Stags and hens flock to city as cash hangovers kick in

Published on Tuesday 12 August 2008 10:23

THE number of stag and hen parties coming to the Capital has shot up dramatically as revellers turn their back on expensive foreign trips.

Bars, hotels and outdoor activity centres have seen the number of party bookings soar by up to a quarter this year.

The rise is being seen as a side effect of the credit crunch, with many opting against the long weekends abroad which have become increasingly popular in recent years.

Stag parties are the main reason Bedlam Paintball, in South Queensferry, has seen bookings rise by almost a quarter this year. It is on course to take 4000 more bookings than last year.

Roman Rock, the managing director of Bedlam Group, said: "People are still getting married and having stag weekends, and we are finding they are less likely to go abroad and more likely to come here.

"People might be spending less generally but we're not seeing any downturn. They pull in the purse strings in other areas, whether it's food or home spending, but after a tough week they are still wanting to enjoy themselves.

"I know from speaking to a lot of hoteliers that they are getting a lot more short breaks because people are just not going away."

Bedlam is planning to expand on the back of the extra business, launching two new games, one based on Doctor Who and the other featuring buses donated by Stagecoach tycoon Brian Souter.

The city's bars are also feeling the benefit of the growing number of stag and hen parties.

Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: "With the strength of the euro and more people tending to spend more time in Britain rather than abroad, it does seem that there are more domestic visitors to Edinburgh.

"There is nothing wrong with that type of business (stag and hen parties) as long as it is controlled. There has been problems with people targeting stag and hen parties with cheaper drink offers in Edinburgh in the past and that can lead to problems.

"But that kind of discounting is not happening any more, so it can only be a good thing."

Sinead Guerin, VisitScotland's regional director, added: "This is extremely encouraging to see Edinburgh visitor attractions reaping the benefits of an increased domestic market and this will potentially have knock-on effects for other tourism businesses in the area.

"Due to the economic climate, there may well be a greater number of people exploring their own country and partaking in activities as a cheaper alternative to flying abroad."