Drinkers on Headingley’s famous Otley Run pub crawl could face on-the-spot fines for anti-social behaviour.
The legendary bar crawl, consisting of up to sixteen pubs from Far Headingley to Leeds City Centre has come under fire in recent months for causing problems, often thought to be alcohol-related.
Local Labour councillor Neil Walshaw commented that the Otley Run is making “Headingley look like Magaluf”.
Read More: Iconic Leeds bar crawl The Otley Run could be ‘scrapped’
In a meeting yesterday, the councillor suggested that the fancy dress pub crawl was attracting a different crowd than its original audience, commenting:
“Judging from the hairlines and the waistlines, it’s not undergraduates- it’s Gavin and Gary from accounts who are coming back to relive their glory days of 10 years ago.
“But joking aside, it’s all led to some cases that we’re picking up of on-street harassment of female residents.”
“On a Friday and Saturday, Headingley looks like Magaluf at times.”
The Three Horseshoes pub. / Image: Wikimedia Commons
Head of Neighbourhoods at Leeds City Council, Claire Smith announces that the city is leading a “targeted response” to the issues raised and explained that a Public Space Protection Order in the area means that any alcohol-related problems could end with the perpetrators issued a fine.
It appears that a crackdown on the Otley Run is going to increase in importance of the council: “We’re bringing that all together, a lot tighter than it was before, with the issues it’s causing it’s something we need to do.”
Reports from the BBC and LeedsLive sharing the issue have been gathering the public’s opinion on the comments shared by local councillors yesterday.
Read More: The Otley Run: the ultimate beginners guide to Leeds’ best pub crawl
One commented: “Here we go again LCC turning the city into a police state, thinking they have the right to infringe on peoples civil liberties. Its just a bunch of young kids having a beer and enjoying themselves, like we all did/do what’s wrong with that?”
Whilst another suggested the Otley Run is simply “students enjoying a good time in difficult times.”
Others made sure to explain a local’s perspective: “For those of us who live and work in the area, we actually like to see people coming to do the Otley run”.
Feature Image- Wikicommons
