Today is Mad Friday

The Urban Dictionary informs us that Mad Friday is the last Friday before Christmas, unless Christmas Day falls on a Saturday when Mad Friday will occur one week before Christmas Eve. You might want to visit the site for the rest of the definition!

The day is described as ‘mad’ simply because vast numbers of people will descend onto the streets of our city centres to shop, eat, drink and be very merry.  For example, the Manchester Evening News is reporting that 300,000 people will visit the city on Friday, half of whom will be there in the evening. This will necessitate an extra 100 police officers and PCSOs, plus a small army of Street Pastors, Street Angels and volunteers. They estimate that £15 million will be spent - and that’s just one city!

On the news this morning a senior member of the West Midlands ambulance service was being interviewed and he reckoned that this was the busiest night of the year for calls.

So it seems like the UK is going to be having a bit of a do today and especially tonight.

I’m having a night in by the artificial log fire sipping sweet sherry and so won’t be joining the hoards this time, but I will be out tomorrow night, supping real ale and generally letting down the little bit of hair I have remaining.

All I can say is have a great time, but watch the drinking.  Remember that if you’re so drunk you require medical assistance you could be delaying assistance to a person who is genuinely in need of help.  That’s a sobering thought for Christmas.

Source Manchester Evening News: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/mad-friday-manchester-300000-expected-8305676

Personal Security Advice: http://thecrimepreventionwebsite.com/home/507/personal-security/