Poetry: a dying art? page 8
What’s On double page spread page 28-29
Whistleblowers page 14
The
Issue 264 Monday 30th September 2013 www.epigram.org.uk
Bristol graduate bottled in Kiev Adam Bushnell News Reporter
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Former Epigram Sports Editor David Stone required hospital treatment after being attacked and bottled outside a bar in Ukraine. He and other fans were drinking with locals on one of the main streets in the Ukrainian capital’s centre a few days before the England football team’s World Cup qualification match with the Euro 2012 hosts on 10th September. Stone told Epigram that he and a large group of England fans were socialising with the locals who were described as being ‘very friendly’. The next thing he recalls happening is waking up in his hospital bed. He suggested that the attackers, who have been widely reported as being either a group of opportunistic troublemakers or organised hooligans, also took the chance to steal the travelling supporters’ prized St George’s Cross flags. The attackers were described as a group of about thirty hooded men who appeared suddenly, throwing gas bombs and smoke grenades into the bar before attacking the England fans, some of whom tried to defend themselves. Stone told Epigram that there was no indication this was going to happen as the locals were being very amicable and interacting with the England fans, even taking photographs of one another. It is believed that the attackers took advantage of the lack of police presence, as the night of the attack was still several days before the match. There were three English fans that required hospital treatment, Stone included, with injuries
Bristol graduate David Stone attacked in Ukrainian capital including Stone’s own bottle wounds and knife slashes on other victims. He was out of hospital within hours after having his wound stitched and returned to his accommodation. The next day Stone reports that he was up and about and
managed to visit Chernobyl. Despite the traumatic experience, Stone and his friends will not be put off travelling to away games. He told Epigram that this is the first time that he has encountered any proper hostility. He has some wise words for other
travelling fans though; these include taking care in countries with a bad history of football violence. Stone warns against openly displaying football shirts, flags or scarves unless near to the stadium or in a large group. None of this should put anyone
off, however, as thousands of football fans travel around Europe each year supporting their respective teams and only a miniscule proportion encounter any difficulties.
Bristol rent 3rd highest in UK New Stoke Bishop outdoor gym Bristol is one of the most expensive places for students to live in the UK, second only to Cambridge and London, research by Haart estate agents has revealed this summer. This year, a student living in Bristol can expect to pay £416 a month per bedroom on average, which is approximately £90 higher than the national average. According to figures compiled by spareroom.co.uk, the average cost of student flats and house shares in Bristol has also risen by 7.7 per cent in the last year. It is not just prices for privately rented accommodation that are soaring; the price of a basic room at a catered student hall in Bristol was between £4,623 and £6,360 per year in 2012/13. continued on page 3
A new outdoor gym in Stoke Bishop heads the list of developments and initiatives launched over the summer by UBU (University of Bristol Students’ Union) Sport and Health. The gym, which is situated between Wills and Durdham Halls, forms part of ‘The Activity Zone’. The new area is available for use by all students and includes a set of outdoor gym equipment, as well as a multi-sports game area for football and basketball. In a further new initiative, the University of Bristol has created its first ever weekly session for disability sport. Sitting volleyball sessions will be completely free of charge and open to anybody in the university, even without a sports pass, which the University hopes will ‘promote inclusivity in all sports’. continued on page 3