A Jesmond resident says weekly student social nights on Osborne Road are a greater concern than Halloween or Bonfire Night, as a councillor says the council aims to maintain a visible presence at seasonal events.

Brigid Joughin, who has lived in Jesmond for over 38 years and is actively involved in the Keep Jesmond Clean campaign, where residents of Jesmond go out onto the streets and litter pick once a month, suggested that Wednesdays cause a lot more trouble than any other holiday.

She told JesmondLocal: “I’m not sure there were any more mad drunken students than normal. I don’t think it was any worse than Wednesdays.”

She added, “Wednesdays are horrendous. They are a nightmare.”

One reason for this could be the Council’s strategy in managing particular holidays as opposed to what they are able to do on a weekly basis.

Liberal Democrat councillor Philip Browne told JesmondLocal that for Halloween and Bonfire night, the council places an emphasis on being physically present.

He said: “What we’re encouraging is for the council to have a visible presence at these events.”

Cllr Browne added: “We had issues last year with the management of St Patrick’s Day. Massive crowds on Osborne Road. There were lessons learned, shall we say.”

Wednesday socials are linked to university sport, with some students heading to Jesmond after matches.

Across Newcastle University and Northumbria University, the social drinking culture in intramural sport and BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) is very strong.

After students finish playing sport on Wednesday, many of them will go to Jesmond, typically starting at a house party before heading to the pubs and then going to clubs and bars in the city centre.

The London Review did a survey last week on Wednesday ‘Sports night’ in Newcastle. They interviewed 106 students who were involved in either BUCS or intramural sport at University and found that 77% of respondents said they get involved in sports night celebrations.

The celebrations can become noisy, with students “loitering and talking” in the streets being particularly annoying, said Joughin.

She added: “Whites’ is always dreadful because they always have all those people outside and they’re always over-spilling, and they’re always screaming.”

Joughin said that she felt a degree of sympathy for the council as she “doesn’t really know what they can do about it.”

She added: “Maybe they could do something with the bars. And I don’t what the bars can do. There should be something to stop them.”