that I was so drunk I might get sick in the car, but my next memory is crawling along the side of the road in high heels, all alone.

I was incredibly lucky to make it home unharmed to my husband and two young children, but it’s terrifying to think how differently that night could have turned out.

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She knows all too well how a few drinks can escalate Credit: Samantha Yule

The danger of excessive drinking

And it’s all because I didn’t know my alcohol limits and once I started I just couldn’t stop.

Although I am now mostly sober as of 2020, before I was your ‘classic alcoholic’ – I saw no point in drinking if not to get drunk.

Now women like me are in the spotlight and the latest statistics are worrying.

According to the latest figures from the Department of Health and Social Care for Leeds from 2022/23, there were 1,330 alcohol-related female admissions to the city’s two hospitals, Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s.

The city was also rated as the second most dangerous city for drinking after London in a study by private alcohol rehab clinic, Delamere.

His research looked together at the number of bars and nightclubs, alcohol-related hospital admissions, the number of off-licences and rates of alcoholism.

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Leeds is known for its vibrant, bustling nightlife [stock image]Credit: LNP

Endless bottomless drunken breakfast

Experts say the statistics are fueled by the endless brunches that are a staple of Leeds, a city also ranked 8th in the list of the UK’s drunkest cities according to a survey by reduced-alcohol retailer DrinkWell – and a bigger hit with women than men.

Within a one-mile radius, Leeds City Center offers 25 endless snack bars starting from just £26 per person for 90 minutes of unlimited beer, wine and cocktails.

Even now, in the run-up to Christmas, when alcohol consumption increases as office parties and binges begin, one bar has a sign in its window claiming to be the number one bottomless snack spot in town.

Who’s going to pay for an endless brunch if you’re only going to have a drink or two? It’s just not worth it. The whole idea is to get completely smashed.

Samantha Yule

I was no stranger to the endless breakfast where me and my friends made the most of the unlimited drinks.

The ethics are simple, which is to binge drink as much alcohol as possible during a time interval.

I did about five inconsequential brunches before I realized they were the devil – they took my attitude about drinking and multiplied it by five.

Women love them, they are advertised as a sophisticated drink, intended for girls who want to dress up and spend the day in an elegant bar.

We’ve done our best to provide as many top-ups as possible for the money.

Who’s going to pay for an endless brunch if you’re only going to have a drink or two? It’s just not worth it. The whole idea is to get completely smashed.

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More and more people go to celebrate the holidays at this time of year [stock image]Credit: NB PRESS LTD

A sobering statistic

In the latest Health England survey published in September, 78 per cent of women said they had drunk alcohol in the previous 12 months, with 15 per cent drinking weekly at an increasing or higher level of harm.

Four percent of women admitted to drinking more than 35 units per week.

According to the latest ONS statistics, as of 2018, liver disease is consistently among the top three causes of death each year among women aged 39 to 45.

And when the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) compared alcohol consumption in 33 countries, British women topped the global scale of binge drinking – defined as at least six drinks in one session.

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For many partygoers, going out is the perfect opportunity to dress up and let their hair down [stock image]Credit: NB PRESS LTD

Relying on the kindness of strangers

Amin Bini, 49, owner of popular takeaway restaurant Dixy Chicken in Leeds city center which is open until 4am at weekends, says some customers – like me – often need help getting home safely.

He said: “Sometimes we have to get taxis for customers or you have to charge their phones.

“I woke some people up, gave them a free bottle of water and helped them go outside so they could get some fresh air.

– Once a woman came in and we had to call the police, and when they arrived, they had to call an ambulance.

Amin sees his job as much more than just serving food and sees his responsibility in protecting women.

He said: “You have to be very, very patient with them.. You have to look after them – when they come to my takeout restaurant, I want them to feel safe.

“Especially with women because if they don’t know what they’re doing, they can put themselves in danger, and outsiders can take advantage of them.

“It’s not just serving takeout, it’s managing the situation you see in front of you.”

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Takeaway owner Amin often ends up kindly helping customers who are a little worse for wear Credits: Submitted

Association “Girls’ Evenings”

Alcohol-related deaths are at their highest level in the UK since records began in 2001.

Although the problem is undoubtedly greater in men, more women under the age of 45 are dying of alcohol-related liver disease, or ARLD, than ever before, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) from 2001 to 22.

In the meantime, dr. Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK, said alcohol and binge drinking are often dangerously linked to ‘self-care’ for women.

He says: “We only need to look at prime-time television sponsorships aimed at women, highly visible advertising while commuting to and from work, and the often inevitable (but false) associations between alcohol and self-care – ‘me time’ and ‘girly evening’ – to see how much effort and investment alcohol companies are putting into putting the spotlight on our everyday lives and society.”

Harms of excessive drinking

The NHS defines binge drinking as ‘drinking excessively in a short period of time’.

More than 8 units of alcohol in one session for men or more than 6 units in one session for women is the technical definition, according to Drinkaware.

This equates to approximately four pints of regular strength beer for a man or three pints for a woman.

When you drink excessively, in addition to getting drunk, your heart rate and blood pressure will increase. It can cause irregular heartbeats, known as arrhythmias.

Alcohol increases the production of stomach acid – stopping nausea and potential vomiting.

You are also likely to experience impaired judgment, coordination, memory loss and poor decision making.

This can lead to accidents, falls, drowning and other mistakes.

In the long term, excessive drinking can cause acute liver damage and increase the risk of chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Cardiovascular problems include cardiomyopathy – when the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently – and an increased risk of stroke.

Over time, excessive drinking can contribute to permanent brain damage. This can manifest as a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression.

Excessive drinking can also lead to alcohol dependence or “addiction”.

High health cost

dr. Katherine Severi, executive director of the Institute for the Study of Alcohol, agrees that ‘targeted tactics’ to encourage binge drinking come at a high cost to women’s health and well-being.

She said: “Alarmingly, in the last 20 years the death rate for women from alcohol has increased by 91 per cent.

“One of the main factors behind this trend is the alcohol industry’s targeted marketing towards women.

“The recent phenomenon of the ‘bottomless snack’ is an example of how women are encouraged to attend social events that revolve around heavy drinking.

“These targeted tactics are not only effective; come at a high cost to women’s health and well-being.”

‘I won’t go back to the old way’

Now I’m turning 50 later this month, and while I may have a drink here and there, I stay away from wine completely and am adamant that I won’t go back to my old ways.

Alcohol is the second biggest risk factor for death in the UK – I’m actually grateful that I was forced to make the decision to stop binge drinking.

The day I turned six is ​​a milestone I want to remember.

A Leeds City Council spokesman said: “Teams at the council are working closely with our partners to ensure people can safely enjoy Leeds’ thriving hospitality sector.

“Our licensing team liaises closely with licensed venues, supporting them to operate responsibly and meet their legal obligations, such as not serving alcohol to those who are intoxicated.

“Our guidelines include providing a substantial supply of food and drinking water, timing the delivery of drinks, ensuring that all staff are alert and door supervisors monitor customers leaving the premises.

Anyone struggling with the effects of drugs or alcohol is encouraged to seek help from Forward Leeds.

Additional reporting: Charlotte Owen

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Samantha has now downsized and is determined to keep it that way Credit: Samantha Yule

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