Sheffield Students’ Union to keep alcohol licence

Sheffield Students' Union could have had its alcohol licence suspended or removed. Photo: Lee J Haywood

Sheffield Students’ Union will keep its alcohol licence after councillors concluded that Bar One was ‘well managed’ during Union Christmas Day and that there was no evidence to suggest ‘serious crime or disorder’.

The review took place when a first year student was left fighting for her life after being hit by a double-decker bus while leaving the Christmas Day event last month.

The event was branded by local health chiefs as “irresponsible” and was criticised for its cut-price drinks promotions by sections of the national press.

John Campbell, chair of Sheffield City Council’s Licensing Committee, said: “It is unfortunate that there was an accident with this lady but we do not believe that the conditions that were going on at the university at the time were responsible.

“There will be no change in conditions. We do not feel that this was serious crime or disorder.”

Door staff attacked

Superintendent Martin Hemingway, of South Yorkshire Police, called for the review into the Union’s licence after revealing a number of other assaults at Bar One last year, including a group of around 20 men attacking door staff and another man biting a security guard and hitting him in the face.

He said: “It would appear that we have people being encouraged to drink irresponsibly. As a result, a serious road accident took place.

“To get people to drink two-pint containers and start drinking at 10am does not seem responsible.

“People were fortifying themselves with alcohol overnight, from the early hours in order to get into the event.

“There didn’t seem to anyone in supervision of people leaving the premises.”

Extremely upset

To make future events safer, the Students’ Union are set to ban students from drinking in queues outside events such as Bar One Christmas Day.

Students’ Union General Manager Steve Hubbard said: “We are all extremely upset about the accident that has happened and our primary concern since then has been the welfare of the student concerned.

“We have made substantial efforts over the years to keep students safe and we are the leading students’ union in the country.

“We are absolutely clear that drinking outside the event will not be tolerated, and people who have been will not be let in.”

Internal review

Graeme Cushion, representing the Students’ Union, said: “My clients take immense pride at what they put together at this Students’ Union.

“It is all aimed towards the safety of those at the venue. What has happened has hit us hard as an organisation, and as individuals.

“We’ve had 14 years of running this event and we’ve moved away from drinks promotions and moved towards food promotions and entertainment promotions, and the price of drinks at this event are what you would expect. Prices at this promotion were not appallingly low.

“We want to raise the bar in the city on safety operations to make it safer for students.

“We propose a new forum to take place, inviting police and any appropriate member of the licensing committee to attend, within the next month.”

Sheffield Students’ Union are holding an internal review into the incident, which will conclude next week.

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