circleHalley, in Lancashire’s lush Ribble Valley, is famous for its 14th-century Cistercian abbey, historic church and stunning views. Welly NabA wooded hill overlooking a picture-postcard rural landscape.
But while the village still attracts family day trippers and history buffs, it is also attracting an entirely different type of tourist, having gained the unlikely reputation of being Lancashire’s best drinking den.
Waley’s burgeoning night-time economy has caused tensions in the village, with residents complaining of damaged vehicles, drug paraphernalia littering the roads, vomit splattered on the sidewalks on weekend mornings, people urinating outside their homes and in their yards and loud music shaking their homes until the crack of dawn.
Chaos continued at the daytime event throughout the weekend, with local residents complaining that a group of women were parading a giant inflatable penis through the terraced street.
Residents say they no longer look forward to bank holiday weekends and the summer months, when drunken crowds grow.
“It’s very peaceful, very quaint, very Agatha Christie-like,” one man who lives near the busiest venue said that week.
“It’s just a shame,” he added.
At one point, he said, he was pushed onto the road by a group of drunk women who “thought it was a joke.”
He said he feared the “Blackpoolisation” of Whaley, a Lancashire seaside resort popular with women and bros partying. “If we allow this to happen we are selling the soul of the village,” he said.
Wherry has more than 30 licensed premises for a population of just over 4,000.
Residents have formed a Residents Action Group (RAG) to lobby licensees, police and the council to tackle the issue.
This is not a new issue – residents here say it has been a problem for years – but as the drinking scenes in other Lancashire towns decline, many say the situation is getting worse as Whaley becomes even more attractive to night-time visitors.
Locals say revellers come from as far away as Preston, Blackpool and Manchester, and people living in Whaley are leaving every weekend, taking sleeping pills or selling their houses and moving to avoid the noise.
“We had to leave in the middle of the night,” said one RAG member, most of the residents who did not want to give their names for fear of being criticized.
“I drove to the top of Wally Nab to try to sleep,” she says. “The noise made me feel like my head was going to explode.”
“People are definitely starting to get fed up,” she added. “We’re reaching a breaking point.”
“This is not befitting of Waley,” said another RAG member, “but at the same time, families are coming here to see our beautiful monasteries and churches… it’s a matter of respect.”
“This is not to stop anyone else having fun,” she added. “We like having a good night out too, but we’re just so tired we can’t sleep.”
“We’ve had neighbours move out because of the noise,” said another resident, who was once “shocked” to open her front door to find women squatting in a ditch urinating outside their houses.
“That’s not what I expect,” she said. “When I come to a place like Whaley, I expect peace and seclusion.”
“It’s awful,” said Derek Alexander, 80. “They often wake us up at 4am. They park their cars here and stay here all weekend.
“I don’t go out after 7pm on Fridays or Saturdays.”
Recently in the Ribble Valley Borough Council MeetingConservative councillor Mark Hindle, who has been praised by residents for fighting for their position, told councillors: “There’s noise, people having sex in back alleys, people sniffing cocaine off the bonnets of cars.”
Local residents have called for the licence to be reviewed but it is understood the council is constrained by a national framework.
Some licensees fear bad publicity could hurt their businesses – most of the village’s bars and restaurants don’t stay open late and have no known association with trouble.
“The village is always busy,” one saloon owner said. “There’s always an idiot somewhere.”
Nightlife in Wailea has been referred to by some residents as the “Wild West,” a description that would echo any resident of any village, town or city with similar concerns.
In Leeds, the 2.5 mile Otley Run “One of the world’s greatest bars” For some students it is a rite of passage, but for others it is a threat to society.
Cambridge and York are rich in history and are wonderful places to spend a weekend, and for many people, they would be even better without the rowdy bachelorette party crowds.
A Ribble Valley Council spokesman said the local authority understands the concerns of Whaley residents and takes them seriously.
“Anti-social behaviour can come from a variety of sources, not just licensed premises,” he said. “Whaley’s licensees work closely with us to identify and resolve any suspected issues.”
“The council issues licences in accordance with government laws and guidelines,” he added.
Lancashire Police said: “Whaley is a great place to live, work and visit and we are actively working with partner agencies to ensure it remains that way.”
“As with anywhere with a thriving night-time economy, issues arise from time to time which require police or local authority intervention.
“However, through regular dialogue with communities and key stakeholders, as well as targeted policing, the number of these incidents has thankfully remained low.”
