Latest news with #Zante
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Outrage in Greece as Zante nightclub holds X-rated 'chocolate-licking' contest with revellers 'simulating sex acts' on stage
A shocking 'chocolate-licking' contest where participants simulate sex acts on stage has caused outrage after taking place at a popular club in Zante. A lewd video appearing to show the contest on the renowned Greek party island has circulated online, provoking fury in Greece. The controversial footage, posted on TikTok and captioned 'just your average day in Zante', shows four young men, two topless, lined up against a wall. Four young women kneel on the ground and bend over near the men's crotches, surrounded by dozens of revellers. The bizarre competition, which took place last week and has been reported locally and on social media as an 'oral sex competition, is filmed by a number of fellow party-goers. It has also sparked a police complaint, with Deputy Mayor for Tourism Angeliki Avgoustinou claiming the municipality has filed a complaint with police to investigate, Athens Voice reports. However, the club has since hit back, claiming the video merely shows a 'chocolate licking' contest. The venue told Npress: 'There was no oral sex. The game was about licking chocolate, in a context of humor and fun. 'It looks different in the video, but there was no sexual act.' MailOnline has contacted the club and Greek Police for comment. Local media have reported that 'questions are being expressed about the type of tourism we want to have as a country' as a result of the astonishing footage. 'This behavior caused disgust, violating human dignity and damaging the reputation of Zakynthos as a tourist destination,' Greek outlet Directus said. 'The lack of immediate reaction from the authorities intensifies the dissatisfaction of residents and organizations, who are calling for measures to protect public order and the image of Zakynthos,' it added. 'Every year this happens... all the Brits and Italians show up, and it's a total mess,' one social media user commented. 'I worked a season at a place a little further down. The video is pretty tame compared to what really goes down.' Zante, also known as Zakynthos, is a hugely popular party island and thousands of young British tourists flock in their droves every year. The alleged competition is far from the first controversy to take place on the island. In 2008, nine British women were arrested while on holiday on prostitution charges after being paid to take part in an oral sex competition. Meanwhile, last month an enormous brawl broke out at a Zante beach club. A pair of topless young men in white shorts appeared to be fighting with several older men, also all dressed in white, while a huge mob encircle them. At one point what seems to be a member of bar staff chucks a bucket of ice water over the crowd to try and disperse the violent mob. But their best efforts had little effect as seconds later the group hurl each other around and throw fists. In the footage shared on social media, one of the young men can be seen swinging a savage punch at an older man's face in what was ironically dubbed a 'wholesome moment at the white party'. Shocked members of the crowd can be seen pointing and laughing at the shameless fighters.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The best bars and nightclubs in Zakynthos
Away from Laganas' rowdy three-kilometre-long strip, Zakynthos' (also known as Zante) nightlife scene is far more laid back. Cafés and bars radiating out from Solomas square in Zante town attract locals who sit out in boisterous clusters greeting friends, eating traditional honey and almond mandoles and playing backgammon tavli. A string of chic bars on Bochali's Venetian castle-crowned hill just outside of town attracts a hip crowd who come here to sip cocktails and admire panoramic views. This Ionian island has a traditional music scene, too and it's well worth seeking out the local bars where they still host atmospheric and traditional kandathes nights. For further Zante inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels, restaurants and things to do. Plan an extended visit with our ultimate guide to planning a Greek island-hopping holiday. Paradise Cocktail Bar There's always something going on at this funky little bar in the low key resort of Tsilivi. Far from Laganas' rowdy crowds this family-run venue, which has been around for more than 23 years, proudly promotes itself as the place to have 'an old fashioned good night out' with plenty of fun and occasional games, ranging from reggae nights and quizzes, to plate smashing and drag nights. With banners on street lamps proclaiming it to be 'the best bar in Greece' and a wrecked pink motor parked outside with a sign that reads 'Elvis' mothers car', this one is easy to find. Jungle Bar Named for its salt flats, which were abandoned in the 1980s and are now a magnet for migrating birds, the seaside resort of Alykes has one of the island's best low-key nightlife scenes – and the family-run Jungle Bar, set on a busy road in the centre of town, is one of the best places to enjoy it. Children are welcome at this bar's saloon-like terrace (great for people watching) where they serve an extensive range of (competitively priced) cocktails and mocktails, along with Guinness and beer on tap, to the tune of Eighties and Nineties hits. Movida Club Moonlight works magic on this sky bar sat atop the sweet-scented, pine-studded Bochali hill, close to the Venetian castle's crumbled walls, where the city's hip crowd come to sip handcrafted cocktails. Trees strung with glittering lights surround a wood-decked terrace with amphitheatre-like views of the inky black Ionian Sea way below and Zante town's sparkle way beyond. In summer, drinkers (perched on high-backed wooden chairs) are serenaded by the high-pitched toot of Scops owls, and local and international DJs who play mainly chill-out hits. There's also a limited menu: try the handmade burgers with chunky fries. Website: Price: ££ Getting in: Dress code is hip/casual. Cebu Club Although it's just down the road from Laganas, the nightlife in Argassi, just a few kilometres from Zante town, is far more chilled. Early evening is the time to hangout with locals – who flock here to eat in a string of taverns and fast food joints – before heading to one of the laidback clubs. Cebu's palm tree-shaded garden behind high walls is the perfect place to gaze at the stars through waving palm fronds, whilst sipping cocktails. There's also a football-pitch-sized dance space inside where local and guest DJs do their sets. Zakanthi Bar Restaurant Housed in a tall ochre building with olive green shutters along a quiet street in chilled seaside resort Kalamaki, this laidback bar is surrounded by a pretty garden – clipped lawns, palm trees and plants in pots – which makes it feel very private. Interiors are rustic-cosy (think flagged stone floors, chunky wooden tables and candles) but the best seats are outdoors, where friendly waiters serve cocktails handcrafted by a resident mixologist, as the sweet sounds of classic and jazz music filter out from speakers concealed amongst the trees. In summer they also have regular live music nights. Contact: 0030 26950 43586; Price: ££ Getting in: Dress code is elegant casual; it's best to book on weekends. Cotton Club Zakynthos When beret-clad Christian Marstrander and wife Merete, the Norwegian owners of Ibiza's celebrity-loved Cotton Club, first stepped ashore in Zakynthos they were captivated by the Ionian island's pristine seascapes and lush greenery, and vowed to create a second Cotton Club here. An ideal place to escape the coastal crowds, this sophisticated lifestyle club sits on a pine-clad hill with breathtaking views over Laganas bay. Come here during the daytime to sip cocktails and chill by the pool, or stay later to enjoy live DJ's and plant-based menus in the club's al fresco restaurant - for those who choose to linger, they also rent out villas, along with a sleek line of luxury yachts. Porto Azzuro Beach bars are ten a penny in the beach resort of Vasilikos, but Porto Azurro's location – just steps from the warm shallow waters and soft sand of its eponymous beach – combine with an imaginative range of cocktails (try the Greek Collins made with grappa-like tsipouro, instead of gin) makes it a popular lunchtime choice. Drinks can be ordered on the bamboo-shaded terrace of the bar, or from the never-want-to-leave comfort of a sunbed. They also serve Mediterranean snacks: olive oil-drizzled choriatiki salads, fresh grilled meat souvlaki and seafood. Villa Rossa Wine bar Although the best grapes were once exported as currants, these days Zante produces some excellent wines from a wide range of local varietals – and not just the ubiquitous white wine Verdea, either. Housed along the Vassilikos peninsula in an atmospheric villa, with creaking wooden floors and ornate antique furnishings – and which once belonged to the powerful Roma family (who also owned Archontiko Roma in Zante town) – Villa Rossa has plenty of choice. Sit at picnic tables (with plenty of cushions) beneath citrus-scented cypress trees and choose from an extensive list served with spicy ladotyri cheese and other snacks. Portokali Along a side street in the popular seaside resort of Argassi, Portokali (Greek for 'orange') really rocks that amber vibe with carrot-coloured deco ranging from lampshades to seating. Surprisingly, however, the orange-with-everything theme is not oppressive because this quirky live music bar restaurant nestles in lovely lush gardens. There are immense palm trees thrusting palm fronds to the velvet, star-spangled sky and ancient olive trees strung with (orange) hammocks where you can laze and listen to live music which plays most nights here and can be anything from laidback jazz to lively rock 'n' roll. There's also a restaurant serving traditional local treats, including – you guessed it – portokalopita (orange cake). Contact: 0030 26950 45730; Price: ££ Getting in: Casual, but get there early – this place is popular. How we choose Every bar, venue or experience in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs to exquisite cocktail bars – to best suit every type of traveller – and consider the service, drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations. About our expert Heidi Fuller-Love I'm a fan of traditional music, and have spent many summers listening to kanthades in Zante's kafeneions and hiking the island's remotest goat trails.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Telegraph
The 20 best restaurants in Zakynthos
Exohora's millennial olive tree is living proof that the world's healthiest oil has been produced on Zakynthos, also known as Zante, for centuries and most of the local specialties – including meltingly rich beef stew sofigadoura and garlic-laden aubergine dish skordostoubi – are doused in it. Other unique homegrown ingredients include sweet white Belousiotiko onions and the tiny wild strawberries which colour the hillsides in spring. Round off any meal with the island's spicy sheep cheese ladotiri and sherry-like Verdea wine and you'll agree that the gastronomy of this island, where Apollo once strolled, is fit for the gods. All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best restaurants in Santorini. Find out more below, or for more inspiration see our guides to the island's best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and things to do. Plan an extended visit with our ultimate guide to planning a Greek island-hopping holiday. Find a restaurant by type: Best all-rounders Spartakos Taverna If you want to know where locals go to fill up on the freshest seafood in town follow crowds to Spartakos. This cheery family-run taverna has a dozen tables covered with blue-check cloths on the deck overlooking Zante's sparkling port. This is an old-style Greek taverna so Spartakos will show you into the cramped kitchen to pick out one of the luscious dishes – garides saganaki (shrimps baked in a tomato and feta sauce), or kalamari gemisto (oven-baked squid stuffed with a succulent blend of seafood and rice) prepared by his wife, who is inspired by her family's age-old recipes. Contact: 0030 2695 044526; Reservations: Only on weekends Prices: ££ Best table: Ask for one with a harbour view Eucalyptos Set in the peaceful poolside garden of one of the island's oldest hotels, this delightfully bucolic restaurant – named for the island's oldest eucalyptus tree – was one of the first on the island to source ingredients locally. The menu only features traditional local dishes and regional – mainly organic – wines. Enthusiastic owner Maria Lougari – whose parents opened the hotel back in the 1990s – is on hand to chat (and chivvy the waiters) as you dine on succulent lamb and pasta giouvetsi, veal, onion and tomato stew moscharistifado and other traditional dishes.
Irish Times
05-07-2025
- Irish Times
Leaving Cert holidays: Sun, street fights and big spending on Zante's party strip
Two recent former pupils from a South Dublin all-boys school race out of a strip club in Laganas, having stolen a passing glance inside. There are 'weird sex games' where participants are encouraged to eat chocolate off men and fruit off women, one of the pair says. The other says that they thought it was 'a normal club' before going inside. It is Wednesday night on the main party strip on Zakynthos, the Greek island better known as Zante, where the two teenagers mix with scores of other Irish students on holidays to mark the end of Leaving Certificate exams. During the day, Zakynthos is the picture-perfect Greek island, with azure water, beaches worthy of the film Mamma Mia! and scorching sun. At night, the temperature mellows to around 26 degrees, but the atmosphere is febrile, full of sweat, shisha vapour and the smell of cheap drink. 'I think there will be a fair few people who will try to cook themselves with alcohol,' says Samuel Dalston (19) from Tipperary who did his Leaving Cert as a boarder in Clongowes Wood College in Clane, Co Kildare, and hopes to study medicine in September. READ MORE Sitting on a stool on the rooftop Irish bar O'Callaghan's Loft, he eyes the private medical clinics dotted along the party street. There are concerns about profiteering or the risk of visitors being left with inflated medical bills for emergencies. Dalston shares this worry about scams, but also see the benefit of such clinics, saying without them 'we'd have a few dead bodies across the street'. The mayor of Zakynthos, Georgios Stasinopoulos, tells The Irish Times the clinics 'are there to make people feel safer'. He says: 'The amount of private clinics is very good for the tourists because it's very quick. You don't wait in the hospital for many hours – you know how hospitals are, everywhere you go.' Holidaymakers queue to enter The Loft, an Irish bar on the busy Laganas strip in Zakynthos. Photograph: Niamh Browne The Laganas strip is designed to contain partying to one section of the island – and Leaving Cert students are here in their droves. Covid shaped a lot of developmental milestones for this cohort. There were no teen discos, no stolen kisses at Irish college. There were two years without school plays or outings. The class of 2025 is now making up for it. Caoilfhionn Roche (18), from Rathfarnham, Dublin, who went to Loreto High School Beaufort, says 'some people would take advantage of the freedom here. There's free rein here'. Caoilfhionn Roche: 'We've been told to buy stuff that's bottled, that you see them opening in front of you.' Photograph: Niamh Browne However, the biggest danger she perceives is the spiking of drinks with drugs. 'There's certain places we have been told not to go to because the drinks get spiked a lot, even by bartenders, which is really scary. We've been told to buy stuff that's bottled, that you see them opening in front of you and that kind of thing,' says Roche, who has a college course on radiography or speech and language therapy in her sights for September. Stasinopoulos encourages caution when it comes to the promise of free alcohol. 'They sell tickets for €10 and you drink all the night. For €10, you can only drink water'. The mayor's interpreter adds: 'Don't mix the bars as well. In case something happens, you know which bar you were in.' Former Clongowes student Ryan Schacht, from Monkstown, Co Dublin, who is aiming to study theoretical physics at Trinity College Dublin next year, says: 'I saw a guy punch a girl in the face yesterday. That was pretty brutal.' Otherwise the safety of the strip was similar to Dublin 'with a few more fights'. Ruairí Hegarty (18), who is hoping to attend the TU Dublin conservatoire for performing arts in September, says: 'I'd say it's because you have mostly 18-year-olds who are unsupervised abroad with unlimited alcohol. That's probably the only reason that you would see more violence.' He says the Leaving Cert holiday is 'making up for lost time post-pandemic'. Friends Ruairí Hegarty, Ryan Schacht and Daniel Cremin, all former students of Clongowes Wood College. Photograph: Niamh Browne Students are alert to the risk of financial 'scams'. Oisín Lambe, a former Clongowes boarder from Drogheda, Co Louth, was shocked to find air-conditioning being charged on a daily basis after already forking out €600 for flights and accommodation. 'The hotel charges extra for air conditioning. It's a fiver a day. For seven days that's €35 for the week.' One of the friends says: 'But you have to pay it.' With daily temperatures in Zante reaching the mid-30s, it seems the only option is to pay. Zakynthos mayor Georgios Stasinopoulos urges caution when it comes to promises of free drink. Photograph: Niamh Browne The costs surrounding Leaving Cert holidays are significant – and that's before budgeting in the so-called 'pink tax' for girls who are under pressure to conform. A group of young women who studied at the Dublin Academy of Education say there is an expectation that they look a certain way in time for the holiday and this requires spending a good deal of money. 'The way you'd start the conversations in the library would be kind of sad. Like you're looking forward to this holiday, but thinking, 'Oh my body blah blah',' one former student says. 'It was kind of concerning that everyone was nervous about what they would look like.' Another girl says: 'Yeah, you are spending a grand on flights and accommodation, but on top of that you are spending a grand to get prepped.' The Laganas tourist strip is packed with bars and clubs. Photograph: Niamh Browne Along the heaving Laganas strip, vape shops, sex shops, pharmacies and even supermarkets can be found openly selling cannabis and cannabis-related products. Medical cannabis is the only form of the drug legal in Greece and you need a valid prescription from an approved doctor to obtain the drug. However, the cannabis products sold across Zante purport to contain low levels of THC, which is considered to be the main psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis. One vendor selling cannabis products is pharmacist Constantine Grigoropoulos. 'At the moment, the legal amount of THC in a product is 0.02 per cent up to 0.03 per cent; 99 per cent of the product is CBD [which does not cause a psychoactive high]. That's all that's allowed to be sold in the shops,' he says. As a pharmacist, Grigoropoulos can dispense medical marijuana, which contains THC, and the CBD products. 'I get people in from England and Ireland saying, 'Oh, you have real THC, bro', but, no, there's none of that. There are a lot of cannabis companies in Greece, but we only sell what is legal.' Fifty metres down the road is DownTown Laganas Tobacconist Weed & Sex Shop, whose staff purport to sell 'real' products containing higher levels of THC. Products can be purchased here which provide no more detailed information on the contents other than 'legal product, THC <0.3%'. Legal 'weed' products available to buy along the strip in Zante. Photograph: Niamh Browne However, according to University College Cork lecturer in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry Dr JJ Keating: 'There is no way of knowing based solely on the information provided on the packet and on what you may have been told it contains.' For general information on safety and support, he recommends trusted resources such as the HSE booklet, Cannabis and You . In Zante, Dr Elena Andritsou is tired and weary. It's 10.40am in the midst of a challenging party season. Her clinic is in the middle of the strip. For her, the 5am patients are the scariest. 'I had a Norwegian patient a couple of days ago. He arrived in here really upset. Someone had drugged him, injected him. We don't really know with what. He was really scared. He was only 17,' she says. Dr Elena Andritsou, whose practice is on the Laganas strip, is seeing more patients suffering the after-effects of drugs. Photograph: Niamh Browne The drugs situation is worsening, Dr Andritsou says. 'I was here in 2013. You could see a lot of drunk people. But people who used drugs? One every 10 nights, not every night.' Asked what kind of drugs patients are taking, she says: 'Street drugs.' 'It is impossible to say, it was this, it was that. It's street drugs. It's mixing. It's ridiculous. There are so many side affects. Especially from people who are sniffing 'cocaine',' she says, making air quotes with her fingers. 'It's so little the amount of cocaine that it doesn't even show up on the test.' Most of the consultations at Dr Andritsou's practice, however, are not related to drink or drugs, but are for problems such as 'ear infections, eye infections'. She cautions against the water parks, crowded swimming pools and ones in night clubs. 'There are too many people in the swimming pools for them to be cleaned properly,' she says. 'You can get ear infections, sinus infections, urine infections, skin infections.' Aside from the infections that can be picked up, other reactions can occur because 'they always put in a little more chemicals because it's too busy and they think that's right'. This can result in 'chlorine damage on the cornea'. Zante's beaches as well as the island's nightlife are lures for tourists. Photograph: Niamh Browne What of the parents 3,000km away worrying about their teenage children? Not surprisingly, perhaps, they are checking in regularly. 'I got a notification from Family 360 [tracking app] saying that it had been checked 150 times in the last three days,' says Sophia Kelly (18) from South Dublin, who is hoping to study medicine. Some parents are even resorting to following their children out to the party locations and staying within 'emergency distance'. One mother, who is flying to Santa Ponsa in Mallorca, Spain, said: 'We are very aware of the tragedies that have occurred over the last number of years and believe that it is important to be able to support if something terrible or tragic occurs.' She departed for Spain this week, a day before her daughter set off with her friends. 'This is our second year going on the Leaving Cert holiday as we went with our son last year. Last year we stayed approximately 30 minutes away while this year we will be 1.5 hours away, as our Leaving Cert student this year is less of a risk,' said the mother, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of 'embarrassing her daughter'. In terms of financial outlay, she says: 'The Leaving Cert holiday is costing us €1,500 and we are expecting the usual Revolut requests to start by Tuesday. The beauty prep and wardrobe for girls is bonkers.' 'They deserve to have a holiday. They deserve freedoms': Students let their hair down on the Laganas strip. Photograph: Niamh Browne She says she advises her daughter to 'stay out of the sun and do not come home with green highlights because I am not paying for the repairs'. While the extra beauty costs are substantial, she does not consider the additional cost of flying out to be close to her daughter to be extravagant. 'We are going for a week and would be taking holidays anyway, so the cost isn't a concern.' Another mother who has also flown to southern Europe to be within emergency phone call distance has done so because her daughter has an severe allergy. 'If anything happened, it wouldn't be fair to expect the other girls to look after her if she is at the hospital and that sort of thing.' Parents have to let go some time, however, and the students in Zante who spoke to The Irish Times were keen to emphasise they were behaving responsibly and looking out for one another. Asked what she would tell parents who were nervous about their Leaving Cert teenager travelling, Amy Allan (18), from Rathfarnham, who attended Loreto Beaufort, said: 'Trust them. Relax. They deserve to have a holiday. They deserve freedom.'
The Sun
04-07-2025
- The Sun
Inside Brit party holiday hotspot where drug-fuelled teens urinate on each other & terrorise island on high-speed quads
A TEENAGER off his head on booze climbs on to the balcony of a club's VIP section, drops his trousers and urinates on the revellers dancing below. A few doors down, cannabis-laced vodka cocktails are openly on sale while laughing gas balloons are being flogged in the smoky backroom of a bar for 20 euros a box. 11 11 11 Meanwhile, a quad bike overloaded with screaming tourists taking selfies roars down the street at high speed — with none of the young passengers wearing helmets. And British DJ Kai Roberts, 24, was left in a coma on Sunday following a quad bike crash on the Greek island. Thankfully his condition has since improved, although his mother says it's 'going to be a long recovery'. Incredibly, these are all incidents that took place on the Laganas strip on Zante AFTER a massive police crackdown was enacted. We can reveal that 50 cops from the capital Athens were parachuted in to claw back control. Bouncer Collins Michaels says corrupt bar owners and out-of-control Brits have been responsible for dozens of casualties at the notorious Laganas party resort before the Greek government took action. Pulling back his shirt to reveal a stab wound on his right arm, Collins, 54, told The Sun: 'The young kids never stop being naughty because this is often their first time on holiday without their parents. 'I often see teenagers climb on to the balcony of the VIP section at my club then pee on the people below. 'I was stabbed in my arm by a tourist as I was trying to control a group of kids in 2016. The wound was really deep and I spent two weeks in hospital. The strip was rampant — completely out of control — before the crackdown last year and there was so much fighting. 'Something needed to be done or more lives were going to be lost.' Brit DJ, 24, in coma after horror quad bike accident on party island Zante where he had landed 'amazing' club residency 'Last year went crazy' Kai, from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, is the latest visitor to end up in dire straits having moved to Zante to work as a DJ this summer. He was a passenger on a quad bike that slammed into a wall on a coastal road on the island at around 5pm local time. Kai — who was due to fly home two days after the crash — is still in hospital, having been treated for a bleed on the brain, according to his brother Corey Roberts, 18. The DJ allegedly had to wait an hour for an ambulance before he was taken to the general hospital on Zante. After a CT scan revealed the bleed, he was flown to the Greek mainland where he was put in a medically induced coma at Ioannina University Hospital. The quad bike driver escaped with minor injuries. Corey said: 'My brother is my idol. He's well known, and everywhere he goes everyone loves him.' I last visited Laganas in 2018 after a group of 17 British teens were taken to hospital having drunk bootleg booze containing the deadly chemical methanol. Two years earlier, Hannah Powell, 21, was left fighting for her life and with just ten per cent eye function after drinking a cocktail laced with the same substance, which bar owners had been adding to their home brew to cut costs. Hannah, from Ormesby, Middlesbrough, also needed a kidney transplant and said: 'I was blind — I didn't realise at the time. I thought we had the curtains shut.' But my research has found that the constant chaos and carnage that became the hallmark of Laganas got even worse after Hannah was blinded. 11 11 Sigouros Raftopoulos runs three of the six private medical clinics on Laganas Road that provide first aid and ambulance services. He says there was a worrying number of quad bike, scooter and car accidents before police from the capital were flown in. He said: 'Last year went crazy. There were so many cases that involved air ambulances and transfers to Athens. 'We have lots of road accidents. Compared to this time last year we are 50 to 60 per cent down. We are seeing around 20 patients a day total, but during high season it could be 40 to 50 patients. 'You can see the strip is less crazy now. The quality of the booze has been upgraded and there are a lot more police, a lot more checks and a lot more controls.' In 2011, Robert Sebbage, 18, from Tadley, Hants, was stabbed to death outside a fast-food restaurant in Laganas after one of his group pointed a laser pen at a taxi driver's eye. Four other British teenagers from Basingstoke were wounded in the 3am attack. Another low point came when US university graduate Bakari Henderson, 22, died of severe head injuries after he was battered by bouncers working at Bar Code in July 2017. The fight was captured on video and reportedly kicked off after he tried to take a selfie with a waitress. It then spilled outside, where eight security guards repeatedly stamped on his head before leaving him unconscious on the ground. Six Serbian nationals, a 34-year-old Greek and a 32-year-old British national of Serbian descent were among those arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter. In 2022, five of them were convicted of intended fatal bodily harm while another was convicted of fatal bodily harm, and all were handed jail sentences from ten to five years. But even that did not stop the violence. In July 2023, British tourist James Taylor, 18, was caught on camera being repeatedly beaten by four bouncers at CherryBay nightclub in Laganas. James, from Middlesbrough, suffered two black eyes, a swollen jaw, injuries to his head, a bust lip and a cut on his knee. He claimed he was set upon after standing on a chair to take a selfie. We have lots of road accidents. Compared to this time last year we are 50 to 60 per cent down. We are seeing around 20 patients a day total, but during high season it could be 40 to 50 patients. Sigouros Raftopoulos The footage went viral on social media and a Serbian national was arrested — yet workers at the club tried to justify the attack by saying James had beaten a teenage girl, even posting photos to 'prove' it. Then last year, after 12 people aged 17 to 23 were charged with attempted homicide and weapons violations following a knife fight at a bar, the Greek government finally decided to take action. Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis announced that 40 police officers and ten drug enforcement agents were being dispatched to Zante — also known as Zakynthos. He said: 'We are committed to ensuring the safety of residents and visitors. The reality in Zakynthos will significantly improve.' Security worker Collins, who also runs the Happy Traveller speedboat rentals company, says the 'craziness' has calmed down considerably since then. He said: 'Before, some bouncers were not professional. They thought security work was all about flexing muscles and going to the gym and taking steroids. 11 'Then, when the teenagers would start doing crazy things, they would beat them up. 'It's more peaceful now because there is more police control. 'Before, it was only local police and they tended to turn a blind eye to the bad behaviour if it was carried out by other locals. But now, with the Athens police overseeing them, they have no choice but to take action. 'A few bars and clubs have been closed down for breaking the law or playing music too loud after midnight. 'A message has been sent out that bouncers can't hit kids any more and the tourists have been told to report anyone who gets rough with them. 'Lethal death juice' 'I would say it's 80 per cent under control now — but it will never be completely peaceful as we have so many of you crazy Brits here in July and August.' When the Sun visited Laganas, thousands of teens were marauding down the main strip by 11pm on Saturday, many of them celebrating the end of their A-levels. Girls in tight-fitting dresses stumbled down the street sucking on vapes or clutching vibrators, while lads in outrageous fancy dress outfits were downing luminous shots inside the bars. The air was clammy and filled with the constant roar of quad bikes, which can be rented for 50 euros a day. One we spotted tearing down the strip at high speed was being ridden by three helmetless teenagers — a young lad and two girls — who were posing for a selfie being taken by the driver. Meanwhile, a Medusa Stoned Eyes cocktail laced with cannabis was on sale for 14 euros at a bar that also specialised in shisha pipes. In the backroom of another bar, a man was flogging laughing gas for 20 euros a box. When asked if a balloon could be purchased and taken outside, the bearded salesman said: 'No, they are illegal on the island.' Marijuana products were openly on sale alongside sex toys at the racier stores that lined the strip alongside those flogging typical tourist tat. Ralph Goodwin, 18, Will Bloch, 17, Monty Munday, 18 and John Simmons, 18, said they had been offered drugs during their week-long lads' holiday to Zante. Ralph, from Haslemere in Surrey, had just finished his A-levels and said: 'They don't sell it inside the bars and clubs, but we've had random people approach us in the street and offer to sell us cocaine. 'There's no ketamine here and we're not into drugs anyway. 'We just want to go out and have a good time and we've had a great lads' holiday. The only annoyances have been the bouncers, who are still really aggressive, and the ambulance workers, who will try to fleece you. 'A friend needed an IVF drip after drinking too much the other night and they charged him 450 euros. The booze here is deadly. I call it lethal death juice because a lot of it is home made. 'But in one place we were given three shots of water — literally water — and two cocktails for ten euros.' Bridget Carty, Livy Wiley and Emily Lappin, all 18 and from Marlborough, Wilts, were also celebrating the end of their A-levels, having paid £500 each for their package holiday. Livy said: 'We're all terrified of getting our drinks spiked. 'The taxi driver who picked us up at the airport warned us not to drink alcohol in the bars and clubs. 'He said the drink is 'strange' and it is 'easy to drug'. 'We had drinks at our accommodation before we went out yesterday and we covered our glasses with our hands all night, but we still had a good time.'
