How 100s of teens are descending on Brighton to booze & brawl as social media ‘meet-ups’ turn violent for TikTok likes

IT’S the trendy seaside town favoured by DJ Fatboy Slim and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner. But Brighton has been named the teenage boozing capital of Britain, with the highest number of underage drinkers ending up in hospital there. Police patrol the seafront as youths gather at the end of term Credit: EDDIE MITCHELL – Commissioned by The Sun A young woman is led away in cuffs by the police Credit: EDDIE MITCHELL – Commissioned by The Sun Residents say the famous esplanade becomes “lawless” on sunny weekends as social media-organised “meet-ups” turn violent. Youths have been seen taking drugs and necking vodka before fights — intended to win TikTok likes — break out in front of baying spectators, as well as terrified holidaymakers and locals. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Brighton sailing club committee member Angus Malcolm has seen youngsters urinating in the streets and lighting fires next to his boats. Angus, 51, said: “They turn up en masse, 200 or 300 of them. “They will pick an area at the last minute, such as the beach, then descend on it. “There will always be boozing and fighting and drugs. “The first bank holiday when there was lots of sun, this was not a nice place to be. “There was loads of aggro, lots of fights and groups of people. It was bad all weekend but certainly in the evening and someone was stabbed. Most read in The Sun “That weekend it felt lawless. There is a bit more of a police presence now.” Recent figures show that the number of alcohol-related under-18 hospital admissions in Brighton and Hove are 170 per cent higher than the national average. Across almost every UK region, under-18 girls now account for the highest proportion of alcohol-specific hospital admissions. And 15-year-old girls in England now report higher rates of monthly drinking than boys of the same age. Mother-of-two Alex Costlin has been shocked at the number of underage girls in skimpy outfits she has spotted boozing in Brighton. Speaking outside the seaside shop where she works, she said: “It’s quite scary really because they are so fragile and innocent and they all dress the same. They are almost naked. “I’m not judging but they get so drunk. It’s no wonder they end up in hospital and it’s very sad to see because they are destroying their health. “They take drugs too. Sometimes they come into the shop asking me for help with their laughing gas balloons. I say no. An officer gathers up leftover bottles Credit: EDDIE MITCHELL – Commissioned by The Sun Police mill among the crowds on the sea front Credit: EDDIE MITCHELL – Commissioned by The Sun “There are riots all the time, fights and everything.” The riots Alex describes are the result of unofficial parties organised on the internet. Promoters make claims like “free entry”, provide sound systems and promise that weed and nitrous oxide balloons will be available for sale. The trade in drugs is no doubt the motive for planning such occasions. Youngsters are encouraged to bring their own alcohol and volunteers in Brighton complain there has been an explosion in BuzzBallz litter during the summer months. BuzzBallz are powerful cocktail-like drinks high in alcohol that have become popular with teenagers. Around 300 tons of rubbish was collected on Brighton beach last year, with campaigners saying the majority was single-use plastics. The Leave No Trace group found 3,600 crisp packets, lolly wrappers or sandwich containers, 800 aluminium drink cans and 740 plastic bottles in just five beach cleans. Marcos Montoya, 40, runs an ice cream store close to Brighton pier and he is calling for greater police presence to combat the yobs. He said: “There were fights as soon as summer started. A big crowd surrounded about four people aged 15 or 16 who were fighting. They were young kids. “They were making live TikToks and streams and they were doing it for likes. I don’t know how they are managing to buy the alcohol — they always ask for ID here. “Some of them are so drunk they need help walking.” Labour MP Angela Rayner — who was slammed for failing to pay the correct stamp duty on the purchase of her flat in Hove — is promising to build more council houses to help seaside towns like Brighton. But events supervisor Emily McMillan says more needs to be done to improve hospitals in the area. Emily, 23, said: “A&E in Brighton is an absolute nightmare and it’s clogged with teenagers. I went in for a head injury before and I was kept waiting around for 12 hours. “There were so many people and some of the teenagers looked like they were under the influence.” Mother-of-five Jane Griffin, 65, helps run her family clothing store on the seafront. She feels that teenage boozing is something residents have to put up with, especially as the city is so hedonistic. Jane said: “I think it’s a shame that Brighton is labelled with that because teenage drinking is widespread. It is a rite of passage. “They go through a stage of experimenting with drink and drugs, but most come out the other side and I’ve got five successful children. They’re thriving. “Of course I worried about them, but I think there’s a lot of doom and gloom around teenage years and everyone grows up. Councillor Bella Sankey, leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “We know people are worried about young people drinking and gathering in large groups, and we are addressing these concerns. “Brighton & Hove is a busy place for visitors, so we’re working closely with police, health services and youth teams to help keep young people safe, carry out checks across all venues, and offer support early. “Our aim is to stop harm before it happens by giving young people better choices, clear advice and the right help when they need it.” Comment now