University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
www.epigram.org.uk
Friday 25th September 2015
Issue 289
Epigram / Jordan Kelly-Linden
News Meet the new Vice Chancellor, Hugh Brady, in our exclusive interview Page 5
Features Becky Morton looks into government changes in maintenance grants and what they mean for you Page 8
Music One student property in Clifton, which is riddled with mould and damp, is finally having a roof assessment
Students face ‘Housing Crisis’ • •
New report shows 75 per cent of students battle with mould and damp, and one third of students wouldn’t recommend the uni based on experiences of renting private accommodation Union Officer Tom Phipps suggests there is a ‘housing crisis,’ as rents are increasing while standards decrease
Sarah Newey Editor Ben Parr Investigations Editor Over 90 per cent of Bristol students experience problems with private accommodation, according to the findings of a student housing survey conducted by Bristol SU. The damning survey found that one third of students would not recommend the University of Bristol to a friend, purely because of their experiences in the private sector rented accommodation. In fact, only two letting agencies gained an approval rating higher than 50 per cent.
The report based its conclusions on the responses of 854 students, the vast majority of which were UK based undergraduate students. Amongst other issues, the main findings were that a significant number of student properties have serious safety concerns, with 75 per cent of students finding mould or damp in their accommodation. Students voiced their frustration at both the cost of letting agents and their lack of interest in resolving problems. ‘[I] rented a seven bedroom property through [letting agency] last year, we were charged ridiculous fees and there was horrendous damp which they refused to do anything about,’ one student wrote. As well as the potential health issues of mould, damp, and broken or leaking windows, home
security was also flagged up as unacceptable. A quarter of students were unsatisfied with the security systems in their accommodation, whilst 9 per cent of students in the survey claimed not to have a working fire detectors. The report comes out at a time when the university have ended their guarantee of university advertised accommodation places for first year undergraduate students. Student house prices are also on the rise; the average cost of upfront charges, including deposits, is £600. These sorts of issues have left a third of students claiming that they would not recommend Bristol based on their experiences. This figure is far higher for disabled students at 47 per cent, although the number of students in this category was very low. continued on page 3
Head to music for an alternative guide to freshers and tips on where to head out in Bristol
Page 48
Sport A roundup of La Vuelta, the last cycling grand tour this year
Page 53
Epigram
25.09.2015
News Editorial
2 Editor: Sarah Newey
Deputy Editor Adam Becket
Deputy Editor: Becki Murray
editor@epigram.org.uk
abecket@epigram.org.uk
beckimurray@epigram.org.uk
A note from the editor
Inside Epigram Comment 15 Dear Future Husband Comment editor, Jordan Kelly-Linden, writes to her future husband to establish a few ground rules
Living 21 A letter to the Anxious Fresher
Molly Rose Fish addresses the less positive aspect of freshers week
Art 43 Dismaland Myla Lloyd reviews Banksy’s latest project, a bemusement park in Weston Super Mare
Welcome to the University of Bristol - or welcome back for all you oldies. It’s an exciting place to be a student; this vibrant city provides the perfect backdrop to academic studies. In fact, for many of us, it’s the city which makes our time here so special - because Bristol is more than just the University, and student life is more than just the Union. Sometimes as students we have a tendency to focus our lives around the precinct, Whiteladies Road and the Triangle - I know that I did in my first two terms here. It is my hope that in this coming year Epigram draws attention to the variety on offer in the city, and encourages students to step out of their comfort zones. We’ve made a few changes over the summer to help achieve this aim, one of which is broadening our What’s On section, which is going to be launched online. In a similar vein, we’ve redesigned e2 to make it more accessible and less chaotic. Part of this redesign includes the introduction of a new Food section, which builds upon one of our Instagram accounts, Epigram_Eats_Out, to bring you the best deals in Bristol and tips on affordable recipes and shopping. We hope you like it! But what makes Epigram so exciting to be a part of is not simply the culture or e2 sections, but the way that these aspects of our website and paper sit alongside the more serious sections, to produce a truly unique student focused publication. We are, after all, the primary provider of University of Bristol student news, and as such we fulfil an important role in scrutinising both the Union and University. Epigram will be building upon the strong precedent we set ourselves last year, when we had 14 stories picked up by national newspapers, and submitted more Freedom of Information requests to the University and other public bodies than ever before. We shone a light on the rape culture in Bristol; supported dismissed lecturer Alison Hayman in her battle against the University; and reported on high levels of student dissatisfaction - resulting in the hugely successful Question Time
style debate with prominent members of the University, which will happen again this year. Last year, accommodation was also a significant issue which Epigram kept coming back to - in fact, if you look back through 27 years of our history, it is clear that accommodation is a long term and recurring issue. It’s interesting, therefore, that we start the year with yet another problem with student accommodation although this time it’s not really due to the University. Nonetheless, it is worrying that over a third of students would not recommend Bristol based on their experiences in the private rented sector, and that many rents are increasing whilst standards fall. It’s an issue that we will undoubtedly be coming back to, and not one that has an easy answer. It is encouraging to see that the Union are planning to help students more in the face of dodgy letting agencies and poor quality landlords. Another key story in the news this fortnight is our exclusive interview with Professor Hugh Brady, the University’s new Vice Chancellor. It will be exciting and interesting to see how Professor Brady changes and develops the University, and I hope he fulfills his promise to include and listen to students before he enacts big changes. Epigram is your student newspaper, and as such we want to hear your views on issues which affect you. Whether that’s writing an article for the paper, or simply tweeting us or commenting on a story online, please get involved! Contrary to popular belief, it’s never been easier to be a part of Epigram. If you are interested in contributing please come along to one of our writers meetings, or simply join a section on Facebook - where most editors will be active this year. We also have a few editorial positions up for grabs, which we’ll be advertising in the next week - you need no previous experience, just enthusiasm! It’s certainly all I had when I began.
Interested in becoming part of the editorial or business team? We still have a few spaces to fill in this year’s editorial and business team. If you fancy getting involved, check out our website for details on the positions and how to apply. To find out more about each section and how to write for Epigram, have a look on Facebook for contributor groups, where our editors will be posting stories and meeting times. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Editorial team
Food
Editor Sarah Newey editor@epigram.org.uk
28 Epiview In the inaugural editon of Epigram Food, we review Ameoba, a small bar in Clifton
Deputy Editors Adam Becket
Online
Features Editor Alex Green agreen.epigram@gmail.com
alindsay.epigram@gmail.com
Deputy Features Editor Becky Morton bmorton.epigram@gmail.com
eennosdann.epigram@gmail.com
Travel Online Editor Annabel Lindsay Style Editor Hattie Bottom hattie@epigram.org.uk
Features Online Editor abecket@epigram.org.uk Richard Assheton Becki Murray rassheton.epigram@gmail.com Deputy Style Editors Plum Ayloff beckimurray@epigram.org.uk
Online Editor Ciara Lally ciara.lally@epigram.org.uk
Comment Editor Jordan Kelly-Linden
jkellylinden.epigram@gmail.com
Deputy Comment Editor Stefan Rollnick srollnick.epigram@gmail.com
Deputy Online Editors Hannah Price Comment Online Editor hannah.price@epigram.org.uk Liam Marchant
payloff.epigram@gmail.com Pheobe Jordan pjordan.epigram@gmail.com Style Online Editor Beth Laverack styleonline@epigram.org.uk
What’s On Editor lmarchant.epigram@gmail.com Ben Duncan-Duggal
Ed Henderson-Howat Editor Tom Flynn e.hendersonhowat@epigram.org.uk editor@epigram.org.uk Managing Director Deputy Editors Jon Bauckham Rebecca Butler jon@epigram.org.uk rebecca.butler@epigram.org.uk Hannah Stubbs Director of Operations hannah@epigram.org.uk Ryan Furniss r.furniss@epigram.org.uk e2 Editor Matthew McCrory e2@epigram.org.uk News Editor
Style 53 Fashion for the smart girl
The style girls have come up with the ultimate guide for the essentials you need to get through the autumn term
Sarah Newey
News Sorcha Editor Bradley Alice Young sm.bradley.epigram@gmail.com news@epigram.org.uk Deputy News Editors
Deputy News Editors Abbie Scott Abigail Van-West ascott.epigram@gmail.com avanwest@epigram.org.uk News Online Editors Jenny Awford George Clarke jawford@epigram.org.uk gclarke.epigram@gmail.com Features Editor Emily Faint Tristan Martin efaint.epigram@gmail.com features@epigram.org.uk
Comment Editor
bduncanduggal.epigram@gmail.com
Deputy Film & TV Editor Kate Wyver kwyver.epigram@gmail.com Film & TV Online Editor Georgia O’Brien gobrien.epigram@gmail.com Sport Editor Marcus Price mprice.epigram@gmail.com Deputy Sport Editor James O’Hara johara2.epigram@gmail.com Sport Online Editor Malike Ouzia mouzia.epigram@gmail.com Chief Proofreaders Jennifer Bell jbell@epigram.org.uk
ScienceHannah EditorMcGovern Science & Technology Editor Arts Editor hmcgovern@epigram.org.uk Nick Cork Alfie SmithPatrick Baker Mattie Brignal comment@epigram.org.uk science@epigram.org.uk asmith.epigram@gmail.com mbrignal.epigram@gmail.com Webmaster Letters Editor DeputyMihai-Alexandru Science Editor Cristache Deputy Science & Tech Deputy Arts Editor Emma Corfield Emma Sackville Editor Ed Grimble Chief Proofreaders deputyscience@epigram.org Matt Davisletters@epigram.org.uk egrimble.epigram@gmail.com Guy Barlow mdavis.epigram@gmail.com Culture Editor Sport Editor Lucy Stewart Calum Sherwood Arts Online Editor Tom Burrows Letters Editor Amy Stewart Sub-editors culture@epigram.org.uk sport@epigram.org.uk Sophie Hunter Margot Tudor astewart.epigram@gmail.com shunter.epigram@gmail.com Hume Deputy Culture Editor DeputySaskia Sport Editor Maria Murariu Music Editor Zoe Hutton David Stone Living Editor Esme Webb Gunseli Yalcinkaya Kate Dickinson deputyculture@epigram.org.uk deputysport@epigram.org.uk Rashina Gajjar gyalcinkaya@epigram.org.uk Sophie Milner rgajjar@epigram.org.uk Wills Music Editor PuzzlesElla Editor Deputy Music Editor Lily Buckmaster Nathan Comer Deputy Living Editors Business Team Caitline Butler music@epigram.org.uk Amber Roberts Hannah Lewis Head Sub cbutler.epigram@gmail.com aroberts.epigram@gmail.com VladEditor Djuric Deputy Music Editor Emma Corfield Johnny Battle Alex Schulte Mike Christensen Pippa Shawley Living Online Editor Sub Editors Sophie Van Berchem aschulte.epigram@gmail.com Will Soer deputymusic@epigram.org.uk Katie Llewellyn Harriet Layhe, wilso.epigram@gmail.com Alice Best FIlm & TV Editor Music Online Editor Kate Moreton, Rosemary Wagg Rachel Prince Sam Mason-Jones Will Ellis Olivia Mason Travel Editor Illustrator smasonjones.epigram@gmail.com Ellie Sherrard filmandtv@epigram.org.uk Camilla Gash Alfie Smith Sophie Sladen cgash.epigram@gmail.com Deputy Film & TVFilm Editor & TV Editor Web Designer Anthony Deputy Travel EditorAdeane Ella Kemp Rob Mackenzie ekemp.epigram@gmail.com deputyfilmandtv@epigram.org.uk Ella Ennos-Dann
Features Features Editor Deputy Editor Ben Parr Andrew White bparr.epigram@gmail.com deputyfeatures@epigram.org.uk
www.epigram.org.uk For the latest news, features and reviews
facebook.com/epigrampaper twitter.com/epigrampaper issuu.com/epigrampaper instagram/epigrampaper_ epigram_eats_out epigram_travel epigramstyle
Printed by: Morton’s Print Morton Way Horncastle Lincolnshire LN9 6JR Epigram is the independent student newspaper of the University of Bristol. The views expressed in this publication are not those of the University or the Students’ Union. The design, text and photographs are copyright of Epigram and its individual contributors and may not be reproduced without permission.
Advertise with Epigram! Epigram has a print readership of 12,500 and is one of the best ways to advertise to Bristol students. To enquire about advertising, please contact Vlad Djuric at vd12738@my.bristol.ac.uk
Quality low in private rented market
Editor: Sorcha Bradley
Deputy Editor: Abbie Scott
Online Editors: Emily Faint; George Clarke
news@epigram.org.uk
ascott@epigram.org.uk
efaint@epigram.org.uk; gclarke@epigram.org.uk
Professor Judith Squires, Pro ViceChancellor for Education at University of Bristol, commented: ‘We are very concerned about the issues reported in this study. We will be working closely with Bristol Students’ Union to see how we can best address these findings and ensure our students are not faced with unacceptable living conditions and costs. ‘[The university] continue to offer a residential guarantee to all our first year students (who submit their application by 31 July), and provide 24 hour pastoral support and security plus opportunities for personal and academic development through residence-based activities’ ‘You might also be interested to know that we have recently created a new post of Head of Student Residential Student Life (sic) to oversee our work in this area.’ The SU also found that students generally had better experiences when dealing with private landlords rather than letting agents, although this was only a marginal difference. UBU Lettings and Anthony James were the only letting agents that received an overall positive response, with more
than half of respondents saying they would recommend them to a friend. Other letting agents, such as Digs, fared much worse: less than a quarter of student tenants claimed they would recommend them. Of Digs tenants, more than 40 per cent said they would not recommend the University of Bristol based on their experiences of privately rented accommodation, while 80 per cent of those who used UBU Lettings confirmed they would. When contacted by Epigram, Digs declined to comment. Epigram also contacted one of Bristol’s letting agencies, Abode, who stressed that they ‘are actively striving to improve [their] service.’ ‘I can honestly say that we treat all of our Tenants to be the same, whether they be students or professionals. We charge the same fee for both as we do not feel that they belong to two separate categories.’ This November Sarah Redrup, the new SU Student Living Officer, will be launching a campaign called ‘Don’t Rent Yet’, aiming to raise awareness about student’s rights as tenants, and highlight some of the issues in the Housing Survey before viewings begin.
Epigram / Jordan Kelly-Linden
continued from front page Bristol SU Union Affairs Officer, Tom Phipps, expressed concern at what he described as a ‘housing crisis,’ suggesting that rents continue to increase while standards fall. ‘Much of the housing available to students is in such a bad condition that it wouldn’t be rentable to non-students. The average annual rental cost for students is approximately £5000; well over the basic maintenance loan. These high rents make it increasingly difficult for students from low income backgrounds to live in Bristol. These findings should be a worry for universities in the city. ‘We will be working with the university and city council to implement the recommendations over the next year in order to improve living conditions for students in Bristol.’ According to the report, international students are also hit hard by the financial requirements imposed by letting agencies. Of the students questioned, 80 per cent had been asked to provide a guarantor; those unable to do so were sometimes required to pay as much as a year’s rent in advance.
Some students find gross inadequacies with their rented accomidation
What are my rights whilst privately renting at university? Jordan Kelly-Linden Comment Editor The top four things students need to know about renting private properties in Bristol.
1.
If you are worried about damp, a leaking roof, or the general disrepair of your property, the council have Environmental Health officers who will visit your home if you believe that a problem is a serious hazard to your health. They can issue a repair notice requiring the owner of the property to make it fit for human habitation and make good any disrepair which interferes with the personal comfort of the tenant. Or they can issue an improvement notice requiring the landlord to install certain amenities and improve the property to a certain standard. You can contact their private housing services for more
25.09.2015
3
@epigramnews
information. Email:private.housing@bristol.gov. uk Telephone: 0117 352 5010
2.
The university’s Accommodation Office are there to help you if you are experiencing difficulties with your current accommodation. They can give you advice on how to change your university accommodation and with private lets they’ll help you deal with rogue landlords or any problems with your property that you’re struggling to resolve. Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Judith Squires, commented: ‘We provide expert guidance to our students about how best to find suitable rented accommodation in the private sector, and would strongly recommend all students to use the advice services within the Accommodation Office . In addition, UBU Lettings provide an excellent lettings service.’ Find their details on: www. bristol. ac.uk/accommodation/contact
3.
The law is on your side. Check your tenancy agreement to
find out exactly what your rights are and what you are liable for but be aware that under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, it is the landlord’s responsibility to deal with repairs to the structure and exterior of the building; basins, sinks, baths, and other sanitary installations in the dwelling; and heating and hot water installations.
4.
If you are not happy with the conduct of your estate agents and/or they are delivering poor service or incompetent service you have the right to complain. If you ask, they have to tell you about their complaints procedure. Since October 2014, all letting agents also have to be members of a letting agent redress scheme. These schemes will help you resolve disputes about behaviour. You can also complain to the letting agent’s professional association if a letting agent redress scheme can’t take your case further. Complaining to trading standards, your landlord or even taking court action is also an option. Read up on what you can and can’t do by visiting: england.shelter.org.uk
Your horror stories ‘My student room was in a basement. In the winter months it became apparent that the room suffered from damp. The first thing I noticed was every morning there was a pool of water on the window sill. I’d wipe this off every morning but the curtains had mould spots growing on them. Also every morning when I woke up the top of the duvet was damp. There was a chest of drawers against the external wall, my clothes in there would always smell damp and often I’d pull out a top to wear only to discover it needed washing because mould was growing on it. I emailed my landlord as my boyfriend pointed out that it was probably what was making me ill. Their response was that it was an old house and so to be expected. They advised me to open my window more regularly (a great idea in the middle of winter), and to turn the heating on (another great idea for a student house that has the window open!). They did eventually provide a dehumidifier - which didn’t work - so I purchased a decent one myself.’
”
News
Epigram
‘My overall experience has been overwhelmingly negative’
‘So we arrived and there was damp in one bedroom, four of the blinds were broken, the toilets and toilet brushes were caked in filth, there were broken chairs, mice, and general mess. The estate agents have been contacted around five times by different tenants within our house, but nothing has been done yet. It takes them so long to reply and then nothing gets done anyway.’ ‘Being a student in Bristol, I’ve found one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do is not in fact my degree but rather dealing with letting agencies. My overall experience has been overwhelmingly negative. As a group of five, we saw a flat that we thought was slightly better, with only a little damp compared to the mouldy abominations that were considered housing in city centre. We were feeling a little desperate and exhausted and decided, despite such a large price and small area of the flat, to rent it. When we declared our interest, we were straight away told how many others were interested and that there would likely be competition or a “race” to sign. Once we did get to the signing stage, we were met by an “in-between” and our future landlord on Skype. I found this, along with the schemes to push people to sign, quite unprofessional. As we began to go through the contract we were promptly told that if we wanted internet we would have to pay for Virgin, leaving us with no choice if we had wanted to look at other packages. When we had queries about this, the Landlord was more interested in watching the football and wanted us to hurry up so he could continue watching. This unprofessional attitude continued when we had queries about the flexibility of rent. The landlord seemed unreasonable, stating that the only option was post-dated cheques quarterly. The question of deposits also
arose. We asked if our deposits would be placed in a government approved scheme, to which we received no reply. The landlord was incredibly rude to the “in-between” employed by him, which further increased the uncomfortable feeling at the signing. We then as a group decided to leave, which I am sure pleased the landlord as it meant that he could have his time back rather than having to deal with peasant students. It was a thoroughly uncomfortable experience.’ ‘I moved into the property on July 17th, after being told that I couldn’t leave my belongings there as cleaners had to come in to sort out the place. I arrived to an A4 ripped out piece of paper saying “Home sweet home,” right next to the peeling wallpaper. The house was crumbly, to say the least – broken wardrobes, floorboards and surfaces and socks and fingernails behind said broken bits. All this would have been fine if the property was actually being taken care of by the agency, which would not let us speak to the landlord who apparently lives abroad. Now, in the last week of September, the wardrobe has been fixed but the boiler is still broken, and as tenants we are told to “email x” who shall magically fix everything. It has been two months and no magic has occurred. If I am not allowed to speak to the landlord because the estate agent is managing my property, and yet nothing is being fixed, managed or even considered, what kind of agreement is that?’ ‘I don’t consider myself a hugely material driven person. I have a relatively well stocked wardrobe and far too many books, but that’s about it when it comes to accumulating possessions. However, there are some things that I do consider basic necessities. Cue short but vicious polemic. I’ll begin in my bedroom. Whilst working on the feng shui, clumsily and arbitrarily shunting furniture around until I felt satisfied I had made a meaningful aesthetic change, I dragged my desk away from the wall to reveal a gaping hole where skirting board and plaster should have been. Fear gripped me, and I now sleep facing said hole, desperately oscillating between the two conclusions that it must have been made either by something trying to get into the wall or, more frighteningly, get out.’
” ‘I am not allowed to speak to the landlord because the estate agent is managing my property, yet nothing is being fixed’
‘Don’t dare use the bannisters.Instead of being securely attached, they feel as though they’ve been rigged to collapse on contact like some kind of Poirotesque “make it look like an accident” setup. Finishing the tour in the kitchen, I’m greeted by the simple fact that there’s no hot water. I have neither the words nor calm disposition to go into the details of how seven people live sans hot water. For two months. Thank God for electric showers, though.’
Epigram 25.05.2015
4
NUS strikes out against cuts for students Adam Becket Deputy Editor The National Union of Students has launched a massive campaign against the costs of student life after the government announced in the budget its intention to scrap maintenance grants and replace them with loans. The campaign’s aim is ‘Fighting the government’s draconian plans to scrap the maintenance grants.’ The NUS is also aiming to combat the ‘cost of living crisis’ affecting students, which they believe will be worsened by the proposals surrounding the maintenance grants.
“ ‘These grants provide essential support to some of the poorest students’
Epigram / Liam Marchant
Refugees welcome Johnny Thalassites News Reporter
Epigram / Ben Parr
Bristol has welcomed refugees escaping the crisis in Syria with open arms, responding to international outcry over the treatment of refugees in Europe. The emergence of photographs of the drowned three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi shocked people across the UK and the world, leading many people to offer up their homes and services in order to help those who have journeyed across the sea to escape civil war. Mayor George Ferguson, members of Bristol City Council, and people across Bristol have all offered messages of support and hope for those taking refuge here in the UK. ‘I have a small room that I could offer and I shall do so [...] I will make arrangements to be able to take somebody in,’ the Mayor said. He also appealed to those ‘who do have space in their homes and a huge generous heart’ to take in families in need of assistance.
Meanwhile, Bristol Councillors have put aside political differences this week to support a motion calling for Bristol to welcome its share of refugees. They called on the Mayor to do more than simply pledge to take in refugees into his own home, but to also pledge to take in an initial 50 refugees into the city under the government’s Vulnerable People Resettlement Scheme. In the motion, which was voted through by the Council on 15th September, called these initial 50 refugees as ‘a starting point’ that it hoped would give ‘real meaning to our “City of Sanctuary” status.’ Indeed last weekend a protest welcoming refugees to the UK attracted thousands of people across Bristol. Protesters marched down Park Street before rallying in the city centre in a display of solidarity with those who have been displaced. Protesters held signs referencing Prime Minister David Cameron’s now infamous rhetoric on the immigration crisis such as ‘They’re not “swarms” they’re human’ as well as signs that stated, ‘No Human is Alien.’
The Conservative government would like to stop maintenance grants from September 2016. This would affect approximately 500,000 students who the NUS believes rely on the maintenance grant, the maximum of which is £3,387 per student a year whose household income is less than £25,000. The Chancellor, George Osborne, said in defence of the cuts that there was a ‘Basic unfairness in asking taxpayers to fund grants for people who are likely to earn a lot more than them.’ They would be replaced
with loans that would work along the lines of current tuition fee loans, only being paid back once a graduate is earning £21,000 a year. The campaign centres around highlighting the high costs that students have to deal with at university, and the belief that replacing the grants with loans will only make this worse. Tom Phipps, Union Affairs officer for Bristol SU said ‘The scrapping of maintenance grants by this government is one of the most harmful attacks on higher education to date. These grants provide essential support to some of the poorest students and enable them to stay in university.’ The NUS commissioned research that shows around a third of students would not have chosen to go to university without the help of a grant. Over 2,100 students took part in the survey that also found that 81 per cent of respondents opposed the planned changes to the grant system. This follows on from both the NUS and the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts proposing a nationwide ‘student strike’ to highlight student anger at the government’s higher education policy. Students at universities across the country and their relevant students’ unions met with their MPs last Friday in order to highlight their opposition to the plans; some unions have even succeeded in getting their MPs to sign the petition against it. The University of Bristol is no exception to this, with Tom Phipps adding ‘At Bristol SU we have already started lobbying local MPs on these measures and are calling on the university to condemn these measures publicly.’
Iguanas never tip Ben Parr Investigations Editor
Epigram / Adam Becket
A petition demanding Las Iguanas pay their staff full tips and do not force them to ‘pay to work,’ has received over 81,000 signatures on the website 38 Degrees. Las Iguanas - a popular bar and restaurant with numerous branches in Bristol, and their headquarters in Clifton - have been accused of having a tipping policy which requires waiting staff to pay back three per cent of their total takings from table sales at the end of each shift. Amy Grimshaw, who claims to be a former staff member, tweeted that she ‘Went home in tears’ when she found that she owed Las Iguanas money at the end of her shift because her tips didn’t cover the three per cent of the total sales for that night. Las Iguanas have denied claims that they have ever forced a staff member to pay back more than they earned. Their spokesperson
commented ‘Over many years we have always made employees very aware of how we distribute and share tips.’ However, despite the response from Las Iguanas, many still believe that it is unfair that service staff should have to pay their tips back at all. Emily, a third year music student at Bristol, commented ‘I’ve worked in restaurants and bars, and I would be disgusted if I had to pay some of my tip back at the end of a shift. The whole point of tipping is that it is for the service you give a customer; they intend that tip to go fully to the person who delivered them that service, not the company they work for.’ The petition, which has received thousands of signatures from Bristolians alone, is continuously growing. ‘It is absolutely vital that we capitalise on this momentum and ultimately get Las Iguanas - and restaurants like them - to change their outrageous tipping policies,’ said Sam Hughes, the organiser of the petition.
Epigram 25.09.2015
5
New Vice-Chancellor: ‘I rule nothing out’ Zaki Dogliani Former Editor University of Bristol’s new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hugh Brady, has pledged that ‘the student experience’ will be one of his priorities ‘from day one’ and promised to involve students in a number of decisions at Bristol. However, in an exclusive interview with Epigram, he did little to rule out a range of potentially unpopular measures including building another campus, indicating the University’s long-term future could be shaped significantly during the ‘period of reflection’ and consultation set to take place during his first year in post. Asked whether he envisioned any plans in the next five years to construct another campus, in the wake of accommodation shortages experienced almost every year, Brady told Epigram: “What every university should be doing is evaluating its current footprint. A lot of this will come out
“ What makes Bristol special certainly to my mind is that embeddedness within the city
Brady, formerly President of University College Dublin (UCD), spoke at length about his enthusiasm for students to play a part in influencing the University’s long-term plans: ‘The strategic planning process has got to be meaningful for the entire Bristol community: the student body, staff, student media, alumni, the city, the various partners we deal with. If it is a process that is merely internal, it is not going to have the impact to deliver. The more students we have engaging, the more meaningful it is going to be and the better the outcome.’ He pointed to his time at UCD, where consultation with the student body took place, as did a referendum for students to decide whether they were willing to each pay a ‘levy of €150-200’ to fund a ‘world-class’ new student centre, which he described as ‘the jewel in the crown at UCD.’ ‘I have no intention of shoving it down students’ throats. They are already paying substantial fees. But I think it is a discussion worth having. What is their vision for the institution? What are they willing, and what is appropriate for them to contribute?’ Brady, however, was reassuring that Bristol would not see a repeat of what happened at UCD, where part of the funding model agreed by students allowed alumni and members of the public to have access to the gym and swimming pool, which were closed to students at particular times. ‘Here the model is different. It would be totally inappropriate for me to go over to the lovely new facilities at the Richmond Building and render some of them inaccessible to students.’ The 56-year-old was frequently keen to stress the ‘different context’ within which he will operate compared to Ireland’s higher education system; both in the sense that Bristol is a university in the UK, where higher education funding levels are higher, and it is already ‘one of the UK’s
”
Nick Riddle
in the strategic planning process that we will embark on in the autumn, which I hope students will engage fully in. When any VC arrives at any university, there is the expectation that there should be a period of reflection on the ambition of the University and the direction in which it is going. That on the one hand, coupled with the fact that the University’s current vision strategy runs through to 2016 [means] for two different reasons, we should, and will be, taking a look at our vision and current strategy in the autumn with a view to coming up with a new strategic plan late in the academic year 2015-16. ‘As part of that process, we will be looking at our existing footprint. I think you also have to have an open mind on this. I rule nothing out. The University has been, as you know, constantly expanding its footprint over the last few years, some of which has been happening within the city centre. What you do is you look at all of the options. ‘What I would say is, without pre-judging what might be the outcome of that strategic planning process, what makes Bristol special certainly to my mind is that embeddedness within the city. That I think is a special feature of the university and offers special opportunities to the University. But, as I say, I think the way to approach this is to define the ambition and then look at all the possibilities and the pluses and minuses of each, through a period of consultation and, hopefully, a consensus on the best way forward.’
Students invited to play role in key consultation
We have got to ensure that across a full range of disciplines our student-staff ratios is appropriate for the ambition that we have for our students
• •
top institutions, for the most part performing superbly,’ he said. ‘When I took over the UCD presidency, the university was not where we wanted it to be across a whole range of metrics. Certainly, a more radical solution was needed.’ Nonetheless, while Bristol may not be set for the overhaul that took place at UCD, where, under
Professor Hugh Brady comes from a medical background and is considered a worldwide expert on the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease Professor Brady was President of University College Dublin from 2004 to 2013 and was the youngest President in the history of the univeristy when appointed
Brady’s leadership, 11 faculties were whittled down into six ‘colleges,’ he did seem keen to consider all options over the next year in drawing up the University’s new strategy. One area, however, which does not seem set to be overhauled is the structure of the academic year. When asked whether he might emulate UCD’s move towards an American-style academic calendar, with term starting earlier in September, to help boost international student numbers, Brady suggested this was unlikely. ‘I understand there has been a recent discussion on the shape of the academic year and a solution has been agreed, and I wouldn’t see it as my role to unpick that. What is more important is the overarching objective to internationalise the student experience,’ he claimed. Reducing student-staff ratios is ‘a priority’
Nick Riddle
Asked about dissatisfaction in 2014-15, which appeared to be particularly high among Arts and Social Sciences students, Brady agreed that keeping student-staff ratios down was important. ‘I know [outgoing Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir] Eric Thomas has given a commitment, including a commitment in your newspaper, to bring down and address the issue in terms of student-staff ratios. I share his view that is a priority.’ Asked whether he will stick to Thomas’ pledge
to reverse the rise in student-staff ratios from 17 to 24 in English and 17 to 21 in History (which attracted particularly low results in the latest National Student Survey), Brady said, ‘Yeah. Part of a world-class student experience is the experience within the classroom, a major determinant of which is that student-staff ratio. We have got to ensure that across a full range of disciplines our student-staff ratios is appropriate for the ambition that we have for our students. I would share Eric Thomas’ view on this wholeheartedly.’ Referring to last December’s Arts and Social Sciences protest, Brady said ‘There was clearly some perturbation at that time of expansion. I hope that is settling down. I am really struck by the attention by the Deans in those faculties are paying to the issue. I’m very impressed by the work the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education (Professor Judith Squires) is doing on the issue.’ He repeatedly referred to ‘the internationalisation of the student experience,’ emphasising the benefits of students studying or working abroad as part of their degree and how ‘passionate’ he is about ‘internationalising the student body.’ He explained, ‘Our graduates have to work or live across borders, whether virtually or literally from the day they graduate.” Brady succeeded Thomas on 1st September
Figuring out your future? Let’s shape it together. There’s something for anyone ready to challenge themselves on our student and graduate programs. Whether you like things fast-paced or where patience is a virtue. To focus on details or big pictures. To give advice or drive direction. (Or all those things.) Let’s get started on your future.
"U #SJTUPM BOE XBOU UP ŖOE PVU NPSF Tuesday 6 October – Speed Networking Event Tuesday 13 October – Women in Finance "ŝFSOPPO 5FB Monday 19 October – Insights Day at UBS Applications for our 2016 internship and graduate programs are open. Find out more (and apply) at ubs.com/graduates
ab
Epigram 25.09.2015
37
‘Mine, Mine!’
Seagulls wreak havoc in Bristol city centre
The sheer number of residents calling the police over incidents involving seagulls reached such high levels this summer that Avon and Somerset police were forced to release statements reminding people that this is not a police matter. In the Bristol beat alone, ten people have called the police with regards to seagulls in 2015. ‘It was terrifying. I was innocently strolling through the city centre, and was just about to take the first bite
Police confirm seagulls are not criminals
QS Rankings Johnny Thalassites News Reporter The 2015/16 QS World University Rankings have been released, placing the University of Bristol 9th in the UK and 37th globally. The news was well received by the new Vice Chancellor of the University, Hugh Brady, who commented, ‘Bristol is a world-class institution [...] this is underlined by these results.’ The university will be relieved to see Bristol place highly in this list, following the disappointment of UK rankings last year. 2014/15 saw Bristol ranked at a lowly joint 106th in the UK for student satisfaction. Chief executive of Universities UK, Nicola Dandridge, felt that surprising student-satisfaction levels were due to students ‘understandably and rightly’ expecting more from their courses, given rising tuition fees. Bristol’s Pro Vice Chancellor for education, Judith Squires, told Epigram ‘We are proud of the University’s performance in national and international league tables, which show us to be a top global institution. We recognise that our performance in student satisfaction surveys is less strong than we would like in some areas.’ However, she assured students that the university was working to ensure that it provided an‘outstanding student experience across all programmes.’ Bristol placed 29th globally in the QS University rankings in
Police Chief Constable, John Long, speaks to Epigram about his career after retiring from the Avon and Somerset Police force last month
Police Chief Retires Jessica Cripps News Reporter
”
‘I was left distraught and hungry’
Flickr - Silky
The number of people calling the police about seagull related incidents in Bristol has reached double figures this year, Epigram can reveal. Seagulls have caused an uproar amongst many Bristol residents, with complaints ranging from the gulls stealing food to physical attacks. A six foot security guard was reportedly hospitalised after being knocked off his bike by a large seagull in Bristol City Centre over the summer.
of my chicken sandwich, when out of nowhere a seagull swept down and ripped my lunch right out of my hand,’ one Bristol student, who asked to remain anonymous, told Epigram. ‘I was left distraught and hungry. However, I can confirm that I did not call the police, though I do sympathise with those who did.’ Avon and Somerset police twitter account released multiple statements during August asking people to not use either 999 or 101 numbers to call about seagulls. ‘If seagulls are being a pest in your area, contact your council’s Environmental Health or Pest Control. If a seagull is injured call RSPCA.’ One tweet read: ‘More than 101 calls over the weekend regarding issues with seagulls. Think before you dial – you’re stopping real emergencies getting through.’
Flickr: Jaydot
“
Ben Parr Investigations Editor
2014/15, indicating a fall in position. This fall may be due to a change in the methodology used to create the rankings. Citations per faculty are now accounted for to ensure an even spread. Bristol remains a world-class research institution, however, having placed joint-fifth in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014
We have got to ensure that across a full range of disciplines our studentstaff ratios is appropriate for the ambition that we have for our students
rankings with Oxford last year. 37th is a highly credible ranking for Bristol, with Warwick (48th) Durham (61st) and St. Andrews (68th) among the Russell Group institutions trailing the university. Indeed, York and Exeter failed to make the top 100 world universities this year, demonstrating the caprices of QS’ ranking formulae. Cambridge (3rd) and Oxford (6th) lead among UK universities and elsewhere. MIT and Harvard lead the way in the top two global spots in 2015/16. In any case, however, these results placing Bristol 9th in the UK and 37th in the world are pleasing news for students and academics alike.
Acting Chief Constable John Long, 54, retired last month, after serving the Avon and Somerset Constabulary for 30 years. Mr Long rose through the ranks from a constable on the beat with the Metropolitan Police to Deputy Chief Constable in Avon and Somerset. His career has touched upon
controversy when the most senior member of the Constabulary, Former Chief Constable Nick Gargan, was suspended pending a disciplinary hearing last year. Gargan was found guilty of eight charges of misconduct in July. Mr Long stepped up to become Acting Chief Constable for a fifteen month period. Long’s career spanned a period of rapid development in digital policing with the advancement in DNA forensics and the controversial
introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners. A third of his career has been with the Avon and Somerset force, helping to build it into what Mr Long believes is a stronger organisation with greater integrity. ‘Bristol used to have the worst crime rates per thousand people. A decade later we have the second lowest crime rates out of all the core cities in England and Wales,’ he claims. His emphasis on strengthening communities and improving lives seems to reflect an increasing public confidence with the force. In 2014, 79 per cent of the population felt confident that local issues were being dealt with well by Avon and Somerset Constabulary: an 8 per cent increase from 2012. Mr Long received the Queen’s Police Medal as Assistant Chief Constable in the 2013 Birthday Honours in recognition for his involvement with a national project for the rehabilitation of offenders. ‘It was a big surprise,’ he admitted. ‘I lead the work for the constabulary and had a lead role [in the project] nationally. ‘However when you receive an award like that, you [recognise you] are one person in a whole group of people that have made it possible. ‘Human beings are capable of doing great things when they fulfil their potential,’ Mr Long explained.’ If people can pursue their ambitions without fear of crime or anti-social behaviour, they’re going to have a much better life. ‘When the police give people the chance to do that, our communities get better and stronger.’
Bristol North-West MP shows off artisic talents at PMQs Sorcha Bradley News Editor MP for Bristol North West, Charlotte Leslie, 37, has come under fire this week for doodling during the first Prime Minister’s Question time with new leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn. The MP spent her time creating sketches both of Jeremy Corbyn, and of the Deputy Leader of the opposition, Tom Watson. The rough pencil sketches depict a stern looking Corbyn addressing the chamber. The MP’s artistic skills have impressed many twitter users with the tweet being reposted more the 138 times and favourited 102 times. However, some users have had a less than warm response to Leslie’s drawings. Roger Ellens wrote, ‘so glad to see her really fighting the fight for my constituency #lightweight,’ whilst twitter user Deadbeat Descendent asked, ‘Are Bristol MPs taking their jobs seriously?’ Leslie responded by saying that she was ‘recording and sharing moments of history with others,’ noting that photography was not allowed in the chamber. However, eagle-eyed BBC Home Affair correspondent and twitter user Daniel Sanford noted that she must have photographed the drawings and uploaded the image
whilst still inside the chamber – thereby contravening PM’s Question Time rules. Leslie responded to being caughtout with a sheepish ‘shhhhh!’ However, the Bristol West MP made amends for the lapse in concentration by auctioning off her drawings to
a local Bristol based charity. The drawings were sold at the Bristol Affordable Arts Fair, which took place last weekend. The proceeds went towards the charity Cycle of Harm, which offers specialist counselling for survivors of trauma and abuse.
Epigram
25.09.2015
Features
@epigramfeatures
Editor: Alex Green
Deputy Editor: Becky Morton
Online Editor: Richard Assheton
features@epigram.org.uk
bmorton@epigram.org.uk
rassheton@epigram.org.uk
Forget debt - what about student living costs? Becky Morton Deputy Features Editor We are used to complaints about rising tuition fees and students burdened with debt upon graduation, but what makes the headlines less often is the immediate difficulties students face in meeting living costs. This is a particular problem for Bristol students, who face some of the highest living costs outside London, without the boosted maintenance loan that those in the capital city receive. An area which proves particularly pricey in Bristol is housing, both for university-owned halls and in the private sector. A recent survey found that Bristol students pay an average weekly rent of £107.30, well above the national student average of £85.31 a week. Bristol freshers are looking at paying a minimum of £82 a week or £3,120 a year for a shared selfcatered room in Manor Hall. At the top end, a single en-suite catered room in Wills Hall will set students back £7,525 a year.
Housing costs are proving a problem across UK universities. A recent NUS survey has found that the average rent for a room in student accommodation has risen 25 per cent over the past three years to reach £5,244 a year, equivalent to 95 per cent of the maximum available loan. If students are spending the vast majority of their loans on rent, how are they funding their remaining living costs? A recent survey found that the majority of students (71 per cent) rely on parents for financial support and 65 percent have part-time jobs. The experiences of Bristol students support these findings. For most, relying on parental support is inevitable, as one second-year Languages student explained: ‘I come from a middleincome family and receive a modest maintenance loan,’ she told Epigram.
The NUS is running a campaign to raise awareness of the cost of living crisis facing students ‘Once I’ve paid my rent I’m left with barely anything to live off and the expectation seems to be that my parents will fund the rest of my living costs. I’m lucky they are happy and able to do this but I know others who aren’t in the same position.’ For students who are getting their first taste of independence when they go to university it can be frustrating to be forced to rely on parents for financial support. For others, parental support is simply not an option, either due to a poor relationship with parents or the expectation that once at university, students should fend for themselves. ‘My parents refuse to help me financially at university and expect me to live off my maintenance loan which simply isn’t enough. If I didn’t have a part-time job I wouldn’t be able to pay my rent,’ a third-year Chemistry student said. Juggling a part-time job alongside a
demanding university course can have a negative impact on both studies and social life. ‘Working in a bar, I work late nights which mean I’m often tired for morning lectures. Evening is also the time most people socialise so I find I miss out on nights out, although more often than not I wouldn’t be able to afford to go out anyway,’ he explained. Government plans to scrap maintenance grants for low-income students from August 2016 have attracted much-needed attention to the struggle students face in meeting the cost of university living. Previously students from families with annual incomes of £25,000 or less, currently half a million students in England, received a full grant of £3,387 per year. With the release of the new Conservative budget in July, however, George Osborne announced that these grants had become ‘unaffordable’ and would be replaced with loans to be paid back once the recipient is earning over £21,000
Source: Natwest Student Living Index 2015
Bristol students pay amongst the highest average weekly rent in the countryeffects of pollution on air quality
a year. Concerns that these changes risk putting off young people from low and middle-income families from applying to university have been widely voiced. Sir Peter Lampl, Chairman of the Sutton Trust and of the Education Endowment Foundation pointed out, ‘Since grants were introduced, there have been significant improvements in the participation from full-time less advantaged students.’ NUS President Megan Dunn expressed similar concerns that cutting maintenance grants risked discouraging many from applying to university. However, the amount of loan available to lower income students will be increased to a potential £8,300 per year, the highest amount of support ever provided. The government has pointed out that currently, the maximum amount you can receive from loans and grants combined is £7,434. This suggests that they are attempting to address the issue of inadequate maintenance loans. Nevertheless, there are still concerns that the prospect of shouldering an even greater amount of debt upon graduation will continue to put many off applying to university. Megan Randles, a third year Politics student who currently receives a government maintenance grant, is strongly against plans to replace grants with loans. ‘Whilst my family and I probably would have found a way to fund my studies without the maintenance grant, that is more than can be said for many other families from lower-income backgrounds. In my opinion, scrapping the maintenance grant would put many families from low-income backgrounds off pursuing higher education, and worse still it entrenches the societal assumption that degrees, particularly
”
Instagram: hertfordshiresu
“ Bristol students pay an average weekly rent of £107.30, well above the national student average of £85.31 a week
degrees in the arts and non-vocational subjects are for the wealthy,’ she told Epigram.
If students are spending the vast majority of their loans on rent, how are they funding their remaining living costs? Others, however, argue that it is unfair for taxpayers to fund grants for individuals who are likely to go on to earn more than them in the future. Maintenance grants cost the taxpayer £1.57 billion a year and Osborne has claimed, ‘If we don’t tackle this problem, then universities will become underfunded and our students won’t get places.’ A possible solution is to stress to young people from all backgrounds the benefits of university and the financial support still available. This could help persuade promising students that the debt incurred by a university education is worthwhile and manageable. Russell Group Universities like Bristol are already beginning to do this through outreach work with local schools by the Widening Participation Department, a requirement for all universities charging £9,000 fees. Even so, it is clear that for most students, the struggle to cover the cost of living during their time at university is more pressing than the debt they will face upon graduation, and this issue still remains to be addressed by government. If you want to get involved in the NUS campaign to #CutTheCosts of University visit the NUS webiste at www.nus.org.uk.
Epigram
25.09.2015
9
Who is Corbyn’s right-hand man? Richard Assheton Online Features Editor At the start of the year Tom Watson was a relatively high profile Labour politician — he had been general election campaign co-ordinator between 2011 and 2013 and a prominent voice on the phone hacking and sexual abuse scandals. Now second-in-command to Jeremy Corbyn, he is the focus of attention and the subject of debate. The Telegraph calls him a ‘man to watch’; the Guardian asks whether he is ‘unifying stalwart’ or ‘divisive fixer’.
“ ‘I really worry about this generation [of] undergraduates about to enter the labour market’
On higher education in the UK: ‘For me, one of the distinguishing characteristics of higher education in the UK when compared to education
On graduate jobs: ‘I really worry about this generation [of] undergraduates about to enter the labour market. There are all sorts of arrows going in the wrong direction in terms of their opportunity, their protections in the workplace. The opportunities that previous generations had have been lost to them, like the right to own a home. Most people entering the labour market now couldn’t possibly afford a home in London anymore — that effect is happening all over the cities of England. The idea that you’d enter a labour market with a degree or two degrees, you’d be given a minimum wage job with no rights, or that you have to intern for six months before you even get paid just doesn’t seem right to me. People have made the best of themselves in order to live comfortable and secure lives and they’ve been given
a lifetime of insecurity. I see too many people in their early careers living in fear of losing their job, worrying about where they’re going to live, or an angry landlord has had to evict them, or [worrying about] how they can afford to pay the bills at the end of the month, and it’s just unacceptable. That goes to the central tenet of the Labour Party which is: wealth and power are in too few hands. And we can put that right with political change.’ On modernising the Labour Party and politicians’ use of social media: ‘I’ve got some very big ideas about reforming the Labour Party, how we improve our participation in our own democracy, about how we reform the way we organise ourselves. I’d like to see [a party] that acknowledges that the internet exists. It’s quite hard for the traditional parties — we’ve been around a long time. My party’s been around more than a century and we’ve got a lot to do to catch up digitally […] From my point of view as someone who is deeply interested in digital issues, when I was a minister not a day went by when my job wasn’t assisted by using social media; I found communities of interest in the digital industries [...] I love the serendipity of hypertext links. I just love knowledge gathering in the community that I live in, in the digital space. I find it very nourishing, so I think ultimately politicians who don’t use social media are missing out. [But] there are some who are just never going to be able to do it, so I don’t think they should be forced because it’s just ungainly and undignified.’ How much will we hear of these attitudes and ideals in the months to come?
Tom Watson with Labour MP for Bristol West, Thangam Debbonaire
Richard Assheton
On a Wednesday afternoon last Febrary inside the strange glass edifice of Clifton Down Caffe Gusto he seemed an amiable man, sincere but with an obvious sense of humour. As the coffee machine garbled and threatened to ruin my voice recording he lamented what he saw as the erosion of British life by coalition. Around him, he said, were inequality, tough graduate prospects and the potential for youth disenfranchisement. Much of what we talked about depended on the General Election, but much of it did not, so that I was able to get a sense of his ambitions for Labour and for the country — some were party ideals and unsurprising, but other were grander and more personal. Here is a selection of his comments:
in America, which is purely market driven — and part of the reason we’ve got a reputation for being one of the most innovative countries in the world — is that we allow intellectual curiosity on our campuses to flow, rather than commoditise education. But the truth is, you’ve got to strike a balance in the modern economy, and you’ve got to prepare people for the world of work, which means [having] courses that are relevant to the demands of the economy. But you’ve also got to allow minds to problem-solve in abstract, amazing ways and that requires a bit of leadership and a little bit of freedom on campus. [This is] not just a problem for government actually. Government can set the tone, give direction [but] it’s an issue about leadership of the university sector and that’s an issue for Vice Chancellors to go away and look at and check themselves and ask, “What is it that you value about the British university compared to other university courses?” So [it’s] down to students to try and shape that and it’s down to those lecturers.’
Mental health and freshers: An invisible taboo Anonymous There is a great deal of pressure when you start university. Pressure to make friends, pressure to make a
good impression and pressure to make yourself have fun. Yet for an untold number of us, the reality is that for the first couple of weeks, you feel like you’re on the edge of crying. I had some news dropped on me at the beginning of term - my father
Flickr: Michael Summers
20% of UK students consider themsleves to have a mental health problem
had been seeing someone who wasn’t my mother for the past 4 months. I was delivered on the first day thinking everything was fine and I’d be returning at Christmas to my mum, dad, sister and dog in my childhood home. But it was an illusion, at least to my dad. The rest of us thought everything was normal, but nine days into university and the reality was I’d had my last Christmas, last holiday and last meal with my whole family together. Obviously I knew that my mental health was probably going to take a turn for the worse, but I didn’t want to admit it because of the stigma I thought would be attached to me. Having emailed my personal tutor and received the number for the mental health department at Student Health, the best thing I could have done was to book an appointment with a counsellor. Student Health are fantastic at what they do, and probably don’t get nearly enough credit for it. But I didn’t go, and I see now that it really would have made a great deal of difference to the way I handled myself in my first year. Unlike a cold or a broken leg, mental health can quite easily go unnoticed. Manifest symptoms of freshers’ flu
are coughs and sneezes, dealt with by a Lemsip and some Olbas Oil; the symptoms of its less glamorous cousin, freshers’ mental health issues, are far more complex. From skipping lectures to going out too much, the huge variety means it is often difficult to spot. Coupled with social media and people at home telling you university is supposed to be the time of your life, the result can be overwhelming. Social media is a highlights reel, and no one in the first six weeks of term is going to open up to you fully unless it’s in a drunken state on a night out.
According to a recent NUS study, 20 per cent of students consider themselves to have a mental health issue, yet more than a quarter of those do not seek help from university support services. Considering that in the year 2013-14 when the study was conducted, there were 1,759,915 undergraduate students in the UK, that’s an awful lot of students not looking after their mental health. Feeling invisible is the worst part, but the sad and inevitable reality is that although freshers’ week (month, year) might be the stereotypically hedonistic experience for some, for others it really won’t be. It’s difficult, but it doesn’t have to be done alone.
Unlike a cold or a broken leg, mental health can quite easily go unnoticed
The contact number for the student counselling service is 0117 954 6655. The counselling service also offer a drop in service on Wednesdays between 2.45pm and 3.45pm.
”
The services provided by Student Health range from one on one counselling to group sessions. And because everyone’s there for the same or similar reasons, there’s no stigma.
The University of Bristol Peace of Mind Society is dedicated to supporting students with mental health problems and their supporters. More information can be found on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/1394871334 151838/
Epigram
25.09.2015
10
Will Bristolians embrace refugees? Alex Green Features Editor The Syrian refugee crisis is undeniably one of the greatest humanitarian challenges to face Europe since the Second World War. Refugees, fleeing conflict in the Middle East, have travelled through Europe, many aiming for Germany or Britain, in an attempt to find a home less ravaged by war.
March 2011 saw peaceful demonstrations descend into civil unrest as the Arab Spring, an event full of hope for a free and peaceful future, led to a breakaway group called the Free Syrian Army taking up arms against the government. The resulting war caused an unprecedented migration. So far, 11 million people from the Middle East have been displaced, 7.6 million of them Syrian. In cities like Bristol,the effects of this conflict are only just beginning to be felt. With the prospect of refugees arriving
Thena Mimmack
“ 11 million people from the Middle East have been displaced, 7.6 million of them Syrian.
within the year, Britain has had to directly address the issue. Earlier this month, Bristol’s mayor, George Ferguson, pledged to open his spare room to a Syrian family. The mayor, whose parents housed a family of Ugandans fleeing the dictatorial regime of Idi Amin during the 1970s, argued that it was his job to ‘lead by example’. However, the public’s response on social media to Ferguson’s commitment has been more than a little unsavoury. Many argue that Bristol’s priority should be looking after its own homeless – and many have taken the opportunity to directly attack the Mayor’s character. This type of response is especially worrying considering that Bristol has a rich history of accepting refugees. One source of the animosity towards the refugees is the Conservative party’s choice to label this a ‘migrant’ crisis rather than a ‘refugee’ crisis. The public might not realize that Syrians seeking to enter Europe do so because they have very little choice. Whilst it is undeniable that life in Europe is an attractive prospect, what drives these refugees is what they flee from, not that which they flee towards. Some publications have positioned themselves as anti-refugee and have taken it
upon themselves to ‘prove’ the dangers of allowing Syrians to enter Britain. A photo that claims to show a Syrian refugee waving an ISIL flag has circulated online. It purports to show that Syrian refugees and ISIL members are one and the same. Yet the photo was taken before the rise of ISIL, and shows a flag that was appropriated by ISIL but not
created by the organisation. The flag’s emblem has existed for decades as a symbol of Islam. Recent weeks have seen the public’s initially negative response to the crisis transform into unwavering support and a celebration of the bravery of the refugees. The photo showing a drowned Syrian child that caused a U-turn in government
policy regarding the refugees has now been replaced by another image on social media: that of an American soldier and a young Syrian girl sharing a moment of comfort. In Germany, crowds gathered to welcome Syrians into their country. In London and Bristol, rallies took place in support of the refugees. The student population has been pivotal
in this regard – volunteering, marching and donating clothes. Some Bristol-based charities have even reported receiving too many donations to realistically cope with. Yet short-term aid is only half the picture. The true challenge the government faces is accepting refugees into our society in a fair and sustainable manner.
Westmoreland House Developers target Stokes Croft icon
“ Richard Assheton
Ben Duncan-Duggal What’s On Editor What do you think of when you think about Stokes Croft? Probably genuine, crusty, ‘alternative’ people, students unsuccessfully aping those people and a vibrant, slightly revolutionary local community. You probably don’t think of gleaming, gated communities. Yet that is what investors were seeking to introduce to Stokes Croft. Upon hearing that a prime slice of a soon-
to-be-gentrified area was up for sale, they started circling like sharks. Local residents proposed an alternative development plan for the area known as Carriageworks, with an emphasis on keeping prices low in an effort to stave off this encroaching gentrification. When the subsequent investor plans were markedly different, they complained - 1,300 times. Their problem was not with the prospect of development as a whole – 97 per cent of residents said they supported this. In fact, the Carriageworks Action Group (CAG) said that
‘The design is bland, boring, boxy and looks like a “London import”.’
they ‘want to see the dereliction of this site addressed as a priority and are keen to work with any organisation that embraces our vision for the future’. The problem, according to the residents, was that the plan submitted by London-
based development group Fifth Capital, who had acquired the site, had multiple issues. Firstly, a July CAG meeting decided, the design does not reflect the identity of Stokes Croft: ‘[it] is bland, boring, boxy and looks like a “London import”. It is out of place in this heritage street-scape’. Secondly, they continued, ‘the scheme is not in keeping with the spirit of the community vision’. Thirdly, ‘there is a real need for wellmanaged, affordable housing in this area’, which residents don’t think this will provide. It is questionable whether Fifth Capital really care about any of this, but they were forced to care by the presence of one significant obstacle - planning permission is required from Bristol City Council before the development can go ahead. Fifth Capital set about trying to address these three issues. With regards to the community space, they created a larger yard which will now include retailers, 75 per cent of whom will be independent retailers, as well as other changes including removing ‘anything resembling a gate’. They have also promised
to make flats smaller and more affordable. Some residents are still not convinced. One queried at the September CAG meeting: ‘why can’t it be 100 per cent [independent retailers]?’ Furthermore, analysis of the pricing structure available on the CAG website shows that it remains above the average price for the area, although only slightly. This could come down further if Fifth Capital work with a Housing Association (who could use government money to subsidise property prices), as they suggested they might. Clearly issues remain, but since 40 per cent of residents (with roughly 30 per cent abstaining) recently voted to accept the proposals, it appears that a compromise could be close. That the architecture will completely change the look of that area seems to have been silently accepted; as one UCL academic points out, ‘Modern day architecture in this digital age is a complete transformation from previous architectures, and these new builds will have a considerable
” impact on their surrounding
environment’ , but this inevitable change in look was not mentioned in the latest
Without rent control it is impossible to have an attractive, vibrant area and not expect interest in it from property developers
CAG meeting at all. An element of this acceptance may well be that local residents have realised that they cannot have their cake and eat it. In other words, without rent control it is impossible to have an attractive, vibrant area and not expect interest in it from property developers with their gleaming, cheap new builds.
Epigram
25.09.2015
119
The making of mayoralty
What might Sadiq Khan’s London mayor campaign mean for students? Kyàsat Nadeem Features Writer
“ The relationship between the Mayor’s of Bristol and London is more linked than it would seem
This victory offers the prospect of a mayor placing greater emphasis on the youth. Khan, who was the second youngest Labour candidate standing for mayor, was endorsed in an open letter signed by 100 young people. His team oversaw the creation of a new platform ‘Dare to Dream’, set up to give young people the opportunity to speak on various issues. The inaugural Dare to Dream event was hosted by first year Social Policy student Chanté Joseph, and speakers at the event spoke on issues ranging from unemployment to poverty and low voter turnouts amongst young people. The Conservative party’s campaign in London is simple. Boris Johnson, who re-entered Parliament this year after a seven-year exodus, will not be standing for Mayor in 2016. Zac Goldsmith, brother of Bristol alumna and social activist Jemima, is seen as Boris’ natural successor within the Tory ranks: a young, personable Conservative, with cross party appeal given his love of all things green. Zac was expelled from Eton for possession of cannabis in his youth, before becoming editor of The Ecologist, and has become known within the Tory ranks as an outspoken opponent to the expansion of Heathrow for environmental and constituency reasons. The race to be Bristol’s mayor is a far more straightforward rematch of the 2012 election. In the Labour party, Marvin
Rees, who was the bookmakers’ favourite for the mayoralty in 2012, will be aiming to oust George Ferguson, whose popularity has waned throughout his time in office, most recently following the introduction of the controversial residents parking scheme. Rees will be hoping to capitalise on the popularity of newly elected Bristol West MP ThangamDebonnaire,although it is unclear whether Thangam will be in the public eye over next year, as the University of Bristol’s local MP continues to undergo treatment for breast cancer. The Mayor of Bristol’s impact on the city and local community is self explanatory. Whilst the London contingent in Bristol is well known, the question must be asked: why and how is the Mayor of London relevant to Bristol, and indeed students at the university? The fact is that the mayoralty has huge implications for both the university and its students. Ken Livingstone, supporter of Khan and London mayor from 20002008, played a major role in bringing the Olympic games to London in 2012 where Bristol alumni secured 5 medals. Similarly, the next mayor will oversee the 2017 World Championships in London, where current Bristol Law student and long jump athlete Jazmin Sawyers will be hoping to compete. This week, Bristol will be welcoming thousands of students from over 120 countries, but which airport did these students arrive in? If the mayor has his way, it would be Gatwick. Whilst Goldsmith and Khan have many differences, both have argued against expanding Heathrow in favour of expanding Gatwick, a policy which has major implications for London’s economy as well as the journeys people across the globe make every day. Any students planning to graduate and move to London may want to keep an eye on events in the Mayor of London election, as key issues such as wages, housing costs and
Kyasat Nadeem
Bicycles. Floppy hair. Red trousers. Eccentric personalities. It’s what we have come to associate with mayors, whether that is Boris Johnson in London, or Bristol’s very own George Ferguson. And over the next 7 months, as students across Bristol prepare for their exams, some of the nation’s leading political figureheads will be facing the biggest test of their lifetimes: on May 5, 2016, local elections will be taking place across the country, with the mayoral position in both London and Bristol up for grabs. Away from the circus of Corbyn-mania,the Labour party in London were undergoing another selection process, choosing who would stand as the party’s official candidate for Mayor of London. Political titans Tessa Jowell and Sadiq Khan were the frontrunners, whilst many commentators predicted a surge in support for Diane Abbot’s campaign given her ties with Corbyn. The upcoming Mayor of London election shall be the first where neither Ken Livingstone nor Boris Johnson have stood for office, and offers the Labour party their first credible chance of a major victory since Tony Blair’s final general election victory a decade ago. The bookmakers, analysts and media had predicted a slight victory for Jowell’s campaign, which began 6 months before Khan’s, but the pollsters (not for the first time this year) had gravely miscalculated voter intention. Instead, the result was a resounding victory for Khan, who won every round, finishing with 58.9 per cent of the vote; in real terms, the born-and-bred Tooting MP secured a comprehensive and resounding victory in every category of the vote, and left Khan ‘overwhelmed’. There were public scenes of euphoria within Khan’s camp as the results were announced;
he entered the race as the underdog, just as when masterminding Ed Miliband’s victorious leadership campaign in 2010, but this time he had achieved a victory which no one could discredit.
Kyasat Nadeem
rent control will have major implications for those with their eye on the opportunities the capital has to offer. A key issue for the next mayor will be the rise of Uber, and its threat to black cabs, an icon within the British economy and culture. Last week, a security guard in City Hall was assaulted by a group of protesting cab drivers, with tensions amongst cabbies rising. Uber, which was released in Bristol earlier this year, has seen a surge in usage this week, and it will be interesting to see how the company fares in the face of intense political pressure. The chance to run for mayor allows the candidates the opportunity and platform to develop their own skills and public image, before potentially contesting the party leadership itself. Indeed, when questioned on his leadership credentials,newly appointed Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell highlighted his time as Chair of Finance of the Greater London Council as evidence of his ability to run the British economy. Boris Johnson is currently one of the favourites to succeed David Cameron, whilst Ken Livingstone unsuccessfully ran for leader of the Labour party in 1992 after his tenure as Leader of the Greater London Council, predecessor to the Mayor of London’s office. By contrast, it was this very lack of ambition which made George Ferguson unique as he first ran for Mayor of Bristol in 2012; Ferguson famously stated ‘My only purpose is to make Bristol, the city I love, a better city for all. I have no political ambition beyond Bristol’. Fiona Twycross sits on the London Assembly as a Labour party member, the body
which scrutinises the work the mayor undertakes and was recently elected Chair of the Economy Committee. Twycross explained how much power the mayor’s office actually holds, stating ‘People have become used to seeing the mayor as a ceremonious figure. The mayor’s office has a budget of £12 billion, and is responsible for bringing investment into the UK & London economy, developing the transport
” ‘...Boris has been fortunate to get away with delivering so little based on his persona’
system and creating more opportunity. Boris has been fortunate to get away with delivering so little based on his persona’. Twycross also noted that the powers within the Mayor’s remit are continually growing; the office of Mayor was only established in 2000, with City Hall built in 2002. Twycross stated: ‘As the Greater London Authority is a fairly new body, we are seeing the Mayor deal with issues that were not under his control originally. Boris has done more work on education, due to the expansion of control over this department. The next Mayor may have more power over healthcare, although [...] powers regarding healthcare are currently limited to mental health and HIV stigma’. When quizzed on how far the decisions the Mayor’s office takes effect the rest of the country, Twycross stated: ‘The
decisions taken by the Mayor have a major impact on the rest of the UK’s economy. The mayor is responsible for bringing investment into the UK, and the Mayor of London is now an international figurehead.’ The relationship between the mayors of Bristol and London is more linked than it would perhaps seem. In 2012, Bristol was the only one of 10 cities to follow London’s lead in adopting a mayoral system; a joint study by the University of Bristol and UWE earlier this year revealed that only a minority of Bristolians felt ‘public confidence had improved in decision-making’ with the new mayoral system, however there was ‘a dramatic increase in the visibility of city leadership’, observations that Twycross felt were accurate of Boris’ regime as Mayor of London. Clearly the strengths and weaknesses of the mayoral systems in Bristol and London are very similar. The mayoral elections next May in London, Bristol and many other parts of the UK present personality politics at its finest. Both Bristol and London’s elections will have major ramifications for students across the university, and the latter will impact on the world economy. If the selection process is anything to go by, the election campaign in London over the next seven months promises to be one of the most exciting election campaigns in recent years, with the hugely contrasting personalities of council-estate born, son of immigrants and human rights lawyer Sadiq Khan up against rebellious aristocrat and ecologist Zac Goldsmith, fighting for one of the top jobs in British politics.
Mediasite for STUDENTS: 10 things you need to know
1.
This new resource enables you to learn and revise effectively and creatively.*
2.
Please do NOT assume that everything will be recorded. This technology is being rolled out over the next two years, and there is no obligation for staff to record their lectures. Any queries - check with your lecturer.
3.
4.
5.
Seminars and other ‘interactive’ sessions will NOT be recorded. Furthermore, not all lectures (e.g. those using chalkboards) are suitable for recording.
6.
A FLASHING light indicates a recording is paused. NO LIGHT means no recording is taking place.
7.
You can expect recordings to be available within two working days, unless your lecturer has advised you otherwise.
8.
Recordings can only be accessed from within the unit space on Blackboard. You can access the recordings on any device, using the free Blackboard mobile app (Android and iOS versions) or device browser.
9.
Do NOT make copies of the Mediasite recordings as per the student agreement.
Mediasite does NOT replace lectures. Lecture recordings are intended as a supplement - you are still expected to attend your lectures as normal, take notes, engage with your unit and read the supplementary readings. The microphone is unlikely to pick up student voices. If you want to make sure you are not recorded, speak to your lecturer before the scheduled lecture.
A RED light (on the lectern) indicates a recording is taking place.
10. Recordings will be accessible for YOUR lifetime as a student at the University of Bristol.
Disclaimer: As with any technology, failures can happen and there are occasions when it is possible that a lecture will not be recorded and/or published.
*As with other services reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled students, including, but not limited to, the provision of subtitling.
Project contact details Project team: mediasite-help@bristol.ac.uk Project website: www.bris.ac.uk/mediasite
Comment
Epigram 25.09.2015
@epigramcomment Editor: Jordan Kelly-Linden Deputy Editor: Stefan Rollnick jkellylinden.epigram@gmail.com
srollnick.epigram@gmail.com
Online Editor: Liam Marchant lmarchant.epigram@gmail.com
”
This week Epigram asks... Did The Big Debate: Labour make the right decision?
‘The Labour Party is now a threat to our national security, our economic security and your family’s security.’ Lock away your partner and kids, Jeremy Corbyn is on the loose! This ominous tweet from David Cameron has been mocked by numerous comedians since it was sent out at the weekend. However, Cameron’s tweet should not be too readily dismissed. It highlights three key issues on which Corbyn will need to convince the electorate: the economy, foreign policy, and how his policies will affect people’s everyday lives. This article is not going to be an account of just how saintly Jeremy Corbyn is. I could spend the next few hundred words praising him for his role in the anti-apartheid movement at a time when Margaret Thatcher still regarded Nelson Mandela as a terrorist; or laud his record on LGBT rights (he spoke on a ‘No Socialism Without Gay Liberation’ platform as early as 1983); I could go through his important work with miscarriages of justice, an
John O’Brien Comment Writer Jeremy Corbyn. A veteran of the far-left who originally had 100-1 odds to win after struggling to even get onto the ballot paper has been elected Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition. But did Labour make the right choice? When Corbyn proclaimed in his victory speech ‘It doesn’t have to be unfair, poverty isn’t inevitable, things can, and they will, change,’ I
If we continue to fling large amounts of money into the system, we risk causing high levels of inflation liked him. As a supporter of the Labour party, I believe we all share two core goals: to eradicate
peace,’ but often disagree about his electability. In other words, whether Corbyn is a mistake for the country or for Labour are two different questions. So, we must consider a key tension with Corbyn’s policies—between theory and practice. People may agree with his broad goals, but will he be able to mobilise enough support for them and would they actually work in practice? Linked with this is
the gross poverty in our society while creating real opportunities for everyone to live happy and fulfilling lives. Corbyn’s commitment to these two core goals is clear and I support him for it. I even believe his policies would in theory help achieve these goals. Renationalise energy firms to bring prices down? Great. Increase arts spending? Fantastic. Scrap tuition fees and bring back grants? Bloody love it! So why do I think Labour made the wrong choice? Things with Corbyn start to unravel when we look at his ideas for funding these policies. His first funding idea is ‘People’s Quantitative Easing’ (PQE) which would essentially entail making the Bank of England print more money for government to spendw. Corbyn points out that normal QE, where the Bank of England printed money to just buy gilts off banks, merely lined the pockets of the wealthiest and didn’t trickle down into the wider economy. I fully agree and would’ve actually supported PQE in 2009 onwards, but for now I have my doubts. The UK economy is already growing at one of the highest rates of any developed country. If we continue to fling large amounts of money into the system, we risk causing high levels of inflation that will ultimately lead to the most vulnerable in society being worse
off. It’s dubious at least, disastrous at worst. Corbyn’s other funding idea to pay for these policies is to create a ‘national investment bank.’ It would get its spending money primarily by tackling tax evasion that Corbyn claims amounts to £120 billion a year. However, the tax campaigner Richard Murphy who produced this
It ultimately lets down the people who rely on a successful Labour Government being in power the most figure recently suggested that only £20 billion of this could actually be collected. Where’s the other £100 billion going to come from? The overall result is this: as Corbyn cannot honestly account for how he will fund these policies, they lose credibility. And without credibility we as a party are nothing. All we do, as Yvette Cooper pointed out, is provide false hope to people; promising policies we know we cannot afford while covering up the negative
”
Corbyn’s policies dealing with ‘Generation Rent’ and tuition fees would not cause a surge in his support amongst the young, whose support for Labour already increased in 2015. In terms of economics, he’s certainly not afraid to break
It’s hard to envisage a situation where Corbyn’s policies dealing with ‘Generation Rent’ and tution fees would not cause a surge in his support
the mould. His key policy, ‘People’s Quantitative Easing (PQE) for the people, has been described as ‘new, radical thinking’; ‘not same-old, sameold socialism’ by BBC Economics Editor, Robert Peston. PQE for the people would involve the Bank of England investing in new large scale housing, energy, transport and digital projects. However, the significance of all of this ultimately depends on whether he is genuinely electable, which of course, only you can decide.
Flickr: Sleeves Rolled Up pictures Samantha’s flickr:
No
I could spend the next few hundred words praising him for his role in the anti-apartheid movement...
what political scientist, Tim Bale, calls ‘preference shaping’ (convincing the electorate to see things your way) and ‘preference accommodation’ (having to meet your electorate halfway, in order to keep their support). Corbyn will have to do one of these in order to convince the electorate. Olivia Bailey, Research Director at the Fabian Society, a socialist thinktank, is pessimistic about the ability of Corbyn’s policies to galvanise the electorate. As she sees it, Corbyn has three ways of gaining votes: winning over non-voters, encouraging young people to vote and squeezing anti-Tory votes from Greens, UKIP and SNP. It is only by doing all of these that Jeremy stands a chance of succeeding. She concludes her piece on Corbyn’s electoral prospects with the warning that, ‘any strategy to win the next election will require Labour winning over a lot of people who voted Tory in 2015.’ However, it is not inconceivable that Corbyn would be able to tap into Bailey’s three areas of support to a large extent. As a result, her pessimistic conclusion seems somewhat misguided. For example, in 2015, only 43 per cent of 18-24 year olds voted, compared with 78 per cent of 65+. It is hard to envisage a situation where
“
Yes
Nick Quefferus Comment Writer
issue still blighting our criminal justice system. Corbyn’s stance on many social issues actually seems to be much less divisive than many other politicians. It is whether he is, in fact, electable which causes much of the disagreement between Labour members. As Andrew Sparrow in the Guardian notes, ‘all Labour members are signed up to his broad goals of social justice, equality and
consequences the funding for these policies will bring. It ultimately lets down the people who rely on a successful Labour Government being in power the most. For this reason Labour made the wrong choice. Instead we need to find the most economically efficient way of achieving our core goals while crucially still being credible. We need to emulate the eternally frugal Corbyn whose ‘savings by cycling, not shaving and sourcing £1.50 vests’ means he had the lowest expenses of any MP for two years in a row. For example, instead of renationalizing energy firms to bring prices down lets endorse Miliband’s policy of a price cap (it’s free). Lets propose making left wing cuts to government spending too: scrap Trident renewal (£100 billion), cut the amount we give to the Royal family (currently £35 million year) and halve the number of Lords we have (saving £10 million a year). There’s probably some smarty-pants in a think-tank with loads of ideas up his sleeve. We can be radical but we must crucially be credible. Corbyn was the wrong choice but we as the Labour party are still ultimately what Britain needs. We will back stronger, smarter and far quicker than presumed.
Epigram
25.09.2015
12 14
Theresa May’s attitude towards international students will ruin us
Jordan Kelly-Linden thinks that changes to international student visas are misguided, here’s why:
Jordan Kelly-Linden Comment Editor All the big national newspapers have discussed Theresa May’s changes to overseas student visas, and with a new academic year about to unfold, Epigram thought that it was our turn to tackle the issue. Under new rules, backed by the Home Secretary, foreign students from outside of the EU will be forced out of the country at the end of their courses. As part of the new rules, as soon as their student visa’s run out, they will be forced to leave the country before they can re-apply for a work visa or a visa extension to continue their studies. May’s proposal also denies international students the right to work while in the UK. The Conservative government’s immigration minister claimed
that this move was ‘part of our plan to control immigration for the benefit of Britain.’ However, while the new rules will certainly put a stop to fake colleges, and clamp down on those abusing the current system, ultimately the biggers losses in this situation will be for our economy and the skills sector. Overseas students who come to the UK to study are not the kind of economic burden that, with these new proposals, the Tory government are making them out to be. The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills estimated in 2011/2012 overseas students studying at higher education institutions in the UK paid £3.9bn in tuition fees and £6.3bn in living expenses. That’s a grand total of £10.2bn. All this money from international students went straight into the UK economy, and when you compare this figure to the costs incurred by a typical UK student, the benefits of immigration become clear. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has estimated that the average debt on graduation for the 2012 co-hort will be £44,000 (in 2014 prices). However, after 30 years any remaining debt gets written off, and since the IFS predict that just under three quarters of these students will not repay their loan in full, this means that the system that has been created is seriously flawed which will inevitably end
“
May claims that these new rules ‘benefit’ Britain, but I can’t see them benefitting anyone. Epigram / Jordan Kelly-Linden
geograph.org.uk
International student ambassadors help new students settle in
in disaster. While international students begin their studies with £0 in debt to the government, the average UK student, having used services such as the NHS and subsidised public transport, has been in debt from the day their were born. May claims that these new rules ‘benefit’ Britain, but I can’t see them benefiting anyone. Right now we’re bringing bright non-EU students in, putting pressure on class sizes and accommodation. However, as soon as these students ripen into prime candidates for highly skilled jobs, we kick them out of the country. By doing so we completely miss out on the opportunity to take advantage of their skills and intelligence. Making them leave as soon as they graduate is a waste of funds. If we force them out of the country just as they prepare to give back in full, then we cannot justify the level of strain hosting them in the first place puts on famously under-funded institutions already struggling to cope with the increasing numbers of UK students going to university. Not only that, but considering that India is one of the biggest exporters of qualified doctors and IT consultants – sectors that are undersubscribed in the UK – it seems pretty short sighted to put barriers in place under the misguided pretence that ‘we don’t need these kinds of students here’. Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that International students are a vital addition to Britain. Not just because they contribute billions of pounds to our economy and not just because they willingly and enthusiastically would increase the number of GP’s or engineers if we let them, but they also have the potential to add an immeasurable amount of value to our own university experience. The whole reason we go to university is to widen our world view. We’re here to learn,
not just about our course subject, but to expose ourselves to other people’s opinions, to appreciate other cultures and to come into contact with others who have a different perspective on life. Their presence creates diversity, and the benefits of that this are beyond comprehension. This year Bristol is set to take on around 103 more international students than last year. Obviously, while an increase in student numbers, is certainly not something that many students welcome. The reality of the situation is, that without international students, university would, for one, be unaffordable for almost all home students, and, for another, wouldn’t even be worth the time or effort.
Do copyright laws apply to social media and the internet? Ben Duncan-Duggal tries to take a stab at the concept of ownership of ideas, using a slightly perculiar example
Ben Duncan-Duggal What’s On Editor
There is no reason why this should change on the internet. The mass copyright infringement which takes place each day does not provide an excuse, yet it is often cited as one. The individual pieces making up the infringement can’t be justified by the wider wrong. ‘Everyone else is doing it’ is as stupid an excuse as it sounds – using that argument would justify just about anything, from genocide to
”
a commodity. Whilst the ideas behind art may not be a commercial product, something that copyright law acknowledges, art is money. The value of art can never truly be quantified beyond an individual level, but our copyright laws try to do so nonetheless.
Copyright doesn’t stop for the internet, but despite this, literally millions of photos and passages of text are copied from the internet each day, all free to access. public urination. Morality is not something which shifts depending on the actions on others, even if our perception of morality often does. Some might argue that art cannot be a commodity and therefore cannot be bought or sold. This is not true. It is in an uncomfortable thought, but something which is produced by someone and bought by another can only be
Jordan Kelly-Linden
Imagine for a second, that you love plastic forks. You decide to start an Instagram account, strictly plastic fork pictures only. One day, you see a picture on Instagram posted by one of the many professional plastic fork picture outfits you follow. It’s a pretty nice photo. It’s one of those photos which reminds you why you got involved in the game (as insiders call it), and makes you fall in love with it all over again. You decide that it must be shared, and it must be shared by you. Months later, still wallowing in reflected glory, you receive a letter which contains a worrying level of red ink. It informs you that when you copied that lovely photo, you were in infringement of the copyright of the original account holder and may be liable for damages. But is the letter right? And should you care? At first glance, yes. Copyright in the UK is an automatic right which applies to pretty much any creative product, including film, music, sound recordings, writing and photos. (It doesn’t, however, cover the ideas behind any of these).
Having an automatic right means that the copyright holder doesn’t have to do anything to protect it. If something is covered by copyright, then you can’t translate, copy, perform or adapt the work without their permission. If you do, you’re liable for any royalties to the tune of what you made from the infringement, or damages to the amount which the copyright holder would have charged the infringer for a licence. Copyright doesn’t stop for the internet, but despite this, literally millions of photos and passages of text are copied from the internet each day, all free to access. There is no such thing as ‘public domain’. Whether that is right or wrong is something which Josh Ostrovsky, a.k.a. The Fat Jew, would probably have an opinion on. He regularly posts memes and jokes to his Instagram account. They’re funny enough to have gained him 5.9 million followers and enabled him to start his own Rosé wine brand. But in August 2015, The Fat Jew was accused of stealing jokes by comedian Davon Magwood. He owned up. Should he have done? Once something is out there, isn’t it out there? Once you’ve given away your product on the internet, shouldn’t people be allowed to use it as they wish? Many musicians, artists and comedians would disagree. After all, what is the difference between copying a piece of work to make money off of it and stealing cold hard cash from someone?
‘Fork, what have I done?’
Epigram
25.09.2015
15
Dear future husband: So you think you understand consent? With freshers week underway, Jordan Kelly-Linden tackles the definition of sexual harassment and consent Jordan Kelly-Linden Comment Editor Did you know that a study by the University of Surrey quoted Bristol as the second best university to find love at? Did you also know that Boris Johnson once said that women go to university to ‘find men to marry’?… Yes, both of those things happened. So with freshers’ coming up (so excited about the whole new influx of men to prey upon!), and since the only reason I’m here is to find a husband (by the way, where are you?), I thought I’d just write an open letter to the lucky boy, to let him know about a few things he should know if he wants to be, in the words of Megan Trainor, ‘my one and only all my life.’
If we’re really going to work then there’s a few things we really need to address. Let’s start with sexual harassment. The NUS Hidden Marks Survey of 2010 found that nearly 70 per cent of female university students have experienced verbal or non-verbal harassment in or around their institution. Now, dear husband, maybe it was you that shouted ‘nice arse, love’ at me from a passing car as I left the gym in my workout clothes last week, or maybe it wasn’t. But either way, I think, just to be safe, we really should brush up on the definition of sexual harassment. Verbal sexual harassment includes comments about my appearance, body or clothes; indecent
”
remarks; unwelcome questions or comments about my sex life; requests for sexual favours; sexual demands. Shouting, asking, or even texting or emailing me anything along the lines of these is not ‘a joke’, ‘a bit of fun’, or, even worse, ‘flattering’, it is violating and abhorrent. Petting, kissing, caressing without my consent or touching me inappropriately isn’t okay either. Let’s make that clear, as clear as the UK legislation on sexual assault, dearest mine: A person (A) commits an offence if(1) He intentionally touches another person (B), (2) the touching is sexual, (3) B does not consent to the touching, and (4) A does not reasonably believe that B consents
70 per cent of female university students have experienced verbal or non-verbal harassment
By this definition, hubby, if you grab my bum in a club as I walk by or throw yourself on me when
”
That’s not normal behaviour, it’s not ‘banter’ or something to high five the ‘lads’ about
I’m not interested on a night out, that’s sexual assault. That’s not normal or acceptable behaviour, it’s not ‘banter’ or something to high five the ‘lads’ about, it’s a serious criminal offence that carries a maximum ten-year prison sentence. Now, you might think I’ve been a bit harsh on you asking you to really consider the definition of sexual harassment, but the reality of the situation is that last year Epigram found that 45 per cent of students have experienced sexism or sexual
Flickr / Chris JD
Dear future husband,
Flickr/Robert Cutts
Here goes:
harassment whilst at the University of Bristol and in 2010 the NUS Hidden Marks Survey also found that one in seven female university students has experienced a serious verbal or non-verbal harassment in or around their institution. Whether or not you’re one of the ones instigating it, my love, are you stepping in to try stop it? I mean if we’re going to be joined in holy matrimony one day, we need to look out for each other don’t we? That’s the only way this relationship is going to work, don’t ya think sweetie? Anyway, I await your response. Remember though, I’m in my final year of husband hunting so time is ticking. Lots of love, Jordz
Speaker’s Corner: The best years of my life, are you having me on? Flikr/icanteachyouhowtodoit
Benjie Beer Comment Writer
If I could say one thing to every new student at the University of Bristol this year, I would say: ‘Do not expect a thing.’ It is an absolute truth with everything in life that if we expect nothing then we will appreciate what we get, and we will be happier. But I write this with a particular emphasis on starting at university, because it is often a time and a place when fear and excitement are far greater and our expectations far wilder than they have ever been before. So to everyone who is either returning to uni or arriving for the first time, remember to lower your expectations – there are a lot of reasons to do so. We have a big cultural problem in this country when it comes to young people and university. It can more or less be summed up in the phrase ‘your student years are the best years of your life.’ Whether or not this is true (it isn’t) is actually beside the point; if we take this attitude into university life, then we will inevitably be disappointed, because it leads us into the Fear Of Missing Out and overindulgence in short-lived, sensual pleasures.
This is a very strange and historically very recent development and it puts an enormous psychological burden on young people. What tends to happen to students as a result of this attitude is this train of thought: ‘I’m young and I’m at university, so I must be having a good time at all times otherwise there’s something wrong with me. And I can’t admit when I am not having a good time because it’s unnatural.’ Spot the problem? For students, having this attitude at university is obviously incredibly dangerous. When suddenly we are surrounded by parties, nightclubs, drugs and alcohol, we feel as if we must indulge in all these things as much as we can and attempt to look happy all the time. Social media then becomes a very dangerous tool because people use it to create
images of themselves that hide their insecurities. Our attitude to sex also changes, because we are made to feel as if we should be having it all the time, which makes us more frustrated, and we value it even less as an intimate connection. So the answer is this: do not expect your life at university to be filled with constant ecstasy. Understand that the Fear Of Missing Out is something we must resist, and that most of the time wherever we currently are is the best place we can be. Remember that the idea that your younger years are the best years of your life is a cultural invention. Rene Descartes even thought that the reason people tend to be sad is because they start life as children! This attitude is more deeply ingrained than you
might first assume, but it is something that must, must, must be overcome if we are to create a happy environment at university. For Freshers in particular, remember that with a great sense of exhilaration comes a great sense of uncertainty, and we must ignore the cultural impulse to pretend that we do not feel the uncertainty. It is healthier to assume that you will not automatically be happy than to lead your life with the expectation that ecstasy and fulfilment is yours in a few years as a student. Remember this, and you will be happy at university.
Epigram
25.09.2015
Science & Tech
Editor: Alfie Smith scienceandtech@epigram.org.uk
@EpigramSciTech Deputy Editor: Matt Davis deputyscienceandtech@epigram.org.uk
Students that commission work online risk dismissal from course
Flickr: Sveln Halvor Halvorsen
“
Nobody likes writing essays. So if someone offered to help you with your work, you’d most likely jump at the chance. Unfortunately, the line between help and cheating can sometimes be indistinct. With social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter personalising their advertising. Instead of Lynx or Calvin Klein adverts, some students have noticed that the suggested posts popping up in their news feeds are actually advertising
Punishments for
cheating escalate until dismissal from your degree course
“
privacy so Universities can’t see who bought a tailored essay. The University of Bristol describes cheating in their exam regulations as; ‘acting dishonestly in any way… to obtain unfair advantage in the examination’, with punishments for
The use of any online
resources is problematic
The university made clear its stance on commissioning essays with Professor Alvin Birdi, Academic Director of Undergraduate Studies saying, ‘We value academic integrity very highly and take a dim view of any deceptive use of commissioned essays or dissertations. The use of any online resources is problematic when a student claims the resource as their own’. If an essay was custom
written then it wouldn’t be possible to tell if it was from someone else, but what’s to stop a site reusing the same content? You may think that your essay is custom made, and not a copy sent to others with similar questions but there’s no way for you to check other universities and other courses. Turnitin goes across faculties and has no such problem. Although some of these websites
try and put up a respectable façade the truth is that that it is cheating, so don’t get caught out. The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy that some of these websites seem to have adopted so that they can claim ignorance of customers submitting their essay as their own is not adopted by all. One of the websites was quite candid stating ‘this is the place where students ask please do my essay for me without
These websites are
cashing in on vulnerable students worrying about their future
any hesitation’. With the almost constant pressure that students are under to perform well throughout continuous assessment, it is little wonder that some turn to essay writing websites. The problem is that these websites are cashing in on vulnerable students worrying about their future. Don’t fall for it as the consequences cost much more than the reward. So the next time you’re finishing an essay at 3am remind yourself that it really is worth the effort.
when students claim the resource as their own
cheating escalating all the way up until dismissal from your degree course. You may be aware that the University employs a cheat detection system called Turnitin, a piece of software that compares the similarity of submitted work to all previous sources.
Flickr: Pete
websites offering to write customised essays. However, what they don’t tell you is that it runs the risk of getting kicked of your course. For a substantial fee, these websites offer to get ‘highly qualified academics’ to write an answer to any essay question. You have the option to select what standard of answer you would like with a First Class 2000 word essay setting you back up to £350, or a PhD answer rather pricier at £780. For first time customers some websites even have a helpful section entitled ‘is this cheating’, a disclaimer that states that these tailored essays should only be used as learning tools and anyone who submits one as their own work will be guilty of plagiarism. Despite this, there is no way for the company to control the essays after they are sent to the customers and they fastidiously ensure clients
“
Matt Davis Deputy Science Editor
App of the week: the companion Matt Davis Deputy Science Editor
Flickr: : Robert S. Donovan
This week’s app turns your phone into a personal safety device so that your friends can virtually walk you home after a night out. A great idea and well worth a download in particular for freshers, if not purely to prevent you getting lost when staggering back from your first night out in Lakota. Designed by a group of students at the University of Michigan, the app has proved immensely popular, but with tens of thousands downloading it, usability has suffered slightly with the team working hard to fix the bugs caused by sheer numbers of new users. The app uses the GPS on your smartphone to track the progress you make along the route that you’ve traced into the map on your phone. The app asks you to nominate
several contacts to walk you home, in case some aren’t available, those nominated will receive a text with a link to an interactive map where they can watch your progress. If you deviate off your route, or act in an usual way, for example, break into a run or the motion detector in your phone senses you falling, the app will ask if you’re okay. If the prompt is not dismissed in 15 seconds, then your
phone will emit a siren noise to deter the attacker, and your phone will give you the option to call the police and send them your exact GPS location. There is also a function which allows the user to mark the spots where they feel ill at ease by pressing the ‘I’m Nervous’ button. The hope is that by documenting areas where people feel worried without having the express need for help, the information can be
passed onto the police so they can put more officers on patrol in potential trouble spots. The creators are trying to link the app with university campus security in the US and eventually in the UK as well. This app is also free so you really should give it a try. Once the infrastructure is updated to accommodate the higher demand, I expect in a few years it could be as
ubiquitous to the ‘night out’ as the Jaeger Bomb.
Epigram 25.09.2015
17
The great sword and the great shield Alfie Smith Deputy Science Editor
“
Its firewall design is really just a means to launch offensive attacks on sites deemed hostile by the government.
is small as it slows down the speed of the connection. Such a system couldn’t work for a country, and this why the Great Firewall is an outflow system. It stands to the side of the connection making a copy everything passing through; it then reassembles it and inspects it. Crucially,
flickr:USARMYEUROPE
China’s relationship to the Internet is complicated. The state is torn between its perceived need to censor information and its desire to be a global economic power. For many years, the ruling party’s main solution to this problem was the ‘Great Firewall’ (GF). However, new research by the University of Toronto, amongst others, has identified a new, offensive, tool they have dubbed the ‘Great Cannon’ (GC). A firewall is a barrier between two systems that all data must go through. There are two main types, inflow and outflow. An inflow system is what most people recognize. It stands between the sender and receiver. All data packets are inspected before they are let through. It’s practical to use this kind when the traffic it can’t stop anything already in transit. If the system finds anything it doesn’t like, then it will inject fake reset scripts that make each sender think the other wants them to stop communicating. It can’t stop packets that have already been sent but it can stop more from being sent. An outflow system like this is obvious to the sender. However, it seems unlikely that the Chinese Government is concerned by the world knowing that it censors web traffic. The new Great Cannon is special kind of inflow system. It doesn’t attempt to stop and inspect all packets, only those that come from a list of designated addresses. This prevents a bottleneck
and frees up the system to focus on key areas like social networks and advertising. The GC doesn’t stop the connection from a listed address. Around 98% of the packets are let through. The other 2%, selected at random, are replaced with malicious scripts that are capable of recruiting the sender into a future DDOS attack. These attacks overwhelm a website with so much traffic that it is unable to deal respond correctly and is effectively shut down. Most of the communications targeted by the GC were those coming through Baidu, a Chinese computer services firm that mainly acts as a host
and a search engine. Interestingly, in all trials the malicious script was only added into the response from Baidu. Researchers at The Citizen Lab discovered this indirectly by checking if Baidu responded in the expected way. Even when they received back the malicious script, Baidu acted in the correct way meaning only the response was altered. Further analysis of the IP addresses found in several known GC DDOS attacks shows that they primarily come from Taiwan and Hong Kong, with the US, Malaysia and the Australia making up the rest. The results from other trials
Hamish Hay Science Writer Ever since David Nutt was sacked as the Government’s Chief Drugs Advisor, many have become sceptical about whether our government will ever have an evidence-led approach to drug policy. It has been proven that a range of social factors contribute to addictive drug use and that prosecuting users often makes the situation worse. The drugs industry fuels violence around the world. In Mexico, 100,000 people have been killed in in the ‘Narco wars’. It also appears that the Islamic State
is using similar funding streams. The supply chain is the main agent of misery, and prosecuting an addicted user who was largely forced into the situation by societal factors is unlikely to tackle the problem. We’re finally seeing some progressive policy developing in this area. The Liberal and the Green manifestos both include commitments to decriminalise personal drug use, whilst clamping down on the supply side for those substances that cause harm. Sadly, this logic is rarely applied to another industry that has destructive consequences; the hydrocarbon industry. Whilst some of us desperately
try to take some responsibility by changing our personal habits, most don’t stand a chance in a world that’s built around oil. A barrel of oil will ultimately be converted into CO2, and thus all oil extracted from the ground is guaranteed to contribute to famine and hardship for the poorest people around the world, as climate change leads to crops failing and sea levels rising. Meanwhile, the oil industry continues to suck out every last drop in order to feed this system. Yet, most countries are still committed to regulation of the demand for hydrocarbons whilst leaving the supply chain, and the gangs of oil extractors, untouched.
Let’s retake control of our oil supply chain, for the long term good of our people and our planet
Controlling them would be simple. The North Sea is extracted by only a few companies and our government could also nationalise the oil fields themselves. World governments should agree to only allow extraction in keeping with recommendations by the IPCC, accompanied by a huge transfer of resources to the developing world to account for the emissions that
to Chinese citizens. China is not the first state to directly fund these kinds of programs. While not officially confirmed the US and the UK appear to have capabilities similar to the GC. It is widely speculated that the NSA’s quantum program can also target addresses with malicious scripts. The US and China both claim that the majority of attacks conducted against each other come from rogue agents rather than state run programs. This false narrative is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. This frontier of Silent Warfare is growing closer to spilling into the public eye with many countries rapidly developing a more sophisticated defensive and aggressive tool to fight in the new cyber war. have got us to where we are today. We could even off the costs of environmental damage by taking a large cut of all oil proceeds and placing in into a national savings account. Norway has shown how this can be done, where the public own 70 percent of their North Sea oil companies and tax revenues are stored in a sovereign wealth fund, worth over £0.5 trillion. The ‘fossil fuel divestment’ campaign is persuading organisations to withdraw investments in the hydrocarbon extraction industry. It is an important step in the right direction, but if governments are serious about climate change limiting the supply is next step. Let’s retake control of our oil supply chain, for the long term good of our people and our planet. flickr:Richardmasoner
“
Time to overcome our coke addiction
strongly suggest that the GC system is located near the GF adding weight to the conclusion that it is state run. Furthermore, the DDOS attacks have focused on sites that officials have declared as seditious, like Greatfire. org. Greatfire is a NFP that records censorship in China. It has suffered several DDOS attacks directly linked to the GC. Citizen Lab claims that the GC’s design does not reflect technology well-suited for performing traffic censorship and that its firewall design is really ‘just a means to launch offensive attacks on sites deemed hostile by the government’. It enlists unwitting foreign computers into taking part in DDOS attacks on sites they consider to be spreading dangerous information
Epigram
25.09.2015
Letters
@EpigramLetters Editor: Sophie Hunter letters@epigram.org.uk
What now for the Liberal Democrats? Sam Head Letters writer
“ There is a pressing need for an alternative opposition.
This leaves the door open to the Liberal Democrats to carve out a vital role in the political landscape. For those of us who heed the warnings of history and appreciate the damage unleashed both by Thatcherism and pernicious Socialism, there is a pressing need for an alternative opposition. An opposition
Flickr:Boudewijn Berends
The demolition of the Liberal Democrat party in the recent election and the media obsession with Jeremy Corbyn’s rise to prominence has meant that your selection as the new Liberal Democrat leader has passed with relatively little attention. To many this may at first glance seem reasonable considering that you are one of only eight remaining Liberal MPs in the House of Commons; however the arrival of the socialist firebrand Corbyn has disturbed much of Her Majesty’s opposition and members of the public who feel cut adrift between the divisive ideologies of a Tory government and a hard left leaning shadow cabinet.
that is determined to challenge the excesses of Tory austerity but which also is prepared to avoid being the lap dog of the in vogue calls for ‘large state’ antiausterity alternatives. By building on a traditional reputation for effective local governance (which members of my home city of Bristol are already reporting the loss of) and by promoting a positive Liberal message; the Liberal Democrats can become a force in British politics once more. A party dedicated to empowering individuals at the community level, a party prepared to accept the positive role the market can play but which ensures those with the broadest shoulders carry the heaviest load. The Equal Marriages Act, the legislation on Free School Meals and the legislation on Mental Health were a sample of what the Liberals have to offer in government and which were neglected by an electorate who forgot what a sacrifice the Liberal Democrats made when they dutifully formed a coalition with the Conservatives which was the only viable option for a stable UK government in 2010. Only by taking a stand between indiscriminate austerity and Labour’s new found love for debilitating socialism can the Liberal Democrats build a spring board for future success. Britain needs a party willing to stand up for individuals across society, for sexual freedom, for the environment and for civil liberties; ground which the Liberal Democrats alone own.
What the social media obsession means for the student community
“ “
Dear Mr Farron,
Sophie Hunter Letters Editor
Let’s be honest, you can’t be a student in 2015 without being on Facebook. You wouldn’t just be out of the social loop, you would actually be at an academic disadvantage, missing out on everything from educational academic speakers to enriching student theatre. The two worlds of university and social media collide the moment UCAS offers are confirmed and soonto-be freshers from across the country start conversing about which halls to apply for and what (over-priced and underwhelming) freshers events to buy tickets for. Head over to Twitter to stay up to date with student media and Snapchat for your friend’s endlessly long story after a ‘big night out’.
No one is as good looking, worldly, cultured, smart or blissfully happy as their online equivalent
But despite its engulfing presence in our lives, perhaps we should stop to think of the pressures it places on students to portray themselves in a certain way. You would be a fool to assume that someone’s online presence
is a totally accurate depiction of their day to day lives. No one is as good looking, worldly, cultured, smart or blissfully happy as their online equivalent, and everybody knows it! So why do we persist in presenting this false façade? For most of us it comes down to wanting to impress. But who? Your friends from home; your new uni mates; your aunt? Whoever it may be, most of us are guilty of entertaining this social trend. On a basic level, consuming this tweaked reality is harmless so long as you accept it for what it is: tweaked. But unfortunately, for some, the allencompassing nature of social media and this pressure for perfection can lead to feelings of inadequacy, particularly for people of our generation. In a 2014 survey 2 in 5 18-34 year olds admitted that they would feel happier if they used social media less. And when we measure success in ‘likes’ this seems obvious. Whether or not social media puts pressure on students to portray their lives in one particular way is debatable, though. University culture has a reputation for being an open and accepting environment in which all sorts of people, cultures and values are brought together and appreciated. So, despite their differences, by and large, cliquey, playground mentalities do seems to disappear. However, although in a student environment we tend to be
more accepting of personal nuances and thus their online presentations, there is still a pressure to present the best, most successful version on yourself online. Following last year’s viral #icebucketchallenge and #nomakeupselfie trends many argued that social media has encouraged narcissism within our culture. Is turning a charitable gesture into selfexhibitionism really all that charitable? Or is the method simply a means to an end, it’s difficult to argue against the £8 million bare-faced women raised for Cancer Research UK in only 6 days.
Social media places unprecedented scrutiny on self-images we all know to be exaggerated
Social media, whether we like to admit it or not, dominates student lives and places unprecedented scrutiny on self-images we all know to be exaggerated. But, the positive influence of social media in our lives out-weighs the occasional Instagram induced jealousy we all feel from time to time, in my opinion. Social media can be fantastic so long as it is consumed with a pinch of salt and an occasional reality check.
Tweets of the fortnight:
Flickr:Liberal Demorcrats
New party leader, Tim Farron, at a Liberal Democrat conference.
@LauraaDevitt -
“lets just hope eduroam is on point when I get back to bristol.”
@C0YL3 -
“Bunker toilets is not a good choice of a bed for the night ... #startbristoluni”
@AbiAbrahams -
“Packing for uni is so stressful how many duvets do I need how many nail varnishes do I need how many sets of fairy lights so many decisions”
Anything in this issue catch your eye? Want to respond to our writers? Write us a letter and send it to shunter.epigram@gmail.com
C U LT U R E
Epigram/ Hannah Price
Epigram
25.09.2015
Arts
Editor: Mattie Brignal
Deputy Editor: Ed Grimble
Online Editor: Amy Stewart
arts@epigram.org.uk
egrimble@epigram.org.uk
astewart@epigram.org.uk
@EpigramArts
A fresh introduction to Bristol’s arts scene
As a warm welcome from our brand spanking new Epigram Arts Team we’ve put together a collection of all our favourite arty haunts from around the city. Whether you like a quirky gallery, a poetry slam, or amateur dramatics there will be something here for you to get stuck into!
Galleries & Art the M Shed is great for getting a bit more familiar with your new home with its more Bristol-centric exhibitions. The gallery holds a number of local history displays. And lastly, for more local, out-of-the-way exhibits the galleries throughout Stokes Croft are brilliant; some of our favourites include the Its All 2 Much gallery and 123 Space. These small spaces get relatively little publicity, but are well worth a visit to discover some of Bristol’s best local artists. Don’t forget that Bristol’s street art scene is amazing, so just by having a wander round Bristol you’re sure to come across some exciting pieces, maybe even a Banksy or two.
Epigram/ Amy Stewart
Bristol has such a varied, ever evolving art scene and the galleries strewn across the city reflect this beautifully. First up is, of course, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery where you can find the biggest, typically ‘mainstream’ and classic exhibitions with a wide range of appeal; settled right next to Wills Memorial Building it’s an easy drop in for a cultured break between lectures. If you are more interested in alternative or contemporary art then the Arnolfini is perfect and can be found along Bristol’s harbourside. Those of you in Favell, Waverley and the Rackhay halls - this is right on your doorstep. For those feeling a bit out of their depth,
Theatre
Epigram/ Amy Stewart
From touring West End shows, to modest local dramatics, Bristol’s variety of theatres have a lot to offer, so keep an eye out on what’s coming up this year- we certainly will! Runs of student productions are often only a few days long, so keeping up to date is vital. Bristol’s Hippodrome, right in the city centre on St. Augustine’s Parade, is where you’ll find all of the big touring West End shows. Last year were treated to a repertoire of hugely successful shows like ‘Wicked!’ and ‘War Horse’. Tickets can be a little expensive so look out for their student deals, or beg your parents for a cultured evening out when they come to visit! If you’re looking for some history, head over to The Old Vic where you can find local, professional productions and impressive
18th century interior. Arthur Miller’s allegorical drama ‘The Crucible’ is playing here in October and is one to grab a ticket for. For most main student productions, look no further than the brand new Winston Theatre and the Pegg Studio Theatre within the Student Union building in Clifton. As well as these, you can also find the Wickham Theatre along Woodland road to make the most of our student dramatics. The dramatic societies at Bristol work feverishly throughout the year, so there is always something to put in your diaries. For intimate shows with a bar at closereach don’t overlook The Alma Tavern and Theatre which hosts a mixture of local amateur productions and professional touring productions.
The Old Vic currently stands as Britain’s longest continuously-running theatre
Open mic & Spoken word For a top class poetry slam, head over to the Big Chill Bar on Small Street for their Hammer and Tongue evenings on the first Wednesday of every month featuring some of the best touring spoken word acts. Any aspiring artists should also make use of their open slam to flex their poetic muscles in a friendly environment. Stokes Croft’s The Arts House offers a variety of spoken word and creative writing events on a more relaxed and friendly scale with a cup of coffee.
Flickr/ TEDxExeter
The Bristol poetry scene is alive and kicking with lots of regular events held all over the city by students and independent groups. Here’s a couple we have handpicked that we think are worth heading over to. Bristol University’s own Poetry and Creative Writing Society hold monthly Raise the Bar events in the Union building featuring some of the most exciting young poets performing in Bristol at the moment, as well as guest appearances by poets like Mark Grist - so look out for these!
Award-winning spoken word artist and Bristol graduate Harry Baker
WHO
Sarah Kane Playwright 1971 - 1999
Flickr/ Peter Lorre
A former Bristol drama student who took an interest in poetry and acting, Sarah Kane was one of the pioneering playwrights of the In-YerFace theatre movement. Despite her short career (she took her own life at the age of 28) Kane truly impacted on contemporary theatre. She challenged taboos, shocked critics, and burnt images into the minds of her audiences.
WHAT In 1995 Kane experienced the tricky combination of fame and notoriety at just 23 years old. Her first play Blasted was condemned by critics as a ‘disgusting piece of filth’. The media consequently thrust labels upon her and termed her the ‘Bad Girl of British Drama’. Her career spanned 5 plays and one short film piece, Skin, which explored racism in an unpredictable and graphic manner.
Epigram
25.09.2015
“
41
The new poetry of politics and protest
Jeremy Corbyn’s rise has prompted a fresh flurry of left wing poetry. Flora Noble examines the long tradition of the poetic polemic Poetry is considered the oldest form of human expression, with the first surviving poem dating from approximately 2500 BC and ever since its birth, the art form has been a powerful means of political phraseology. But it is only in the last few hundred years that the left have harnessed the medium as a way to discuss and voice the struggles of the proletariat, demonstrating their inherent passion. An archetypal example is Heinrich Heine’s poem ‘The Silesian Weavers’ which was published in Karl Marx’s newspaper, Vorwärts!, in 1844. Heine’s work documents the struggles of Prussian weavers who, due to the industrial revolution, were being made unemployed, causing them to revolt. Although this uprising was unsuccessful, Heine’s poem highlights a true attempt by workers to end their exploitation and oppression at the hands of an industrial elite. In tandem, we can consider a poem entitled ‘Corbyn’ by Ernest Schonfield, one of an anthology of poems inspired by, but not necessarily in support of, the new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Like ‘The Silesian Weavers’, Schonfield emphasises the anger of the working class and their search for a
“
way to escape the tyranny of the powers that be. Corbyn’s supporters are ‘sick of New Labour bullshit’ and laugh at those who ‘suck up to bankers’. The poem labels Tony Blair a war criminal, referencing the radical Left belief that, amongst the government, there is a total disregard for the lives of the proletariat. This echoes Heine’s assertion that they ‘took every penny we had to give/ Then shot us like dogs with no right to live’. Another theme seen throughout leftwing poetry is a borderline distrust by a particularly group towards those who claim to represent them. For example, Robert
Browning’s ‘The Lost Leader’ lampoons William Wordsworth after he abandoned his liberal beliefs following the French Revolution. The Labour MP Ian Birchall reflects such disappointment and cynicism in his recent poem ‘The Seven Ages of a Labour MP’. Birchall takes us through the supposed evolution of a Labour MP, from their beginnings as a student ‘posing and strutting in the NUS’ to their position in the House of Lords ‘sans teeth, sans brain, sans guts, sans principles’. Is Birchall suggesting that Corbyn will inevitably lose his socialist idealism? Perhaps, but I believe the poem
Flickr/ Jason flickr: Jasin
‘Sans teeth, sans brain, sans guts, sans principles’
Some may find it truly astonishing that only two weeks into Corbyn’s leadership he has prompted such a surge in political interest and political poetry represents everything Corbyn is not. That is to say; a conformer to the typical ‘Labour MP’ mould. He is a notorious rebel, having defied the whip 238 times in the 2005-2010 Parliament. If this is Birchall’s intention, ‘The Seven Ages of a Labour MP’ echoes Schonfield’s cry to ‘elect a decent man of principle and integrity’. This is only a sample of the poetry that has been inspired by the strife of the Left and the working classes. Some may find it truly astonishing that only two weeks into Corbyn’s leadership he has prompted such a surge in political interest and political poetry. However, for faithful Old Labour, including myself, such a leftist surge seems long overdue when one considers our thorough disillusionment with New Labour. Most interesting of all, not only is Corbyn a new source of inspiration for political expression, but his thoroughly pro-worker stance embodies the very nature of poetry: not to invent something new and unfounded, but to listen to the current surrounding atmosphere and respond accordingly.
Flora Doble
Richard Long: A life of wanderlust
Ed Grimble visits ‘Time and Space’, Bristolian artist Richard Long’s latest exhibition at the Arnolfini 2015 has seen Bristol become the first UK city to be awarded the accolade of European Green Capital. As part of this, the Arts Council England Exceptional Fund has provided support for six new art projects in the city. One of these exciting initiatives is an exhibition by internationally renewed Bristolian artist Richard Long. Since leaving St. Martin’s School of Art in 1968 Long has enjoyed tremendous success, including scooping the prestigious Turner Prize in 1989 (he also remains the only artist to have been shortlisted for the award on four occasions). ‘Time and Space’, runs at the Arnolfini until 15th November, and brings together works from a career spanning half a century, as well as two new pieces created for this exhibition. Returning to exhibit in Bristol is for Long something of a homecoming. Despite shows in New York and across Europe, the city seems to occupy a special place in his
works, some of which appear as celebrations of Bristol’s natural environment and raw materials. Out on the Downs lies ‘Boyhood Line’, a 170 metre row of limestone chunks that drifts tentatively and enigmatically towards the horizon, evoking themes of journeying: both a return to the start, and exploration of what lies ahead. Inside the gallery, occupying a whole wall, is Long’s second new work, ‘Avon Mud Falls’. Mud from the Avon river is applied straight onto the surface by the artist’s hands, and the vast patterns created bemuse and confuse one’s vision when examined. However, it is Long’s walking works which have garnered him so much popularity and acclaim. Disappearing into the wilderness for days or weeks at a time, he allows wanderlust to guide him, stopping only to erect huge natural sculptures: a long line of stones or a wide stone circle. These structures carry both a majesty and a humility in how they stand like monuments
in the environment, whilst still appearing to exist effortlessly and harmoniously within the landscape. One could pass by a work by Long and never realise it. These works provoke a radical evaluation of our relationship to the most primitive mode of travel: walking. In the sphere of his art, Long explores how we traverse the world around us, and the kinds of marks we leave behind on it, even long after we have moved on. Reflecting his way of movement, he leaves behind a delicate, unobtrusive legacy on the ground he crosses - in stark contrast to much of the cicatricial global footprint for which humankind is responsible. Whilst many of these walks are represented through photographs, several are told via text pieces. Columns of words that Long associates with the walk, these poetic lists (they certainly have a haiku-like brevity and delicacy) remind one of the relationship between literature and place, as well as how we interact with that sense of place through
walking. Although Long heads into the wilds for his walks, modern psychogeography provides a framework within which even the urban dweller can hone this art of walking, and forge a real and profound connection with an environment through travel by foot. ‘Eutechnical’ means of transport, that is, moving oneself in a way that is bodily and in which we physically feel the effects of that movement, argue writer Will Self, allows us to reconnect with what it really means to travel. In this way, the profundity and freedom that Long clearly achieves in his rural walks is to an extent accessible within the urban environment, through the process of returning to that most nomadic form of movement: walking. So, this piece ends on a call to arms, a challenge to you to start walking. Walk whenever you can; forgo the train, bypass the bus, put one foot before the other and see if it changes the way you see your metropolitan surroundings.
Ed Grimble
WHERE Flickr/ Paul Lim
The playwright travelled widely, spending time in a playwrights’ retreat in New York. Her work was also extremely popular in South America and Europe, particularly Germany. In 2003, 17 productions of her works were being performed there, which is an especially impressive feat considering she wrote only five plays.
WHEN Kane was born to English journalist parents who were also fervent Christians – a religion she denounced in her early 20s. Following her BA in Drama at Bristol she completed an MA in Playwriting in Birmingham. It was there that her future agent Mel Kenyon saw the initial scenes for Blasted and triggered the start Kane’s career with the suggestion that she approach the Royal Court.
WHY Kane’s writings will push your emotional and intellectual understanding. It is undeniable that they are charged with passion, emotion, and intimate reflections of the self. Will reading her works be an invigorating experience? Ignore the critics, pick up a copy of Blasted and decide for yourself.
Serena Basra
Epigram’s Business Team is recruiting! Want to know more about the hidden side of Epigram? We’re looking for organised, motivated, and efficient people to help run the newspaper’s business team. - Ads and Sales Assistants - Freshers Rep - Logistics and Distribution Assistant Past business team members have gone onto secure coveted roles at Times 100 ‘top employer’ grad schemes.
To apply, you will need: - A covering letter - Your CV - An ideas sheet outlining your vision for Epigram Please send these to our Managing Director Rebecca Butler at rebecca.butler@epigram.org.uk by 2nd October.
Epigram | 25.09.2015
43
Dismaland: Banksy’s Weston-superNightmare Myla Lloyd on a refreshingly dreary evening at Banksy’s seaside
In as high demand as a ticket to Glastonbury Festival (but without the hefty price tag), for five weeks this summer the drab town of Weston-super-Mare became home to Dismaland, a bemusement park curated by the infamous Banksy. After days of frantically refreshing the website, I finally managed to bag a ticket and see what all the fuss was about for myself. Showing the best collection of contemporary art ever to grace the North Somerset coast, including the work of internationally renowned artists Jenny Holzer and Damien Hirst, you’d be forgiven for thinking Dismaland would be a hotbed for trendy art fanatics. Instead I found myself queueing in a sea of anorak adorned families, eating soggy chips and smoking cigarettes, all eagerly awaiting an evening of disappointment. Doors opened promptly at seven, and miserable staff appeared in Mickey Mouse ears to check our tickets. The fact that the Dismaland crew were hired under the pretence of being film-extras became startlingly apparent as we passed through security. Much to my amusement, a fake guard approached my friend and snarled with contempt, ‘Are those tortoiseshell glasses you’re wearing? You make me sick!’
Despite the frosty reception, entering the disused and dusty Tropicana building was like stumbling into a dream world. Block 9’s fairytale castle took centre stage, eerily lit in the fading dusk. Mike Ross’ Big Rig Jig loomed above the audience, competing for attention with Ben Long’s scaffolding stallion and a giant pin wheel. Having had a Little Mermaid obsession in my childhood, I eagerly searched for the distorted Banksy sculpture of which I’d seen so many pictures online. Alas, Arial was nowhere to be found. A quick Twitter search revealed she’d been toppled and smashed by high winds the previous evening. In hindsight, this seemed
“
Epigram/ Myla Lloyd
“
The princess lay dead in an overturned pumpkin carriage
a child to Dismaland is the equivalent of crushing their dreams, but I beg to differ. Dreams are more easily crushed when they are built on myth, like the Disney princesses of my childhood, promising an impossible fairy tale ending. Yes, Banksy’s
a poignant metaphor for all that Dismaland had in store. Confronted by a horse meat merry-goround, a foetus in a vending machine, and a semi-submerged police riot van complete with children’s’ slide, the thing I found most shocking was just how unshocking it all seemed. Adults gleefully took pictures of themselves posing as armed terrorists, whilst their charges paid a pound to steer a toy boat of migrants around a pool of stagnant water. The only place the mood seemed truly sombre was inside the Cinderella castle itself. The princess lay dead in an overturned pumpkin carriage, hauntingly animated by the flashing bulbs of paparazzi, as the audience were hurried
Dismaland aims to educate a new generation of anarchists
Epigram/ Myla Lloyd
Flickr/ Jeremy Fennell
Epigram/ Myla Lloyd
away by a guard shouting ‘Nothing to see here!’ All this had left me feeling pretty jaded about humanity. I entered the Museum of Cruel Objects, an exhibition of design for social control. Followed by a young boy and his Dad, I was able to experience the show from a child’s perspective. On display amongst CCTV cameras, tasers, and other objects of cruelty, were sinister quotations from politicians past and present. Without pausing to read the accompanying propaganda, the boy pointed to an antihomeless bench covered in spikes and proclaimed, ‘but Daddy, that’s just mean. Everyone needs to sleep.’ Many reviewers have argued that taking
bemusement park is a little grim, but it’s also refreshingly honest. We may live in dark and unjust times, but Dismaland aims to educate a new generation of anarchists and provide the tools for them to challenge the status quo. If the wideeyed and questioning children I saw on my visit are anything to go by, perhaps the future won’t be so dismal after all.
Myla Lloyd
EPIGRAM IS RECRUITING! DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR ONLINE SCIENCE EDITOR FOOD EDITORS CARTOONIST PUZZLES EDITOR Please send a: - CV - Cover Letter - Ideas Sheet - Three examples of your work to getinvolved@epigram.org.uk
Epigram
25.09.2015
Film & TV
@epigramfilm Editor: Ella Kemp
Deputy Editor: Kate Wyver
Online Editor: Georgia O’Brien
ekemp@epigram.org.uk @ella_kemp
kwyver@epigram.org.uk @KateWyver
gobrien@epigram.org.uk @_georgiaobrien
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye Farewell to Summer 2015
Epigram Film & TV Editors
As the students flock back to Bristol and leave the comforts home provides, Epigram reflects on the summer of films we’ve left behind. Before welcoming in the new term, the new film and TV team shares their stand-out cinematic memories before they slowly fade away. The wonderful and sometimes frustrating nature of the film industry means that it’s aw rocky one. Although systematically churning out films weekly, it’s not always guaranteed that they will be worth a watch. The pace feels irregular and unpredictable – at once a moviegoer’s delight and greatest source of despair. Luckily for us, Summer 2015 was bursting at the seams with big blockbusters, action flicks and animated features galore to keep us busy as long as we were away from the Mild Mild West. As always, this summer’s offerings proved to be an eclectic bunch.
Summer 2015 was bursting at the seams with big blockbusters, action flicks and animated features galore
The season started off slowly with the pleasant Spy, offering an amusing plotline and a nice spoonful of Jude Law, before coming in with the big guy, Jurassic World. As the fourth installment in the hugely famous and popular Jurassic Park franchise, Jurassic World had some pretty big shoes to fill. The park’s CEO, Claire, (Bryce Dallas Howard) stresses the necessity of attracting the paying tourists to a dino theme park, turning genetically modified
Southpaw was as intense as Gyllenhaal’s stare...
walking death traps into a steady cash flow. With three previous films as examples of why this is a flawed business model, it’s not long until, as expected, the dinosaurs begin to outsmart the humans and the real fun begins. Jurassic World had the potential to be a game changer for the franchise, but instead played it safe with a very similar plot template to the previous installments and a host of stock characters. It’s not bad for some cheap thrills, but don’t expect a sequel worthy of its predecessors. Following the beast, the rollercoaster took a further drop with the abysmal Terminator Genisys, and aimed desperately to stay on the rails with Ted 2 and Ant-Man. Thank god Inside Out was there to get things back on track.
Flawlessly executed and incredibly moving, Inside Out pulls every heartstring whilst actually making a lot of sense
Pixar’s latest gem tells the painfully clichéd story of an 11 year old girl who moves to a different city and is sad and yet manages to produce one of the best animated films of the year and of Pixar’s entire career. Flawlessly executed and incredibly moving, Inside Out pulls every heartstring whilst actually making a lot of sense and gives children and adults alike a lot of food for thought. A lesson in animation and storytelling for everyone. This triumph swiftly leads on to another victory for Jake Gyllenhaal with his fantastic portrayal of middleweight boxing champion Billy Hope in Southpaw. Although predictable and far too generous with its clichés, Gyllenhaal truly shines, adding yet another success to his back catalogue… and unfortunately it’s downhill from there.
Flickr / Gage Skidmore
Termiator failed to deliver. Sorry Arnie.
“ “ “
One Ted is quite enough, thank you
Flickr / Hina Ichigo
Flickr / MIKI Yoshihito
Pixar’s Inside Out left us anything but disgusted!
Flickr / Nathan Congleton
Jurassic World - Cool new dinosaurs but not much storyline
Flickr / JCDecaux Creative Solutions
Flickr / Gage Skidmore
The Man From U.N.C.L.E’s Henry Cavill
flickr/ Ibsan73
flickr/ Ibsan73
The new year’s Film & TV editors look back over the Summer’s best - and worst - cinematic memories
From the disappointment brought by the reboot of the Fantastic Four to the sheer mediocrity of Pixels, August just wasn’t looking good.
Man from U.N.C.L.E may not break boundaries but it has everything you could ask for in a spy film
Then suddenly, Man From U.N.C.L.E came to save the day. C.I.A agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB operative Ilya Kyryakin (Armie Hammer) are partnered up to hunt down nuclear weapons but instead spend their time using muscle, skill and witty one liners attempting to outdo each other. Guy Ritchie directs this remake of the 60s TV show. It may not break boundaries but it has everything you could ask for in a spy film, and the swinging sixties style is endlessly elegant. So there we have it, Summer 2015 is officially behind us. We’ll look back on some of the season’s best films nostalgically, through the postcards of memory while happily leaving some of the past few months’ disappointments amongst the suitcases. The good news is that with more energy, a shiny new student loan and four months full of unvoiced opinions– and a brand new team at Epigram Film HQ! – we’re more than ready for the exciting few months ahead in the land of film and TV. Going back to school has never been more exciting. Agree with our Summer picks or want to share your own? Join the discussion online and tweet us at @EpigramFilm.
Epigram 25.09.2015
46 30
This is England ‘90: Meadows is the resurrection and he is Light
“
Film & TV Writer Jack Deslandes discusses the season premiere of new television adaptation of the national classic. of Britain under the Iron Lady, police brutality and all, set to the unsubtle melodies of the La’s There She Goes. Music is key to the director’s style and it would usually have been the sweet ska’s of Toots & Maytals that set us up to fall in love with his characters before destroying them with crushing gravitas. But the 90s seem to be different for Meadows. There are still the same uplifting tunes but this time, a serious lack of crushing gravitas. Having delayed the project to work on his ode to the Roses, Made of Stone, we see a writer-director looking back with rose-tinted glasses in this first instalment. Where the cultural backdrop has always been just that, a backdrop, the 90s seem to have got the better of Meadows, his characters now more facilitators for his fetishising of the period than people in their own right.
‘For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:27)’ How right Matthew was to predict such a return. Shane Meadows is back. His ‘Father’s glory’ being the director’s heyday of the 90s, his ‘angels’ The Stone Roses, and God must not have been keeping a keen eye on Cameron’s Britain for oh, how we have been rewarded. Almost ten years ago to the day, Shaun Fields and his band of merry men formed together to grace us with their bleak depictions of Thatcher’s Britain, 1983 style. In this, now third, follow up mini-series, the This is England gang have entered a new decade
“ “ Flickr / Chris JL
Just another brick in the This is England wall.
of vibrant youth culture and infectious hope for change, from the stale days of miners’ strikes and milk snatching.
The This is England gang have entered a new decade of vibrant youth culture
Like all Meadows’ narratives, its cultural setting is its un-credited main part. It is no surprise then that we begin the new series with a montage
There are still the same uplifting tunes but this time, a serious lack of crushing gravitas
There are nods to future plot developments; Gadget and Kelly’s dangerously casual attitude to drugs, Woody’s visual decay in his newfound role as a stay-at-home Dad, Sean’s discontents in a life without Smell, but all in all nothing really…happens. Kelly and Lol now work in the school kitchens, a role that seems to be cast so Meadows can write in how much we all secretly miss school dinners in a confused four scenes, and the rest of them are either unemployed or dealing drugs.
Again, the latter seems to facilitate excuse for representing another cultural phenomena of the rise of the warehouse rave scene rather than giving any genuine character development.
All in all... nothing really happens.
Though, I speak as a blasphemer of the Meadows Church. I wholly enjoyed the first part of our final chapter but it just lacked that cold touch of cynicism that has become eponymous to the stories of our disciple. The style was all there in its naturalistic overlapping dialogue and experimental editing, with one phone call being shot with eight cameras. But tonally Meadows missed the mark. Even a quasi-rape scene from awkwardly aviator-clad Cliff and Higgy is portrayed with humour. It is deemed ‘sniff-banging’, rather than with the director’s usual sucker-punching hand. The final shots are slow-motion profiles of our characters, each acting as its own obituary to that which we’ve Flickr/Chris Elt grown to love. If there’s one thing for sure, this series is going to be full of nostalgia, not only for its setting but also for its characters. We’ve witnessed the up of the decade and for the next episodes we must expect - and hope for - the inevitable comedown of what follows.
The This Is England ‘90 series premiere aired on September 13th at 9pm on Channel 4.
Legend
Film & TV Writer Diggory Waite spent an evening with the Kray brothers, and had a lot to say about it.
“
When have you ever seen an actor play more than one character in a film that wasn’t a comedy? Written and directed by Brian Helgeland, the brain behind works such as L.A. Confidential and A Knight’s Tale, the shtick is dealt with expertly using body-doubles, superimpositions and clever camera angles all combining to create the façade that there really are two twins on screen at once. And that’s the trouble: too much time is spent dealing with the logistics of getting the Krays on screen and too little on what really matters. The cast is exciting though, not because of their notoriety or acting prowess of course,
but because you’re going to have some fun trying to remember what you saw them in when you were younger. You know their faces, but unfortunately you don’t quite know all of their names, or what they’ve been up to since A Series Of Unfortunate Events. Trust me when I say I didn’t write them off from the get-go. I liked Lupin in Harry Potter as much as the next Potterhead, but the performances here are nothing special. This, I must stress, is no fault of the actors. Undeveloped characters and poor scripting makes it well nigh impossible to achieve anything out of the ordinary. Tom Hardy is the exception. Sure, his portrayal of Ron might get a little cartoonish at points, but it fits the style of the film, even if that style was misguided in the first place. And yes, Ron might sometimes be harder to understand than Bane. But it’s only when Hardy isn’t on screen that you remember it’s the same actor playing both parts. The visual effects team can only do so much; it’s Hardy who makes the audience believe. Bizarrely, the plot unfolds from the point of view of Reggie Kray’s love interest, Frances, played one dimensionally by Emily Browning. Christopher Eccleston gets a fair bit of screentime at the beginning of the film as Nipper Read, the copper who’s after the Krays, and who would seem a more suitable narrator for the film, right? In fact, you’re licking your lips expecting him to be a major player. Nah. He’ll turn up again half way through the third quarter of the film and have no effect on the plot whatsoever. Helgeland directs well, with some nice little touches – watch Reggie and Frances’ relationship with cigarettes for more details. But these few moments of magic only happen when Hardy is on screen.
“
Flickr / Maureen Barlin
Let’s face it. There are two reasons you want to see Legend. It’s either because it stars Tom Hardy or because it stars Tom Hardy². Now, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to see a film because a certain actor is in it, and this one gives you double bubble with Hardy playing both Ronnie and Reggie Kray, the infamous east-end gangsters of the 1960s. But when have you ever seen an actor play more than one character in a film that wasn’t a comedy? Or an entire film based solely around a multi-role dynamic that didn’t involve two mini Lindsay Lohans? In this case, the film doesn’t revolve around the gimmick but is instead based on the cunning, brutal and disturbing story of the Krays, and that’s not the best set-up for a comedy.
Ronald and Reggie or Tom and Tom? Who knows, but either way Epigram says yes.
Helgeland directs well, with some nice little touches This suggests the most thought has gone into the duo-role dynamic of the film, with the rest suffering as a result. Legend’s schizophrenic tone swaps manically from cartoonish and playful to dark and dreary, but even this is not executed well. When Hardy’s not on screen, the script is so bland and clichéd I found myself finishing the characters’ sentences before they’d even spoken them.
It has been argued that the film’s basis in horrific reality rules out a comedic approach, but I wouldn’t have minded this, just as long as it was dealt with well. It wasn’t. The whole film is lacking.Legend is littered with underdeveloped characters and underexplored themes. So if you want to see a biopic done better with an entire cast who really do give inspired performances, leave Legend for another day.
Do you agree with Diggory? Join the discussion online @EpigramFilm
Epigram 25.09.2015
47
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
flickr/ Ma_Co2013
Flickr/canburak
Film & TV Writer Ben Hickey went to see the latest John Green inspired teenage cancer story, and tells us why it’s actually worth it.
“
It is refreshing to watch a film which wears its sensibilities on its sleeve Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s film Me and Earl and the Dying Girl avoids the common pitfalls of the genre. With a script written by Jesse Andrews, creator of the original book released in 2012, Me and Earl manages to be idiosyncratic without being irksome and profound or drifting into saccharine melodrama. This is down in no small part to the lead performance of Thomas Mann as Greg Gaines, a weird loner
in his last year of high school who is terrified of social embarrassment and inoculates himself against it by being on ‘low-key good terms with everyone’ – that is, keeping people and their tentacular emotions at arm’s length (his friend Earl is, he tells us, a ‘co-worker’). He’s slightly funnier than your average teenage boy, he’s not classically attractive, he has a weird penchant for film-making and Werner Herzog, and you can absolutely imagine him existing in the real world. The eponymous dying girl is Rachel Kushner, played by Barnsley-born Olivia Cooke, who, as is suggested by its title, intriguingly occupies a place slightly to the left of the film’s centre. The picture’s 105 minutes are really dedicated to Greg, about his paralysing self-consciousness, his inability to connect emotionally with others, and how an initially parent-enforced friendship with Rachel leads him to confront those two things. The film is pockmarked by slightly Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon explains how he is not in fact affiliated with John Green. unnecessary, nudge-in-the-ribs reminders via Greg’s voiceover that what we are watching we learn much more about Greg and Earl all over again. It is a picture which, thankfully, is not a romantic story or a moralistic goodthrough their appreciation of Aguirre, Wrath defies the syrupy conventions of the teenconquers-evil tale but these gradually subside of God than a highly wrought monologue cancer-movie genre and broadens its audience’s as Greg’s struggles with sincerity intensify. would have been able to achieve. Gomezperceptions of what that genre is capable of There are plenty of cute touches which situate Rejon places enough faith in his audience to saying about being young and confronting the film firmly in the cultural left-field. If you give them small details and trust that out of death. It is possible to tell a story that is both like Brian Eno’s Another Green World or classics them empathisable characters will emerge. blackly comic and utterly hopeful, both sly and of twentieth century foreign cinema (sent To come clean, I principally went to see this film earnest, and it can be done through the eyes of up by Greg and Earl’s delightful low-budget because I had seen that Brian Eno’s song The a confused and socially awkward teenage boy. parodic remakes) there is plenty to enjoy here. Big Ship was in the score. By the time it surfaced Me and Earl doesn’t pretend to be wiser than it It is refreshing to watch a film which wears its during the heart-rending, uplifting climactic is and is all the more refreshingly original for it. tastes and sensibilities on its sleeve and not scene of Me and Earl, I realised that I had forgotten just as film posters on teenage bedroom walls; it was coming and listened to it for the first time Flickr / PunkToad
Judging by the gradual yet incessant surge in young adult ‘teen-with-cancer’ novels, kids are confronting their mortality through culture in a way that has perhaps never been seen before. John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Jenny Downham’s Before I Die, My Sister’s Keeper – these are all books which are graced with some charm, humour and seriousness, and all share the unfortunate position of having been disastrously adapted for the screen. So often cloying and wildly unrealistic, these adaptations commit the cardinal sin of trying to make terminal cancer marketable with unfeasibly attractive male leads and curtain-closer soliloquies about life’s beautiful transience that, realistically, no teenager could have dreamt up.
The City scoops Bristol on a Budget Flickr / David Fisher
Picture HEre The Watershed is on the Harbourside
The Watershed is one of Bristol’s artiest cinemas. As well as showing some larger, higher profile films, they show a lot of independent, foreign language and arthouse movies. Their £4.50 tickets for anyone under 24 mean you really don’t have an excuse not to go.
The cosy three-screened Odeon on Union Street now offers tickets for only £5 for students and adults alike, all day every day. Get an added discount with your NUS card and you’re only paying as much as a 3am Donervan’s burger and cheesy chips.
Flickr / shrinkin’violet
ODEON Bristol in Union Street, Broadmead
Flickr / Lee
Showcase Cinema de Lux, Cabot Circus
If you plan on seeing every big release in town and enjoy that luxury feeling of going to a multiplex cinema, head to Showcase Cinema de Lux in Cabot Circus. Signing up for a free Insider card gives you £6.25 tickets after 7pm on Sundays, and all day Monday and Tuesday. It’s not as cheap as The Watershed or Odeon but the cinema is far larger and has all the big Hollywood blockbusters, as well as being one of the only cinemas in Bristol to screen live transmissions of stage performances with NT Live and RSC Live from Stratford-Upon-Avon. Tweet us your favourite deals @EpigramFilm!
‘Love is like… Late Nights’ at Watershed introduces a series of late night screenings every Friday of October, showing classic films all about the L word. With 2 for 1 £4.50 tickets if you’re aged under 24 years old and showings of films including everyone’s favourite French film Amélie, twisted digital romance Her and Norwegian vampire love story Let The Right One In, it’s the perfect way to end the week. Amélie is the first of the series on October 2nd so make sure you snap up a ticket fast. For a more relaxed experience, and one that is completely free, try the White Harte, a stone’s throw from Wills Memorial Building. This pub has started ‘Movie Mondays’ with popcorn, cheap food and discounted cocktails. Every Monday evening the pub screens three films back to back in a closed off cosy area, perfect to unwind when that first day is already too much. You can have your say and suggest the movies for the next showing on their Facebook page. Feeling more opinionated? Head to Bristol Radical Film Festival. The Festival returns to the Arnolfini for its fourth edition in from the 9th to 11th of October, screening some of the most controversial documentaries and fiction films from around the world. The festival is celebrating 40 years of radical British cinema this year, so expect to see some original footage from The First Festival of British Independent Cinema, alongside some new original films, more politically engaged than ever.
Films to Faces
Sarah Newey, Editor of Epigram
Epigram / Sarah Newey
If you’ve got some free time why not volunteer at The Cube cinema in Stokes Croft? You’ll get free tickets and cheap beer in return. The Cube is an arts venue as well as a cinema, so often have alternative movie nights. Whatever you go and see, it’s sure to be a memorable experience.
What’s On?
1) Love Actually - because who doesn’t have the classic rom com in their top three? Christmas isn’t complete without watching the film at least 5 times, mostly teamed with wine and chocolate 2) Casino Royale - I’m a massive fan of action films and have a huge crush on Daniel Craig, so the combination of both is perfect 3) The King’s Speech - I think historical dramas are massively underrated, and this is probably my favourite at the moment. It’s one of those feel good, real life stories you couldn’t really make up, although maybe as a History student I’m a little bias! Who would you like to see interviewed next for Films to Faces? Tweet us @EpigramFilm with your suggestions!
Epigram
25.09.2015
Music
@epigrammusic Editor: Gunseli Yalcinkaya
Deputy Editors: Alex Schulte; Caitlin Butler
Online Editor: Sam Mason-Jones
gyalcinkaya@epigram.org.uk
aschulte@epigram.org.uk; cbutler@epigram.org.uk
smasonjones@epigram.org.uk
There’s more to Bristol than Bunker: Alex Schulte Deputy Music Editor
If tormenting your innards with endless thimbles of sambucca and doing a post-ironic macarena with some rugby boys doesn’t sound like your ideal week’s routine, then never fear, for you’re stepping into safe hands. Beyond the dreaded Triangle, Bristol is not a city that has ever easily accepted the triples ‘n’ Taylor Swift way of life, and if you’d rather spend an evening listening to a man in fetish boots playing Basic Channel dubs than downing almost homoeopathically diluted pints and harassing women in All Bar One, then welcome to your new comfort zone. Frankly, if you’re bored or musically unfulfilled in Bristol, then it’s your fault, and here are a few reasons why.
Lakota This one almost didn’t make the list, for the sole reason that, unless you have the sense of adventure of your average ostrich, you will inevitably make your way to this Stokes Croft institution at some point this year. However, beyond the more chattered-about events this many-roomed behemoth will host (No Scrubs, anyone?) are a selection of nights catering to slightly savvier tastes. Check out Binary Vision, Psyched and, of course, Bristol’s gaudy celebration of enormously enjoyable hippie nonsense: Tribe of Frog.
The Island The Island complex, though rather erratic in its scheduling, is always something of a marvel to spend an evening in. Converted from a disused police station, the Island plants decks in abandoned prison cells, a firestation and even an old court room, complemented by the best leftfield sounds from Bristol and beyond. If you like your techno, then bimonthly night Room 24/7’s lineups will make you very happy.
There you have it...
This can only ever be a partial list, and I’ve had to omit a few other worthy venues (those looking to see actsever before hitlist, theand stadiums Thisrising can only be athey partial I’ve hadshould to definitely acrossvenues the river to the Louisiana), omit a fewschlep other worthy (those looking to but you acts get tired sapping your will toshould live in see if rising beforeofthey hit the stadiums Lizard Lounge over thethe next fewtoweeks, then, well, definitely schlep across river the Louisiana), but you know where go. your will to live in Lizard if you get tired of to sapping Lounge over the next few weeks, then, well, you know where to go.
The Crofters Rights Just over the road from Lakota you will find the Crofters Rights, boasting an incomprehensibly large selection of microbrewed booze and an AV-equipped backroom that regularly accommodates some high quality (and often free) small scale gigs and clubnights. Grime heads should make their way over for Chopshop and SevenOfive, but if you turn up on most weekends, you should find some way to wile away the hours.
Cosies Described by none other than The Guardian as ‘among the most laid-back nightclubs in Britain’, St Pauls wine bar-cum-nightclub Cosies should be a favourite for those who like their nights out a little more leisurely. Its brick-vaulted cellar provides the setting for the Reggae Society’s highly popular weekly Thursday skankout.
The Canteen A part of the co-operative that has its base in Stokes Croft’s Hamilton House, The Canteen emanates West Country city-slicker localism, all under the auspices of an early Banksy mural. Take the clueless George Ezra fans in your flat along for one of their eclectic, free live events and enjoy your newfound status as the cultural kingpin of your shared kitchen.
Epigram 25.09.2015
4925
Bestival 2015 and Tame Impala (with Pond in tow) were predictably excellent. looking at Bestival’s ten-metre disco However, most of the fun came in ball – the one they built to woo over the form of dance, baby, with Todd Nile Rodgers last year, and which Terje, Four Tet and Jamie XX forming previously occupied such a prime the holy trinity of producers “who position suspended above the Magic are just so hot right now”. And for Meadow. Now it was on the floor and good reason: the Bollywood stage deflating: creating a kind of glittery was so packed out for Jamie XX puddle near the arena entrance. that one person’s stumble caused Incoming weather that was about the whole crowd to topple like to turn Bestival into a scene from dominoes. Bristol pride was well Apocalypse Now and apparently courted by Mala, who dropped a few they didn’t want several tonnes of tracks from Deep Medi-labelmate disco fabulousness rolling across a Kahn. Luke Viber was there to campsite. provide some perfect daytime The wind and rain finally hit during skanking, and the Joy Orbison the night’s headliner, Missy Elliot, and Ben UFO back-to-back was a who mirrored the previous nights’ well-needed disco distraction from “top acts” by not being very good. the fact the tent had turned into a The dance troupe, lip-syncing and swamp. distinct lack of bangers felt a bit Comparatively, Bestival’s nostalgia off for 2015, and the weather just acts were slightly dull, but this really enforced what we already knew: that wasn’t much of a problem when it wasn’t worth the energy to stand there was just so much other stuff there and watch. The freshest of fresh to do/see/consume. I don’t quite sounds were going on elsewhere remember how I ended up in a room in the form of the most hip-hopfull of exercise bikes, cycling along and-happening of genres: grime. to the campest of house music while Novelist scaled a speaker stack to imitating the dance moves of a very command Temple Island on Saturday enthusiastic man at the front, but and Skepta’s 30 minutes of madness I’m happy it happened. Likewise, would have had your nan whipping the ambient forest is always a treat out gun-fingers and sliding in all the (even if it shuts off at 2am) and I was mud worryingly close to being forced into The standard festival guitar fair a shotgun wedding in an inflatable were out in force – The Fat White chapel. Family were a must see, as always, This was all moot by Monday morning, because all that was left was mud. As we battled out of the site – tents swept across fields with a grace usually reserved for plastic bags; drops of rain fell so densely you couldn’t tell where one ended and the next thousand began – it all began to seem so alien. What had previous been such a green site had changed to brown and grey; like we were leaving a different place than we arrived; like the rain had washed Bestival into the past before it was quite over. We finished Bestival satisfied, but no amount of satisfaction can quite prepare you for the journey home from what feels like the end of the world.
It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m
Jonny Hunter
Bestival Offical
Epigram
25.09.2015
50 Sonar Festival, Barcelona, 16 - 18. 06. 15 The biggest problem with festivals, from a musical point of view, is that sometimes it feels like you’re watching something unnatural and awkward. Bands used to playing dark intimate venues are forced into open spaces with no control over the visuals and set-time, their natural onstage presence suffering as a result. Sonar is nothing like this. The inner-city ‘by day’ venues are brilliantly diverse in set-up, so it makes sense that the line-up boasts bands like Autechre who usually give festivals a miss. The most unusual stage was ‘SonarComplex’, which was essentially a seated concert hall, playing host to a lifechanging performance from Koreless. He sat opposite his visual collaborator, who controlled a device that I won’t even attempt
to describe, and creating a scene that felt like a Brave New World ‘soma’ ceremony. SonarHall’s massive LED screen was perfect for Arca’s terrifying visuals, whilst Floating Points simply benefitted from playing to a crowd as enormous as befits his talents. The ‘by night’ venues felt more like Motion or WHP on steroids, with world class DJs like Jamie xx, Annie Mac and SiriusModeselektor blasting out pure distilled vibe into sweaty, joyous revellers, most of whom had tested their pills at the festival’s official drugtesting station. My personal highlight would have to be Flying Lotus, who played a perfectly flowing DJ set from inside a massive inverted cube, finishing with ‘Never Catch Me’, one of the best songs of the year.
flickr: MikeyWally
It isn’t your stereotypical music festival, Benicàssim. You might still have a traditionally British indie line up, but the sand and sun of Spain, is quite the different prospect to the fields of Somerset. The 2015 Festival Internacional de Benicàssim (FIB) was a wonderful feast of music, surely creating lasting memories for all who went. I don’t mean to be like every English person abroad, but the only thing that detracted from the week was the heat. With temperatures reaching 42C, the days became a tortuous trudge to get through to cooler nights and the music they brought. Down on the beach the sea became filled with lobster-red English teens trying to escape the oppressive heat. The music! The music saved the festival every day, from Florence on the first night to MØ closing on the Sunday. Yet there were disappointments from some high profile names. With a setlist taken almost exclusively fromThe Magic Whip,
flickr: Dena Flows
Benicàssim, 16 - 19. 07. 15
Will Soer Music Writer
Blur proved uninspiring, and were tepidly received. The Prodigy were just as dull, proving that headliners don’t always rule the roost. Indie bands you liked ten years ago dominated the festival, with Kaiser Chiefs producing a stunning set and Franz Ferdinand in their new found guise of FFS providing my personal highlight. The combination of Franz and Sparks is joyous, the duets wonderful and the twists on old classics like Take Me Out or This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us perfect. The other moment of the weekend came when Noel Gallagher played Champagne Supernova to a rapturous singalong. All in all, FIB was a great week, a different experience and a great memory, though I don’t think I’ll be hurrying back unless someone pays for me to stay in a nice hotel with air conditioning and a pool…
Adam Becket Deputy Editor
Mac Demarco, Motion, 08.09.15 Go’, one of the gentler numbers from Salad Days engenders several sweat-drenched circle pits - there is a genuinely lovely atmosphere palpable beneath the cavernous walls. It’s smiles all round as Mac takes a moment before launching into an excellent cover of Eric Clapton’s ‘Change the World’, to grin out through crooked teeth upon his beaming faithful. The on-stage patter oscillates between banal and bizarre, at times placidly inspecting the bombardment of garment missiles, at others inciting chants of ‘Multi-fronted, Middle-Eastern conflict!’, all delivered in the soothing British Columbian drawl which the band all seem to share.. The songs from Another One slide almost incognito in amongst back-catalogue highlights: ‘I’ve Been Waiting for Her’ slips seamlessly into ‘Freaking Out the Neighbourhood’, before ‘Still Together’ closes the main body of the set. Somebody probably should have explained the art of the encore to Mac, who just about manages to set one foot off the stage before returning to immediate glee from the moist mass of happy people. The mass gets distinctly moister during the ensuing five minutes, in which the band proceed to open a can of whoopass as they tear through their now customary cover of ‘Enter the Sandman’, which is every bit as riotous, silly and joyous as the hour that had preceded it. As Mac and his pals troop triumphant from the stage, there is not a dry snap-back in the house.
Sam Mason-Jones Online Music Editor
flickr: Flickr: Dena justine-reyes Flows
It is rare that you see the Motion Skate Park, as it is officially known, as packed full of actual skaters as it was on Tuesday. On any given day or night the venue is usually decked out with bucket-hatted wavers, suitably attired to fend off the giant drops of sweat which begin to descend regularly from the clammy ceiling at around 2am. But tonight a sea of backwards five-panels awaits Canadian mega-dude Mac Demarco, whose unique brand of woozy slacker-rock continues to resonate with the Stussy/Supreme set. It is also rare to see music differ so drastically in the transition from the record to the live arena. Over the course of three LPs and recent EP Another One, the maverick song-writer has barely broken a sweat, perfectly content to tell debauched tales which delight in their own laziness. His stories stroll around in a haze, shot through with glistening sunbeam guitar lines, rarely staggering out of a walking pace. Put him on stage, though, and our hero is an altogether more rambunctious proposition. Having been brought down to something slightly less than a simmer by the underwhelming one-man support act Dinner, who throws mock David Byrne shapes from beneath a suitably oversized blazer, the capacity crowd quickly boils over as Maccy and his cohort take to the stage. Recent lead single ‘The Way You’d Love Her’ opens the barrage of hits, with favourites ‘Salad Days’, ‘The Stars Keep on Calling my Name’, ‘Cooking Up Something Good’ and ‘Ode to Viceroy’ (the latter raising guttural cheers from the portion of the crowd chugging on the evening’s cigarette of choice) following in quick succession. Despite the collective boisterousness that wouldn’t be out of place at a Drenge gig - even ‘Let Her
Epigram
25.09.2015
51
Empress Of Me XL September 11th, 2015 8/10 Empress Of ’s full-length debut album is best described by its titular pronoun – Me. It is, first and foremost, an entirely solo affair; but this is not to the discredit of the said Empress, Lorely Rodriguez. Rather, it is a profoundly personal exploration of self; the lyrics are raw and candid and it is obvious Rodriguez channels a great deal into the album. The stark album cover, a monochrome portrait of Rodriguez, sets the tone for an album recorded, engineered and produced by one woman. Me is an honest reflection on a doomed relationship, and such woes are explored with intelligence and inventiveness. Her lyrics are compelling, and the dreamy synths add depth to her clear vocals. The opening track ‘Everything is You’ is particularly remarkable, with Rodriguez’ vocals flickering nimbly from one note to the next. This is, beyond a doubt, an impressive first album, and one hopes to see more from the Honduran-American singer-songwriter.
Caitlin Butler, Deputy Music Editor
Lana Del Rey Honeymoon UMG September 18th, 2015 7/10 Elizabeth Woolridge Grant has always been somewhat of a conundrum, and alas; her latest offering Honeymoon, unsurprisingly, does nothing to clear up any riddles. Lana Del Rey’s image is once again cultivated in an album that uses her trademark crooning and slow rhythms to emphasize her perhaps slightly contrived mystery, and it is clear she knows what she is doing. However, this does not mean it is necessarily bad. She uses orchestral backing and romantic lyrics to produce something that may not be groundbreaking, but is definitely listenable. The songs are slower and more deliberately measured than her previous LP’s, and this works well; the songs become a bit more memorable. There are a few duds, though; ‘High by the Beach’ primarily repeats its title to produce a mildly mind-numbing effect. Nonetheless, songs like ‘Salvatore’ provide an opportunity for Grant to redeem herself with something genuinely accomplished. The album as a whole is probably her best yet, but there is still room for improvement.
Melissa Cable, Music Writer
Nils Frahm LateNightTales September 11th, 2015 8.5/10
“
This ‘magical stew’ of music is a gift to both familiar fans as well as new listeners
German producer cum composer Nils Frahm joins the cohort of artists who have contributed to the enigmatic Late Night Tales compilation series. Each Late Night Tales compilation sets out to delve into artists’ music collections, perhaps to shed some light onto previously unknown influences. This is especially relevant to Nils Frahm, whose musical genre is certainly not easy to articulate. Frahms, signed to the experimental label Erased Tapes, has created a compilation which here blurs the lines of genre in exactly the same way his own music does, illustrated best perhaps by the juxtaposition between Victor Sylvester’s ‘Talk of the Town’ from 1938 and Thomas Knak’s 2002 electronica ‘SK20’ from 2002. What is perhaps most appealing about this album (aside from the obvious attraction of appearances from Four Tet and Miles Davis) are the subtle edits that have been made on the tracks throughout the album. In ‘In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country’, the tempo has been slowed, adding to the hypnotic nature of the album as a whole. These subtle changes, as well as recordings from a multitude of mediums (including a gramophone on Gene Autry’s ‘You’re The Only Star’) create the sense that this is truly a reflection of Frahm’s very personal and well loved music collection – not to mention the whimsy which is added by the 10 second interlude of his girlfriend’s cat (exclusive track, apparently!). This ‘magical stew’ of music is a gift to both familiar fans as well as new listeners. An accessible and pleasantly anachronistic mesh of songs, which certainly is as Frahms hoped it would be: ‘a nice journey for your mind and hearts’.
Caroline Cooke, Music Writer
Jurassic 5, O2 Academy Bristol, 09.09.15
Flickr: beaveronthebeats
Returning again to Bristol, Jurassic 5 brought their infectious old-skool beats to the O2 Academy to showcase a rhyming talent developed over countless years of hip hop history. In front of the 6-piece legacy band you feel like you’re on the receiving end of a legendary performance. The gig carries with it a strong sense of nostalgia – a theme that the band have dealt with since their self-titled debut album in 1998, which harked back to the creation of the genre itself. J5 perform to an unusually mixed crowd, with both teens and mums enthusiastically rapping along to every word, such is the atmosphere that the collective create with their heart-warming and positive stage presence. Often referred to as the band’s ambassador, Chali 2na sooths and charms with his distinctive deep voice, showing genuine gratitude to the crowd for filling out the venue. Akil, Soup and Marc 7 give off a viral energy while breezily passing verses between them. They somehow manage to strike a balance between rapping and singing in their art, giving indomitable momentum to a syncopated flow. Classic tunes such as ‘Concrete Schoolyard’ and ‘What’s Golden’ keep the excitement level high throughout, but it is on the lesser-known tracks like ‘Freedom’ that the talent of these MCs is really flaunted. And it’s not just the MC’s who take centre stage. DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist deliver dynamic set pieces, featuring a guitar made from a turntable and drumming on an old school desk. By doing so they defy their given status as background DJs, giving the show its variety and individuality. Thank god Jurassic 5 reunited. They aren’t here to try and deliver new goods to us – they are giving the crowds what they want by focussing on their old classics, and after two decades those classics are still sounding strong.
Mark Felonies, Music writer
Sport
Epigram
25.09.2015
53
One hell of a Vuelta Skelter Flickr: Ciclismo Italia
Adam Becket Deputy Editor
”
Dumoulin blossoms into a Wiggins-style rider and wins a grand tour like he promises too: there’s not many more likeable riders on the World Tour. I can’t wait for next year already; roll on 2016.
What made this Vuelta so wonderful was the diversity of the winners
Flickr: Football wallpapers
Flickr: Real Madrid HD
Flickr: Bob Flickr: Bob
Flickr: Ciclismo Italia
Flickr: Moral definition
I fell in love with Doumolin during the Vuelta (as a bike rider, I should stress)
The controversy that I spoke of came largely in the opening week: Nibali was disqualified after television replays showed him holding onto his team car as he chased to get back into the peloton. Peter Sagan was hit by a neutral service motorbike on stage 8, forcing his withdrawal from the race. All of this added to the excitement and intrigue of this year’s Vuelta for the neutral fan (but probably not if you’re Peter Sagan or Tinkoff-Saxo). I certainly enjoyed the 2015 edition of the Vuelta a España, and I’m itching to see these general classification riders come up against each other again next year. All of a sudden, there is such a deep pool of top riders; it’s not merely the ‘big four’ being touted around up until the Tour. Aru fully deserved his victory in the race and he’ll hope that his fantastic year will be the story of Astana in 2015, rather than the controversy that has dogged them. I hope
Flickr: Tim REckmann
This year’s Vuelta a España was categorically the best grand tour of the year. When was the last time a Giro d’Italia or a Tour de France was decided on the penultimate day? It has certainly been a while. This year’s Giro was sewn up after the long time-trial won by Alberto Contador, while Chris Froome blew the rest of the field away on stage 10 of Le Tour on the climb up to Pierre Saint-Martin. Stage 20 was the decider in the Spanish race, as Fabio Aru (Astana) decisively attacked Tom Dumoulin (GiantAlpecin) to sew up the maillot rojo and win his first ever grand tour; the Italian is the youngest current grand tour winner and certainly has a big future ahead of him. La Vuelta also had some controversial moments, along with some wonderful individual performances, from people aged 25 to 36. I have to admit, I fell in love with Dumoulin during the Vuelta (as a bike rider, I should stress): for his chirpiness, relentless optimism and smooth riding style. The worst thing about Aru being so good in this race has been having to watch his ugly climbing style, as he throws himself and his bike from side to side. Yet one can’t take away from his worthiness as champion. As predicted, Dumoulin won the individual time trial, putting himself into the lead; yet Aru put in just as impressive a performance, limiting his losses to just over a minute. The young Astana rider was then forced to wait until the day before Madrid to
be number one, pressing home his climbing advantage in the mountains over Tom, the flying Dutchman. Dumoulin was forced down to 6th by his performance on stage 20, behind Aru, Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha), Rafa Majka (Tinkoff Saxo), Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and another 25 yearold revelation of this Vuelta, Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEDGE). Chaves won two stages and managed a top 5 finish for the Australian team; quite a haul for the young Colombian. Purito Rodriguez always threatened to do more, but a poor time trial let him down, meaning the 36 year-old has surely squandered his last chance at victory in a three-week race. Majka will have impressed Oleg Tinkov with his podium place, hinting at future success for the Pole. Quintana yet again showed off his abundance of talent, despite having a stomach illness that cost him form over some of the key stages of the race. What made this Vuelta so wonderful was the diversity of both the winners and those coming to the fore. There were wins for puncheurs and sprinteurs like Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Saxo) and John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin), along with wins from the breakaway and solo victories, such as Nicholas Roche (Team Sky) and Ruben Plaza Molina (Lampre-Merida). Winners on the two toughest stages of the race, stages 11 and 16, were Mikel Landa (Astana) and Frank Schleck (Trek Factory Racing). Schleck won his stage at the sprightly age of 35, which will surely be his last major victory. Landa impressed again, and if he completes his rumoured transfer to Sky, they will have a seriously talented cyclist on their books. For the youngest and traditionally least noticed of cycling’s biggest races, this year’s race has been wonderful for its profile and standing. Perhaps the race was predicted to be exciting because of its cast of A-list cyclists, but many of these haven’t ridden to the heights expected of them. First Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) was disqualified after having an illegal tow on stage 1, Chris Froome (Sky) was forced to pull out with a broken foot after stage 11, whilst Quintana suffered the illness mentioned above and wasn’t the imperious climber we know for the first two weeks.
Epigram
25.09.2015
54
Refugenius - The Laszlo Kubala Story Malik Ouzia Online Sport Editor
(nicknamed Grande Torino) made up the bulk of the Azzurri, the Italian national team, and who were cruising towards a fourth successive league title. As alluded to earlier, Kubala’s stay at Pro Patria was cut short. The Hungarian Football Federation, with FIFA’s backing, banned Kubala for a year on account of his unlawful departure. To get around this he created his own club Hungaria, made up entirely of fellow refugees and coached by Ferdinand Daucik, an interesting character in himself. Kubala rated him so highly that his succeeding move to Spain only came about on the condition that Daucik be installed as coach. His faith was not misplaced. Daucik led Barcelona to two successive league and cup doubles and achieved the same feat once more whilst coach of Athletic Bilbao in 1956. Later, as head of Athletico Madrid, he was only defeated by arch-rivals Real Madrid in
the European Cup semi-final because the away goals rule was not yet in place, and Real instead won the tie in a replay. Kubala’s transfer was far from simple, with both Real and Barcelona keen to sign him. Barca won out and Madrid were forced to wait three more years before signing their own era-defining superstar in the shape of Alfredo Di Stefano. Still banned, Kubala had to wait until 1951 to make his La Liga debut but he began impressing in friendlies almost immediately. What followed is difficult to do justice to in writing. Facts and figures are impressive but Kubala’s influence at Barcelona stretched far beyond goals, assists and even trophies, and there were lots of all three. There were 26 goals in 19 La Liga games in his first season, including seven in one game; still a league record. There were four league titles, five Copa del Generalissimos (now known as the Copa del Rey) and a stunning 1951-
52 season in which they won five trophies. Yet truly representing his genius would take chapters of a book rather than mere column inches. (Incidentally, I would thoroughly recommend Sid Lowe’s wonderfully
on the back of an army vehicle with fake Soviet number plates, which they were later forced to abandon. Arriving in Austria by foot, Kubala (not for the first or last time) got lucky. Having become an international footballer whilst still a teen, he had acquired a degree of fame and the guards who met him in Innsbruck were football men. They arranged a visa for his passage into Italy where it was his intention to sign for Pro Patria, which he briefly did. His wife and baby son, too young to make the journey, were left behind in a heartbreaking but ultimately life saving decision; it was Kubala’s desire to tend to them upon their belated arrival in Italy four months later,
that ensured he was not on board the doomed Italian Airlines flight to Turin. Had his dependents already settled in Italy he would, presumably, have jumped at the chance to play for Torino. A team whose playing staff
contemporaries and those more studied in not just football, but Spanish history, which come closest to conveying his aurora. Lowe named a chapter in his book ‘The House That Laszlo Built’ on account of the belief that Kubala’s ability drew in the crowds which allowed the club to build the Camp Nou, a ground with far greater capacity than their existing stadium at Les Courts. The same book contains an extraordinary range of interviews with then-team mates and rivals, with many holding him above Lionel Messi. There are numerous theories as to why Kubala isn’t widely acclaimed outside of Spain. For one, the European Cup did not come into being until 1955, arguably after Kubala’s peak. And in those days only the champions, Real Madrid, were entered, meaning Barcelona didn’t play a European Cup match until 1959. Others cite a simple lack
of global exposure. Today many insist that Messi must win a World Cup to be the greatest of all time. Kubala never even played in one. Perhaps the greatest measure of just how extraordinary Kubala’s life was is the list of things this article has not touched upon. Like how in 195253 he almost died of tuberculosis, and recovered in time to win La Liga in the same season. Like how he went on to manage a host of teams including Barcelona and the Spanish national team. And like how, tragically, injury robbed Spain of both he and Di Stefano ahead of the 1962 World Cup. Kubala was nomadic. He travelled Europe to escape a regime under which he was suffocated and in pursuit of the game he loved, playing for three international teams and famously describing himself as ‘a man with no homeland’. He was by very definition a refugee, vulnerable and exposed. But to the people of Catalunya, he became immortal.
Flickr: laurencehorton
dictatorship, and the terror of IS in the Middle East, must pass through it if they are to reach the relative safety of Western Europe. The scenes of chaos at Budapest Keleti railway station that have filled our newspapers and television screens of late are the physical embodiment of said gateway. From here refugees may board trains to Germany or Austria, a path well trodden (in Kubala’s case, quite literally) not only in recent days and weeks but over the preceding decades. Kubala’s own defection was brought about by the installation of socialist government in Hungary in 1949. Posing in Soviet military uniform, he was part of a group who escaped
Flickr: fnogues
On the 4th May 1949 a plane carrying the players of Italian side Torino, who were returning from a match against Benfica in Lisbon, crashed into the Basilica of Superga, a large church near Turin. There were 31 people on board, all of whom died. There should have been 32. A 22-year-old Hungarian had turned down the chance to play, choosing instead to tend to his ill son. That same 22-year-old would go on to score 280 goals in 345 games for one of Europe’s biggest clubs; FC Barcelona, winning all there was to win at club level in the pre-European Cup era.
According to some, it is that same 22year-old to whom the Camp Nou owes its existence. His name was Laszlo Kubala. And he was a refugee. The refugee crisis which engulfs Europe today is, sadly, not unique. In the years succeeding the Second World War, Europe was awash with Eastern Europeans seeking refuge from the harsh communist regimes that had been implemented under Soviet influence. Today Eastern Europe’s role is transformed. Once shrouded by the shadow of the iron curtain, it has become the light at the end of a dark, dangerous tunnel. It’s a gateway, and those fleeing Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian
“ Kubala’s influence at Barcelona streched far beyond goals, assists and even trophies...
written ‘Fear and Loathing in La Liga’, the place where I first came to appreciate Kubala and the pages from which much of this article’s information is sourced). He did things with a football people had never seen before, curled it, backheeled it, flicked it. YouTube compilations are out there but it is perhaps the words of his
Epigram
“
25.09.2015
55
Getting involved in Sport at Bristol James O’Hara Deputy Sport Editor
Sport and the University of Bristol go hand in hand, with plenty of opportunities to get involved. The University has 54 high-performance sport clubs competing against other universities all over the country, while there are a wealth of options for getting involved in more recreational sport. If one thing is certain, sport at the University of Bristol caters to all tastes. From football to fencing and from tennis to taekwondo, there is no shortage of options for competitive sport at Bristol. All the teams will have a stand at the Welcome Fair, so be sure to sign up for trials at the team you want to join. And even if you didn’t manage to sign at the fair, there is still time to get involved. Just contact the club via Facebook, email or Twitter, and you could still be the university’s next sporting prodigy. Contact details for all of the University’s Sports Clubs are available at www.bristolsu.org.uk/ activities/societies/clubs. If competitive sport is not your thing, and you would rather get involved in more light-hearted competition, then intramural is the thing for you. No sports pass is required, while any
discernible talent is an optional extra. You can compete for your Hall, clubs or societies, or even with a group of friends. Bristol SU plans to run leagues in Women’s 5-a-side, Netball, Mixed Hockey, Badminton and Basketball, while 11-a-side football will span the entire year, with the promise of many Sunday League style tackles in store. There are also plans for one-off events in Ultimate Frisbee, Dodgeball, Table Tennis and Volleyball, so be sure to keep an eye out for these events as they take place throughout the academic year. The opportunities for recreational sport with a competitive edge do not stop there though. The University’s centre for Sport Exercise and Health is running 5-a-side football throughout the year, with opportunities to play 6-a-side and Futsal too. Meanwhile, the Men’s Rugby Club is running this year’s Intramural league, so be sure to contact Club Captain Fergus Pickles. Details for all the intramural opportunities are available at www. bristolsu.org.uk/activities/sports/ intramural. If team sports are not your thing, or you just fancy a game with friends every once in a while, then there are still plenty of ways to stay active and have fun. The University has plenty of facilities available to use or hire, from the Swimming Pool in the SU,
to the Sports Hall or squash courts. Meanwhile, in addition to the gym on the main campus there are plenty of fitness classes available, with Yoga, Pilates and much more on offer. The newly-appointed Director of Sport, Exercise and Health for the University, Matt Birch, told Epigram that the University was trying to engage more students in physical activity by working in collaboration with the Student Union. “We have made significant changes to our Sports Membership Pass for the new academic year, in order to make it
Flickr: Tatiana
MO: Treatment of Chris Froome during the Tour de France
MP: Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic has had possibly one of the greatest seasons in the Open Era, narrowly missing out on a calendar year Grand Slam. The 28 year-old Serb has so far attained a 93% win rate, losing only five games all season. Even more weight is leant to this statistic when you consider that four of those losses came in tournament finals, including his surprise loss to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open. As such, it seems inevitable that Djokovic will continue to dominate not only this season but for years to come. Do not bet against a calendar year Grand Slam in 2016.
more inclusive and flexible”, he said. New measures include separating gym and swim categories, and offering discounted membership to those who wish to use facilities less or for those on short courses.
Each week, one member of the Epigram Sport editorial team will put their esteemed football knowledge to the test against a guest.
Last week, Sport Editor Marcus Price took on Deputy Editor Adam Becket. Marcus won, due to Pellè scoring in the 86th minute for Southampton... 6-4 to Marcus!
The best performance of the summer has to be Stuart Broad’s incredible wicket haul at Trent Bridge. Taking eight wickets for fifteen runs is simply unheard of at Test match level, and particularly in the Ashes. Broad has rightly put his name into history with a performance that will live long in the memory. Australia might have collapsed, and some of the catches might have been spectacular, but it is Broad who will be remembered for that incredible afternoon of bowling at Trent Bridge.
The score currently stands at Epigram 3 - 3 Guests
MO: Mo Farah Yes Mo winning has become a common sight and yes the standard of his opposition wasn’t as high as many might’ve liked. But if you think about taking Mo Farah’s achievements for granted for even a second, stop yourself, get down to your local athletics track and try to run even 400m at his 10,000m pace. Gone was the familiar ‘easy’ pace followed by a big kick at 600m to go. He was pushed from the off in the 10000m and made to wait for the last 100m to take the lead in the 5000m. But no one can match him and after a frustrating summer off the track Mo ruled the world again.
Check out this week’s results... www.epigram.co.uk/sport and follow us on twitter...
Fantasy Football
Epigram Sport is running its very own Barclays Fantasy Premier League. Feel free to join to pit your wits against other readers and various members of the Epigram editorial team. Flickr: Marc
They should have been applauding, recognising one of the finest physical specimens humanity has to offer. A machine, built for riding, Chris Froome rode en route to his second Tour de France title, becoming the first man to take the GC and King of the Mountains titles in the same tour since the great Eddy Merckx in 1970. Instead he was bombarded by verbal abuse and showered by worse, with the French fans unconvinced that Team Sky’s accomplishments were those of a clean team. His teammate Richie Porte was also allegedly punched in the ribs by a ‘fan’, whilst the team car was rocked and hit by those on the roadside
Best Performances
Epigram Versus
Their aim is to correctly predict the Premier League scores for the next round of games.
JO: Stuart Broad
Continued from the back page
We have made significant changes to our Sports Membership Pass for the new academic year
Liga de Epigram Code: 1568501-366592 Good Luck!
Epigram
25.09.2015
Sport Marcus Price, James O’Hara and Malik Ouzia Sport Editorial Team
Following a busy summer of sport, the new editorial team pick out their highs, lows, and best performances from across the sporting spectrum.
Highs Marcus Price: England Women’s football team
Deputy Editor: James O’Hara
Online Editor: Malik Ouzia
sport@epigram.org.uk @marcusprice106
deputysport@epigram.org.uk @JamesOHara14
sportonline@epigram.org.uk @MalikOuzia
A Summer of Sport two successive 2-1 victories over Norway and hosts Canada before being knocked out in heartbreaking fashion by Japan; after Fara William’s penalty had cancelled out a similar Japanese attempt, Laura Bassett turned a Japanese cross into her own net during injury time. Despite the emotional setback, the Lionesses rallied to secure a phenomenal bronze with a 1-0 win against Germany. James O’Hara: Start of the Premier League season
@epigramsport
Premier League season for me. There are lots of excellent new additions to the league, with Yohan Cabaye of Crystal Palace and Andre Ayew of Swansea looking the best buys in the early stages. However, the best thing about the new season is the terrible start Chelsea have made. Their defence is all over the place, and in attack Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas have played well within themselves. It looks like they have already blown the title, particularly considering the imperious form of Manchester City.
Flickr: Neil
The Lionesses secured the best result by an England World Cup team since that famous victory in 1966 with a bronze medal in Canada. Having qualified second in their group, England followed up with
Editor: Marcus Price
Nothing beats the start of the new Malik Ouzia: Men’s World Championship 100m Final
Flickr: IQRemix
To underestimate the significance of this result would be naïve. A win for twice-convicted drugs cheat Justin Gatlin in the sport’s blue ribbon event would have left not only hardcore athletics fans but the wider viewing audience disillusioned with just a year until Rio’s Olympics. Instead, the big man, the face of the sport, Usain Bolt, who’d been in average shape at best all year, stepped up with a stunning performance. In the words of Steve Cram, ‘he’s saved his title, he’s saved his reputation… he may even have saved his sport!’
Lows MP: Leigh Halpenny injury Wales and Lions star Leigh Halfpenny has had his Rugby World Cup dreams agonisingly cut short following his injury during Wales’ final warm-up game against Italy. The Toulon fullback ruptured anterior cruciate knee ligaments and, following surgery, looks set to miss the 2016 Six Nations as well. While his absence may aid England’s cause during the World Cup, it is a horrific injury to endure and we wish him all the best as he recovers.
JO: Death of Jules Bianchi For me, as a big fan of Formula one, there was nothing worse than the news of Jules Bianchi’s tragic death. Bianchi passed away on July 28th, after failing to recover from his injuries suffered in a horrific crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. He was a great talent who had been earmarked to drive for Ferrari in the future, and could have gone on to win the drivers’ title eventually. Instead, his untimely death has cast a shadow over the entire season, and raised important questions about safety in F1. He will be missed.
Continued on pg. 55
Protect your laptop and phone with the No.1 student insurance provider. Our student insurance covers includes: • theft, loss, accidental and liquid damage • cover anywhere in the UK and up to 30 days worldwide • monthly payment option at no extra cost** • 24 hour* laptop and phone replacement
Build your cover at endsleigh.co.uk/university or search Endsleigh Student Insurance
24 HOUR * REPLACEMENT
Sophie, Nottingham University Insured a £500 laptop plus an iPhone 5s for just £10.49** a month
*If your item is lost, stolen or unrepairable we’ll replace it within 24 hours – 1 working day of your claim being approved. **Price is based on a student living on campus, insuring a £500 laptop (excluding Apple and Sony laptops) and an iPhone 5s. We work exclusively with Premium Credit Limited (PCL) who arrange finance for monthly payments. Credit is subject to status and is not guaranteed. Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This can be checked on the Financial Services Register by visiting their website at www.fca.org.uk/register. Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited, Company No. 856706 registered in England at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire GL51 4UE.
265mm x 164mm landscape Freshers JW.indd 1
21/09/2015 13:46:39