Preloading is the consumption of alcohol and/or other substances at a private residence, closed space or public space prior to a target event where further substances could be consumed (Foster and Ferguson, 2014, Hughes and Devilly, 2021). Accordingly, preloading is characteristically a planned phase of the night (PotN; Barton & Husk, 2014). Investigations of preloading behaviours in the field tend to occur after the preloading has occurred, once patrons1 transition into Night-time Entertainment Districts (NED; Østergaard and Andrade, 2014, Miller et al., 2016; Devilly et al., 2017). These studies target patrons across an entire night-out, as they enter, navigate within, or leave the NED. However, only a few studies in the field (e.g., Miller et al., 2014, Devilly et al., 2019) have accounted for the differences between the time and/or phase of one’s night when investigating the influence of preloading behaviours. The focus of this study was to conceptualise and examine the PotN on preloading motivations, alcohol intoxication and intentions for further alcohol consumption after leaving the NED.

In conceptualising a stage-based framework for preloading, Barton and Husk (2014) outlined that one’s night begins prior to a target-event in their home-pub-club model. The home phase of preloading consisted of planning and preparation for intoxication. At the pub-club phase, Barton and Husk (2014) noted that as one transitions into the NED, they are motivated to manage signs of overt intoxication while seeking comfortable social environments. The home-pub-club model provides a much-needed overview of the transitionary planning from preloading to one’s night-out. This seminal model was introductory to the entertainment district2 and, therefore, did not define the end-trajectory of drinking behaviours. We would like to extend upon this and consider how one plans to end their night in the NED, effectively concluding the target-event.

When considering the literature on field research, we argue that the target-event can be defined into three distinct phases which one transitions over a night-out in the NED.

Entering - The start of the night where the individual enters the NED and has not entered a pub/bar/nightclub in that place. This is the most proximal moment to the preloading phase and where the patron is concerned with transitioning into the NED.

Within - Where the individual was at a bar/pub/nightclub prior to interception and was moving to another venue, in the queue for another venue or inside a venue. Accordingly, those in the ‘within phase’ encounter high prices for alcoholic beverages (Labhart, et al., 2017) and some patrons may also mitigate such costs with sideloading behaviours (see Forsyth, 2010). Sideloading refers to consuming pre-purchased substances while in a venue or while moving to another venue in the NED (O'Rourke et al., 2016).

Leaving - The patron is at the end of their night-out and intends to leave the NED to return to a place of residence. When further alcohol might be consumed after leaving the NED this can be linked to a ‘backloading’ event (Forsyth, 2010).

Fig. 1 outlines these parameters with reference to a recent model conceptualised by Hughes and Devilly (2021). Consistent with this operationalisation, patrons entering the NED may have different experiences and reflections of their preloading than those who leave the NED, because the preloading session is temporally closest to entering the NED. As one transitions through a night-out, patrons’ priorities, motivations and intentions for alcohol consumption could change due to the contextual experiences while in the NED.

According to the motivational model of alcohol use the central construct for general alcohol use is affective change Cox & Klinger, 2011. Cooper’s (1994) four factor model conceptualised these general motivations to include: socialising; personal-enhancement; coping and conformity. However, there is evidence that preloading motivations are conceptually different from these general drinking motivations in that preloading aims to achieve a sufficient level of intoxication for a given target-event Zamboanga et al., 2011, LaBrie et al., 2012, Hughes and Devilly, 2021). One may preload to save money for the night-out (Wells et al., 2009), to mitigate social anxiety for a target-event Davies & Paltoglou, 2019; Buckner et al. 2020), obtain and liaise with a sexual hook-up LaBrie et al., 2012, or to get as drunk as possible (Devilly et al., 2017). As such, the preloading phase has specific motivations linked to the target-event and later PotN.

Consistent with the motivational model alcohol use, the current environment is argued to have an influence on the decision to consume further alcohol – usually to facilitate conviviality and enhanced intoxication (Cox & Klinger, 2011). Having no operationalised phases, Østergaard and Andrade (2014) and Miller et al., (2016) found patrons in the NED and in venues - who are possibly spending money on expensive drinks - reported predominantly ‘saving money’ as the primary preloading motivation followed, a long way off, by ‘socialising’. Comparably, Devilly et al., (2017), who defined the PotN parameters, found patrons entering the NED reported ‘socialising’ as the most popular preloading motivation, then followed by ‘saving money’. Later research conducted by the same group (Devilly et al., 2019) found results consistent with Østergaard and Andrade (2014) and Miller et al., (2016), in that ‘saving money’ followed by ‘socialising’ were popular motivations at entry. However, as patrons left the NED, they reported ‘socialising’ and ‘enjoying the feeling’ of intoxication were the main motivations for continued drinking (Devilly et al., 2019). It is possible that a patron’s motivation to drink may shift across the PotN as they encounter different contexts for further drinking in the NED. Whether PotN impacts the recall of preloading motivations in later phases remains to be examined.

Alcohol intoxication is the outcome of preloading and target-event alcohol consumption. Age and gender are related to varying levels of pre-loading depending on the country or region sampled (Ferris et al., 2019). Consistent with this, there is a small difference between men and women in breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC) at the entering and leaving phases (Devilly et al., 2017; 2021). With regards to why patrons preload, there is growing evidence that enhancement-based preloading motivations (i.e., ‘get drunk’ and ‘enjoy the feeling of intoxication’) are significantly associated with increased alcohol consumption at preloading (Pedersen et al., 2009, LaBrie et al., 2012) and across the night (Smit et al., 2021). Likewise, patrons who preload for coping-related motivations (e.g., ‘comfort’ and ‘increase confidence’) due to social anxiety reasons may consume more before they enter the NED and during the middle of their night to manage their negative affect (Buckner et al., 2020, Sorbello et al., 2022). The prevalent preloading motivations ‘to socialise’ and ‘save money’ are also associated with significant preloading consumption (Østergaard & Andrade, 2014). However, when measured in the field there were no evident differences in BrAC between these two motivations as patrons entered or exited the NED (Devilly et al., 2019). While it seems a patron’s preloading motivation could be linked to greater alcohol consumption, it is presently unclear whether this transfers to across the night intoxication at different PotN. We also aim to test this issue.

For many patrons the night-out continues after leaving the NED. Backloading refers to the consumption of alcohol after leaving the target-event to keep the party or night-out going (O'Rourke et al., 2016; Hughes and Devilly, 2021). Men have reported twice the rates of backloading compared to women, and patrons aged above 25 years have reported higher rates of combined pre- and backloading (O'Rourke et al., 2016). A patron’s preloading motivation could also alter their intentions for backloading at different PotN. If patrons endorsed enhancement-based preloading motivations, this may amplify their desire for further intoxication (Forsyth, 2010, O'Rourke et al., 2016). Likewise, socially motivated patrons may see backloading as an opportunity to enjoy conversing with others after being in loud and boisterous night-clubs (Forsyth, 2010). This could be different for socially anxious individuals who are less likely to backload after the target-event, given the social expectations of post-event drinking (Buckner et al., 2020). Patrons who preload to ‘save money’ will decline to backload, given their goal to save money for the target-event has been fulfilled. With the goals of the target event achieved, only those patrons who endorse ‘socialising’ and enhancement-based preloading motivations would have stronger backloading intentions at the leaving phase.