Hen nights '£551 a head', says Egg

THE trend for holding stag and hen nights abroad has pushed the average cost of going to one to £551 per person, according to a new report.

And the vogue for heading to destinations such as Barcelona, Prague, Dublin and Amsterdam has resulted in the British spending more than £400 million a year on celebrations.

The research, commissioned by Egg insurance, involved 2,300 adults. It reveals that the top foreign destination for the past five years for Britons celebrating before a friend’s wedding is Spain, which hosted one in four parties abroad.

Holly Lowe, the marketing manager for Red Seven, which specialises in organising stag and hen parties, said: "I think that as people are getting married later in life, they have more disposable income and therefore can push the boat out a bit more.

"Also, the fact they are a bit older, means that they’ve been to more stag or hen parties, and so they’ve a better idea about what sort of fun that can be had.

"Of course, there is also the fact that short-haul flights are so much cheaper now, it means that people can satisfy their desire to do something a bit different. They can go to Barcelona, have a good time and catch some sun."

Neil Hamblen, 29, from Glasgow, who went to Las Vegas with a group of friends for his stag party, said that it was worth the cost: "It’s something that you’re only really going do once in your life, so it’s worth doing properly. I think we spent a grand each, but it was absolutely brilliant.

"It’s a great excuse to have your friends gather together to celebrate such an important event. It also beats going to the Grassmarket in Edinburgh."

However, the research also reveals the flip-side to the fun and partying, showing that the events can be dangerous, ending for some in hospital visits, arrest or searches for lost valuables as a result of drunken behaviour.

The report says that about one in four Britons will lose valuable items while partying abroad, 10 per cent will have items such as purses, wallets and mobile phones stolen, 9 per cent will need medical attention, 4 per cent will suffer food poisoning and a similar number will end up in police cells.