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Day: 6 October 2011

Clubs depend on students for both work and play

Written by Scott McEwan on . Posted in News.

Fresher’s week 2011 was seven days of first impressions, not only for students and their future friends for life, but also for those nightclubs who depend on the student population’s propensity to spend an evening at their establishments.

Every year the nightclubs in proximity to the university and local student hives swell their promotional presence and compete fiercely with each other to try and capture the lucrative student market. The importance of particularly student-festive periods can not be underestimated for clubs which experience business cycles so closely linked to the student calendar. Luminar Entertainment, a nightclub operator which has been experiencing net losses for the past two years, recently made pleas to its debtors to stave off considerations forced administration until after fresher’s week.

It’s a familiar story for Manchester clubs.

“Fresher’s week is our most important week,” said Matthew Iceton, Advertising Manger for 5th Avenue nightclub.

“Fresher’s week is like our New Year: everything changes- including our club night advertising and artwork.”

Sophie Robson, bar manager of Joshua Brooks, said 80 percent of the club’s clientele is students and feels a promotional spotlight on fresher’s week is paramount for rousing repeat custom.

“New students coming into Manchester don’t know where to go and so first impressions mean a lot…If they have good first impressions they’re more likely to come back.”

By operating in sync with the student calendar, which begins with fresher’s week and is dotted with exam periods; nightclubs make appropriate marketing manoeuvres to attract the most students when demand for nightlife activity is high. Clubs don’t tend to compete on price- though discount entry for students is essential- but in promotional muscle, posting more of their marketing team on the steps of the Union and pushing more leaflets into the hands of students.

Students are valuable to clubs in more ways than one. Venues experiencing declining trade in pre-exam and summer periods require a flexible workforce which is able to work fewer hours when needed. Students seeking part-time work with the option to leave for home in the summer are positively sought after by such clubs.

Joshua Brooks hosts club nights throughout the week during term but over the summer months club nights are limited to Fridays and Saturdays. Therefore, the convenience of shedding employees over quieter periods of the year is a necessity and explains why almost of all their employees are students on part-time hours.

It’s a long-standing two-way relationship that’s been for the benefit of both parties.

Student suspended after anti-Clegg protest – NUS silent

Written by Ruth Wildman on . Posted in News.

An elected student officer and tuition fees activist has been suspended from the University of Birmingham after a protest that led to his arrest.

Edd Bauer, who was elected as the Vice President of Education at Birmingham’s Guild of Students, has been suspended from this role as well as the University.

Bauer was arrested for allegedly causing danger to road traffic users at the Liberal Democrat conference by hanging a banner that read “Traitors not welcome- hate Clegg love NCFAC (National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts).

Bauer and two other protesters were arrested and held over the weekend, but the two were released without charge on 26th September after a hearing at a magistrates court. All three pleaded not guilty.

He was suspended as a student after being relieved of his duties as Vice President of Education for the guild.

Bauer posted on his Facebook account that he had been suspended without a disciplinary hearing or warning and was banned from entering the University’s campus, as well as having his university email accounts blocked.

The National Union Students initially agreed to comment on Bauer’s suspension but have since refused to offer a statement. The NUS told The Mancunion they could not comment while the investigation was ongoing.

A statement from the University of Birmingham said, “We have been informed by the Guild of Students of their decision to suspend the Vice President (of Education).

“Having graduated this summer his technical status as a registered student is held by virtue of his Guild Officer position and therefore will be in abeyance for the duration of his suspension.”

“The University considers that its position should reflect the decision by the recognised student representative body.”

After his release from jail Bauer continued to plan for a protest that was due to take place 3rd October.

A spokesperson told student newspaper Redbrick that by continuing to protest and promote a ‘Defend Education’ meeting Bauer had violated the students’ charter, which says that any student found to be in contempt of the disciplinary procedures of the guild by failing to cooperate with the University, will face disciplinary action.

Anti-trespass legislation may criminalise sit-ins

Written by Stevie Spiegl on . Posted in News.

The National Union of Students (NUS) fears that government proposals to criminalise trespassing will see student sit-ins outlawed.

The legislative changes, which appeared in a Ministry of Justice consultation paper, are allegedly intended to speed up the eviction of squatters. But, the NUS, along with trade unionists and lawyers, have expressed concern that the unspecific wording will make it difficult to distinguish between squatting and political occupations.

“It will be a fundamental affront to the right of students to protest if occupation was criminalised,” said Michael Chessum, an NUS national executive member, told the Guardian. ‘I have no doubt that if the government tries to criminalise occupations … we would mount a campaign to make it politically impossible to stop student occupiers occupying.’

Trespass is currently a civil offence, meaning that property owners have to take offenders through the civil courts, a lengthy process which has little or no bearing on short-term occupation-protests.  If it becomes a criminal offence, however, sit-ins could potentially become a matter for immediate police intervention.

The Ministry of Justice has denied any intent to criminalise occupations, arguing that the proposed changes are aimed specifically at squatting. Yet while the consultation does consider whether student/worker sit-down protests should be covered under the changes, it remains quite open-ended: ‘Some may argue that the disruption [a sit-down] causes to the property owner may justify criminal sanctions while others may argue that certain types of squatters should be exempt.’

“The potential for grey areas is huge,” said Giles Peaker, a housing solicitor. “The consultation suggests that certain kinds of occupation might possibly be excluded, including things like students occupying university property, it doesn’t say that they will be, and the suggestion appears to be you would have Ministry of Justice licensed protests – permitted and not permitted.”