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Day: 24 September 2012

Bizarre Sports #3 – Cheese Rolling

Written by Joe Rivers on . Posted in Sport.

For 364 days of the year, Brockworth in Gloucestershire is a sleepy rural town surrounded by beautiful Cotswold countryside. One day each year however, thousands of raucous people from Gloucester – and further afield – descend on Cooper’s Hill, famous for  the Cheese Rolling competition to which it plays host.

The main premise of the contest is that a 7-8lb round of Double Gloucester is rolled down the hill, chased by around 20 participants, all of whom aim to catch it. In reality the first person down the hill is crowned the winner, as the cheese has never actually been caught!

The hill itself is incredibly steep, with a gradient of 1:2 and stretching to 200 metres long. The cheese tumbles down the hill at speeds of up 70 miles per hour and poses a genuine threat of injury to spectators watching at the bottom of the course. Injuries are frequent, but limited mainly to minor sprains and bruises, although you wouldn’t think it after a quick gander on YouTube! The day consists of three downhill races, one ladies race and an uphill race for children. Local Stephen Gyde has won it an impressive twenty times.

The annual event supposedly came from a pagan ritual of rolling objects down the hill to commemorate spring. The exact date of the first organised rolling is not known but the event is thought to originate from the early 19th century. In recent times, many would suspect that the whole event has taken on new meanings of maintaining English tradition, by putting a middle finger up to health and safety.

The cheese rolling contest evokes real passion from the locals, who continued to run the competition when official management failed to support the event due to insurance problems. Helen Thorpe, the 2011 ladies winner, summed it up: “No-one’s going to stop us doing it. They say it’s not official but we are all Brockworth people and we’re running the cheese today. We strongly believe in it.”

Not many people would say that about a bit of Double Gloucester.

A postgraduate’s guide to Manchester

Written by Stevie Spiegl on . Posted in Freshers' Guide, Music.

There comes a time in every student’s life when he or she experiences an epiphany. The situation: You’re standing in a nightclub (let’s, without wishing to cast ugly aspersions, call this club 5th Avenue), the lights have just gone up, your feet are glued to the floor by a viscous mixture of vodka and Red Bull, and all around you stand individuals whom it would be generous to describe as the millstone round the neck of human evolution, arms thrown across each other’s shoulders as they bellow out the words to Don’t Look Back in Anger. The epiphany: “I’m too old for this.”

If you’re about to start a postgraduate degree, you should have already experienced this, in which case, it might be useful to know some places where it’s possible to eat, drink and dance without resenting every other person for having a good chance of outliving you while showing no outward signs of deserving it.

Given that this guide purports to cater to the more ‘mature’ crowd, it might seem counterintuitive to begin by recommending a club which contains a full-scale Dalek and lets you watch Thundercats while you dance. However, Fab Café (Portland Street) is a real gem, providing refuge from the fresh-off-the-boat indie crowd along with a hefty injection of all things geek. Retro arcade machines line the walls, there’s a TARDIS in the corner, and the DJs play your requests: in short, it covers all the bases. If, however, you’re too cool for all that, then Tiger Lounge (Cooper Street) provides a healthy mix of rock, soul and funk, as well as putting on a range of live music, such as the excellent and eclectic band/club night White Light White Heat (first Tuesday of every month). Prefer pubs to clubs? Then you’ll love The Castle (Oldham Street): from the outside it looks like an impenetrable and unwelcoming old-man’s pub, but step inside and you’ll discover an ample jukebox, a range of real ales and regular live music, while any shaggy, unkempt beards are more likely to be attached to hipsters than decrepit student-hating locals.

Fringe, Great Ancoats, is of a similar, though less crowded, nature. Just round the corner on Dale Street lies Nexus, an underground café which hosts a variety of events such as live music, theatre, exhibitions and book groups. It was also, until recently, home to the Nexus Night Café, perhaps the only place in Manchester where it was possible to drink coffee, play board games and generally procrastinate until 6am. Recent funding cuts aside, Nexus promise that the Night Café will return… Head towards Piccadilly and you’ll find the Port St. Beerhouse, Port Street, with its assortment of Czech-style Buxton-brewed beers, and Jackson’s Wharf, which faces onto the Rochdale canal; ideal if you like narrowboats and watching people fish in water which hardly looks capable of sustaining life, let alone edible life.

Of course, you don’t have to go into town to have a good time. Three excellent bars lie but a stone’s throw from central campus.

The first is a dive named Big Hands, which is one of those places you feel you shouldn’t like – it’s loud, it’s often rammed, you sometimes lose your seat to the resident dog – but inevitably do. Furthermore, if pestering rock stars is your thing, the bar’s proximity to the Academy means that this is the place to spot them. If you’d rather at least pretend to be working, then you could do a lot worse than The Contact Theatre or The Ducie – behind the library; check out the exotic burger menu whilst there. A little further south, off a side-road in Rusholme, you’ll find The Antwerp Mansion. In its time it’s been the Belgian Consulate, the Rusholme Conservative Association, and now it’s a jack-of-all-trades venue hosting live music, festivals, parties and jam nights.

Keep on south and you’ll get to Fallowfield, an area distinguished by pub golf and first-years vomiting down their fronts. The bars aren’t great, but if you’ve never been you could do worse than to give it a look, if only to remind yourself that, if you really think about it, perhaps getting older isn’t the very worst thing in the world.

Lavish perks offered to peddle club nights to students

Written by Richard Crook on . Posted in News.

A company promoting club nights to Freshers offered exclusive perks to Halls committee members (JCRs) in an attempt to sell their welcome week packs.

JCRs are responsible for delivering a quality and value-for-money Welcome Week and receive a budget generated from student’s rent fees.

The Welcome Week Company, a subsidiary to Social Junkies, insisted the contract dates back two years and they have since demanded the practice stop, but the leak emerged from two Fallowfield halls committee members who claim it was offered to them for last year’s Welcome Week.

The perks included free entry to all Social Junkies events for the remainder of their university life, as well as discounts to SKUM events and free entry to all clubs involved in the pack, which was priced at £45.

A spokesperson for Social Junkies said: “It is not attributable to anything that occurred for this current (or last year’s) Welcome Week. This was raised as an issue two years ago and as such, both Social Junkies and The Welcome Week Company have expressly stated in all of their meetings there will be no incentives for any JCR or RA to work with either party.”

But the JCR who leaked the contract was organising last year’s Welcome Week for a prominent Fallowfield halls, meaning they would have been offered the deal a year after Social Junkies claim to have dealt with the matter.

No official perks are thought to have been offered to JCRs this year, though several Halls of Residence committees again teamed up with The Welcome Week Company.

The committee member who spoke to The Mancunion also claims that after rejecting the offer, they alerted the University to the practice and offered an alternative proposal to running Welcome Week.

But despite the Vice Chancellor wishing the initiative “every success”, the Pastoral Care Support Worker for the halls in question refused to recommend JCR members to cooperate.

Nick Pringle, General Secretary at the Students’ Union said: “I’m extremely concerned about reports that students were pressured into signing deals with club promoters for their welcome week packages.”

He added: “As a Students’ Union we’re committed to supporting and developing residences associations and JCRs so that they remain student-led. As every student pays into their association through accommodation fees, students must always be in control of the activities and finances of these associations. It’s clear that a change is needed and we’ll be working with the students involved and the university to find a solution.”

Brendon Jones, General Manager for Pastoral Care, said in a statement: “Residents Associations and Junior Common Rooms are autonomous bodies with constitutions and are elected by the residents in the Halls. We always offer them support and advice in all matters that are drawn to our attention including entering into any agreements with third parties.”

“Over the previous year meetings have been held to offer advice on managing approaches from promoters because we are aware that RAs and JCRs are regularly targeted.”

This is not the first time Social Junkies have made The Mancunion headlines. In 2010, students and the University condemned their promotion tactics, heavy emphasis on drinking, and their event entitled ‘Fuck a Fresher’.

The best night spots in Manchester

Written by Tom Glasser on . Posted in Freshers' Guide, Music.

Freshers, take note, for I am about to impart unto you some of the most useful tips for the start of your new lives in Manchester. Picture Oxford Road as a mighty river – stick with it, it will soon make sense. It flows chaotically past the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan, multiple halls of residence, and then morphs into Wilmslow Road, before spluttering into the student ghettoes of Fallowfield and beyond. Many buses filled with whey-protein-pumped morons line the banks of this river; advertising nights out in the whirlpools that are The Bop and 5th Avenue, whirlpools that will drain both your wallet and your soul. But young freshers, there are many smaller, cooler, less frequented tributaries and streams. Streams that are waiting to be sailed down, and yes, this guide will be your metaphorical canoe, paddle and GPS app, all in one. I told you the metaphor would be good.

Now imagine your first night out in Manchester. This might even be your first night-out in a place that’s not your home town. You can head to the Printworks to find out for yourself that it is rubbish, or you can determine that the Printworks is rubbish without going there, in order to save time. Instead, while it may be turning into a yuppie paradise, The Northern Quarter still remains the focal point for most of the best nights you’ll find this side of the Pennines. Just five minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens, the Northern Quarter is filled with bars and clubs offering quality live music and even at the club nights the music remains a cut above the rest. For fans of live music, The Roadhouse, The Ruby Lounge, Matt & Phreds (groovy jazz bar), Moho Live, Soup Kitchen, Gullivers, and the Night & Day café all offer an antidote to the DJ’s who are paid to do nothing more than press play on the latest Carly Rae Jepsen track. While Revolver, a successful 60s club night which takes over The Roadhouse every Monday, deserves at least one visit during your first year.

The Castle Hotel, Oldham Street, offers the best of both worlds: the cramped and bustling atmosphere of a local pub (they sell an ale called ‘Old Tom’ which is so strong they can only sell it in half pints!) as well as an intimate venue that often hosts great local musicians. Meanwhile, sitting on the fringe of the Northern Quarter, Band on the Wall puts on some fantastic live bands, as well as regularly hosting the tea-loving, Manchester resident and music pioneer, Mr. Scruff; and Craig Charles’ ever-popular ‘Funk and Soul Club’ night – which will be in Manchester on September 28th.

Moving away from the city centre, with an atmosphere that manages to find a balance between the horrific mass of Barbour jacket-clad students called Bippy and Spliffy on the one hand, and the strangely appealing feel of an ever so slightly mangy student pub on the other; The Ram manages, despite its Fallowfield location, to be an enjoyable place to visit. Used by many as a watering hole before a larger night out, The Ram & Shackle is bedecked with granny décor, namely crumbling chairs and peeling wallpaper. A question of taste for sure, but it certainly provides first week icebreakers such as “Isn’t this chair mad?” Yes, I’ve had some slow nights there. But the best thing about this pub is that it offers bands that are free to see. Although the quality does suffer somewhat/entirely, it provides students with the perfect night of sitting on a manky chair whilst delivering a vitriolic critique of an out of tune student band from afar.

“But I don’t want to go where all the other students go!” I hear you cry. Well here’s a tip: The Islington Mill, actually located in Salford, but only a 10-minute walk from the city centre, offers exhibitions, film showings, galleries and great bands. The staff are friendly and one never gets the sense that this is a moneymaking enterprise. I saw the brilliant band ‘F**** Up’ here, a hardcore punk band who got the moshing crowd to chant “safety first!” after a crowd surfer almost broke through an electrical pipe. Albeit a tad out of the way, it is definitely a lesser-known highlight.

A club that will be hard to avoid will be The Deaf Institute; a fantastic venue that was indeed a former institute for the deaf. Cool café in the daytime, hip club when the sun goes down. I guess the only negative point that one could draw upon is that it can get busy, really busy, especially on established events like hip-hop night Gold Teeth. What I can also recommend is to sit upon the raised seating in the main dance floor, a perfect spot to observe from above the wonderful and sometimes tragic dance of the students.

So there you have it, my top tips for some great nights out in Manchester. You’ve never had it so easy. I do sincerely hope that as many of you will avoid the multitude of ‘whirlpools’ that this city has to offer. But hang on: I don’t want all you freshers to spoil my evenings! Just don’t go when I do. I’m the guy scowling behind a pint glass.

The Didsbury’s

Written by Rachel Heward on . Posted in News.

When you’re fed up of campus life you don’t need to trek all the way into the city centre for a change of scenery. Instead, catch a bus to the café culture atmosphere and independent shops of East and West Didsbury.

The 60s style tea room And The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon, Burton Road, West Didsbury, offers freshly baked cupcakes, brownies and slices with local, organic and fairtrade ingredients where possible. From 1pm every Thursday-Sunday you can also get afternoon tea at a set menu and price, but arrive early as the best cakes always go first! Their menu is also seasonal, offering iced coffees, shakes and ice-cream in the summer and warming treats in the winter. Much better than your average Starbucks.

Everybody loves a good Italian restaurant and the family-run Azzurro, Burton Road, is just that. They offer a traditional Italian menu with a variety of starters, pastas, main courses and desserts. However, it is the specials board that makes Azzurro stand out with fresh seafood being a particular highlight.

If your parents are in town, or if you’re just feeling affluent, head to The Rose Garden which can also be found on Burton Road in West Didsbury. Decorated in a contemporary fashion, the surroundings echo their modern approach to cooking and although it’s pricier than your average restaurant – a main course usually sets you back around £18 – the quality of the food and service definitely makes it worth a visit. Alternatively, The Rose Garden also has a set menu from Sunday-Thursday between 5-7.30pm, which costs £14.95 for two courses and £16.95 for three. Like most eateries in Didsbury, they believe in sourcing their food from local suppliers and keep their menu seasonal.

The best bars and pubs can be found in Didsbury Village around the clock tower or around Burton Road in West Didsbury. A variety of independent and well-established places such as O’Neill’s, The Didsbury and The Dog and Partridge can be found in Didsbury Village. Friday and Saturday nights will inevitably involve groups of people, most probably in fancy dress, stumbling up and down the road attempting to complete what is known locally as “The Didsbury Dozen”.

Otherwise, on Burton Road, there’s The Violet Hour, where you’ll find deep leather sofas and an impressive range of cocktails, wines and spirits. The Metropolitan is also a great pub and, as it was formerly a Victorian railway hotel, it is spacious and has a great outdoor area (complete with an al fresco bar) for those rare sunny days in Manchester.

For shopping, Didsbury has a range of independent and vintage shops, my favourite being Junk Shop on Burton road. Junk Shop is a vintage boutique selling second-hand and remade/re-modelled clothes, predominantly for women, selling pretty dresses, tops, weird and wonderful jumpers and a great range of quirky jewellery as well. They pride themselves on sustainable, affordable fashion and have an in-house design team who have developed the three unique labels of Junk Boutique, Jumble and Label of Love.

So why not try the Didsburys for something alternative. Hop on the 42, 43, 45, 142, 143, or what I quickly picked up from a bus driver when I first arrived in Manchester: “pretty much any bus with its number in the 40s”.

The City for free

Written by Emma Bean on . Posted in Freshers' Guide.

So you’ve made it to Manchester, the greatest student city in Europe. But after all of the frivolity of Welcome Week you come to realise that the student loan doesn’t stretch as far as you would like, that your budget does not seem as large as you once imagined. Fear not! There are a great many fun and free things in our fair city, so put away the iPlayer and basics noodles and go explore it.

People’s History Museum

You could expect nothing less of the city at the very forefront of the industrial revolution than to have a museum largely devoted to telling the story of the working class people who shouldered the hard work that made it what it was. Formerly known as National Museum of Labour history, the Spinningfields-based museum it spans the past two hundred years, telling the tale of the growth of democracy in the UK through key events and topics such as the Peterloo massacre, the Women’s Suffrage Movement, popular radicalism, the 1945 general election, the Cooperative retailing movement and football. A recurring theme throughout the museum is various banners of political movements and trade unions, which are both works of art in their own right as well as being telling insights into the great political and societal issues of the day. There’s even a dress up bit complete with bus conductor uniforms, Victorian dresses and Edwardian straw hats.

Whitworth Art Gallery

The art gallery is a favourite for a lazy afternoon; the gallery being one of seven major art galleries in Greater Manchester. Situated in between Whitworth Park Halls and the Park itself, the gallery regularly hosts major exhibitions to go alongside its permanent pieces. The ‘Building On Things’ exhibition, which runs until the January 6th 2013. Contains work from world class artists like Patrick Caulfield and Tacita Dean, and focuses on the relationship between ruins and not only their effect on the past but their enduring legacy into the present.

Afterwards, you can use the money you saved not buying an admission ticket to enjoy a cup of tea in their lovely café (the cake is particularly glorious).

RNCM free recitals and concerts

Sandwiched between the UKs two biggest Universities in the midst of Oxford Road’s hustle and bustle is the Royal Northern College of Music, containing some of the most talented musicians in the country. You can enjoy top class musical performances from students at the conservatoire frequently during term time, from just short recitals to fuller concert repertoires. The concert orchestra particularly plays informal lunchtime concerts free to members of the public. In fact, every Wednesday lunchtime during term time there are performances from soloists and small ensembles in St Ann’s Church, just around the corner from RNCM itself.

John Rylands Library (Deansgate)

One of the more historic buildings of the University of Manchester, this library is both a tourist attraction and also one of the University’s libraries. There are numerous events and tours at the library, including a Harry Potter event on whether or not cloaking is a possibity, which may well excite the inner child in you. There is also an exhibition in September called the ‘ever open door’ about the Manchester based charity ‘The Together Trust’ – of which Mr John Rylands himself was a committee member at its founding in 1870 – through from its inception to the present day. The charity has worked to provide an ever open door to the city’s young poor people, in the beginning primarily to those who lived through the horrific workhouses and the grinding extreme poverty of the era.

Built in a Neogothic style and first opened to the public in 1900, it was given Grade 1 listed status in 1994. As a side note, it is also a very quiet place to study over exam time, quite unlike the main University library, not that that needs to be thought about until the winter and summer exam seasons.

The Museum of Science and Industry

Since 1983 the museum has been providing the best steam train rides in Manchester. Located in Liverpool road station (vacated by British rail in 1975), one of the original terminuses of the Liverpool and Manchester railway, the world’s first passenger railway. But the museum does have more than just trains to offer in its telling of the city’s industrial contributions, with year round exhibitions including everything from domestic appliances to x-ray equipment.

Withington

Written by Jack Burke on . Posted in Freshers' Guide.

Away from the noisy, fresher-infested Fallowfield, the more refined student finds his home in Withington after a hedonistic first year. With its mixture of charity shops, takeaways and bars, Withington provides a happy medium between student life and young professionalism.

Food and Drink

Withington’s selection of bars and pubs caters to all tastes. For the trendy, veggie brigade Fuel is the go-to place south of the city centre, with its extensive vegetarian menu matched only by its fine selection of foreign beer. It proves perfect for nights with friends and remains the only place I have ever managed to acquire lemon drizzle cake at 11:30pm. Live music nights are regular, especially at weekends while there’s also a weekly pub quiz, traditionally seen as one of the most challenging in the area!
Across the road is Solomon Grundy, a bar with a similar feel to Fuel, but without the vegetarian element. A well-priced yet cultured menu awaits you with a chilled vibe that is welcoming to all. The bar also often doubles as a jewellery shop during the day.

For those looking to dance into the early hours, the underground bar Indigo is open most evenings and has live jazz on weekends.
For more traditional pub fare The Victoria and the Red Lion provide local ales, pool and live Premier League football. A hidden gem is The Turnpike, which despite its scruffy unwelcoming exterior is well worth a visit, serving Sam Smith’s beer of all varieties at ridiculously cheap prices.

Withington is well-stocked in good restaurants, with Coriander providing arguably the best curry south of the eponymous mile, and at a much more reasonable price. And Aladdin’s, while not looking like much from the outside, provides excellent Middle Eastern cuisine and a lively atmosphere.

Shopping

For all your grocery shopping needs, there’s both a medium-sized Co-operative and a Sainsburys Local. But looking beyond these mainstream options, Withington’s local food shops help the student on a budget in particular. Withington Fruit and Veg provides vegetables of all shapes and sizes at much better prices than their larger competitors.

There’s also a wide array of pound shops which provide for bargain-hunters.

Withington is known for its charity shops, where both the fashion-conscious hipster and the standard student will find great value. Deco, Egerton Crescent, is another fine place to discover a bargain. Offering discount DVDs meticulously sorted into their respective genres, rare vinyl and a collection of old and new CDs, Deco is regularly filled with Manchester DJs looking for inspiration for their latest set.

Withington also has a library which, while perhaps not satisfying all your literary needs, is a quiet oasis for study if the journey to university seems too far, plus membership is free.

Many Fallowfield urchins will turn their nose up at Withington-dwellers, but that’s only because they’re jealous they missed a trick. Enjoy your first year in Halls but I urge you to then make the smart choice, and allow yourself to be taken in by Withington’s charms. You won’t regret it. And if you do feel nostalgia for the glory days, 256 is only a 10-minute walk away.

Parks

Written by Jonathan Breen on . Posted in Freshers' Guide.

People say Manchester is all rain and no sun, rubbish. Sometimes there is a whole week of unbroken sunshine. Should you be lucky enough to witness such a time, the abundance of parks that cover the city are a great place to take it all in.

Platt Fields: one of the biggest and perhaps best known parks is Platt Fields. Its close vicinity to University of Manchester and MMU halls of residence makes itan obvious attraction to students. As well as being a great place for runners, there is plenty of space to relax with friends, kick a ball around – or weather permitting – have a barbeque. The park includes a couple of basketball and tennis courts, a (private) BMX track, a well-equipped skatepark, and a large boating lake open in the summer. It also plays host to the annual June music-festival Parklife and an impressive fireworks display on Guy Fawkes Night.

Ladybarn Park: more of a hidden gem, Ladybarn Park is nestled between residential streets popular with 2nd and 3rd year students. Accessible off Ladybarn Road, a few hundred metres down from popular fish & chip shop The Battered Cod, Ladybarn Park is quieter and much smaller than nearby Platt Fields. This means the three basketball hoops and two tennis courts are often free. It’s also popular with Slackliners (where you tie a rope between two trees and bounce around on it) and Frisbee-ers, and is generally a perfect place to escape from the bustle of city life.

Whitworth Park: slap bang in the middle of the main student commuter route Oxford Road, Whitworth Park is a welcome break between the chaos of the Curry Mile and the main UofM and MMU campuses. The majority of the park is covered with large trees, so offers plenty of shade on a sunny day. The nearby universities on Oxford Road and UofM’s Victoria Campus and Whitworth Park Halls of Residence make it popular with students. The park gets its name from the famous 19th century engineer, entrepreneur, inventor and philanthropist Sir Joseph Whitworth. A statue commemorating him stands in the park and can often been seen with a traffic cone on his head or defiled in some other way.

Heaton Park: approximately 600 acres, Heaton Park is not only the biggest park in Manchester, but also one of the largest urban parks in Europe. It made headlines this summer as it hosted the Stones Roses reunion concert. Naturally, it is a great place to go when the sun is out and perfect for a game of football and even has a public golf course. However, Heaton is not the most easily accessible of Manchester’s parks being about a 30-minute bike ride from Salford Uni. So its location and family appeal mean Heaton Park is not the most popular student park. Nevertheless, on a sunny day, if you don’t mind lots of dogs, it makes for a good day trip.

Peel Park: adjacent to the University of Salford, Peel Park is a stone throw south of Castle Irwell Student Village. Despite its central location, enter Peel Park and you won’t feel as if you’re in a city environment – bordered by Salford University and the River Irwell and with the sound of the nearby dual carriageway muted, it makes for a beautiful park come summer or winter. Opened in 1846, as one of the first public parks in Manchester it now includes the David Lewis Sports Ground. Together, the two offer numerous football pitches and vast open areas for relaxing with friends and perhaps some casual sports (whatever they may be).

Queen’s Park: located a short walk north of University of Bolton’s Deane Campus is Queen’s Park. Spotted with trees and a picturesque pond it’s the nearest respite from the urban setting of Bolton University. Although relatively small, there is plenty of space for a kick around, to chat with friends, or to just sit back relax and read a book on a sunny day.

Leverhulme Park: To the east of Bolton proper, a short bus ride away from the Uni is Leverhulme Park, the largest area of public parkland in the Bolton area. With its vast open spaces and river running through it, Leverhulme is a stunning park with plenty of space for whatever you feel like doing, whether you fancy a bit of footy, ultimate Frisbee or some extreme kite flying. The park is also home to a number of unique leisure facilities, including a cycling-track and running track; and hosts many of the local annual fairs and festivals, such as the Leverhulme Park fireworks display and funfair on November 4.

These are just a sample of the multitude of public parks in Greater Manchester and just a few of the places you can relax and spend your time while at university in Manchester.

Oxford Road

Written by Lisa Murgatroyd on . Posted in News.

Oxford Road stretches from Manchester City c+Centre to the edge of Rusholme, where it morphs into Wilmslow Road and the legendary curry mile. Odds are you’re going to live either on or within spitting distance of this road at some point so let’s get a head start on the best places to know.

Famed for being the busiest bus route in Europe – one every 11 seconds – you might think you could just glide by on the Magic Bus, but really everything is within five to ten minute walking distance of the University.

The main campus’ of both MMU and the University of Manchester are situated on Oxford Road; with the University of Manchester Students’ Union being the hub of student life for UofM students. During Welcome Week you literally won’t be able to move two inches along the stretch of pavement outside the building without someone thrusting some kind of voucher into your hands! Opposite the Students’ Union is the International Society which has a café serving hearty, cafeteria style lunches complete with, predictably, dishes from around the world. The society also hosts a number of cultural events which are open to all students; from showing French films with the Francophone society to Caribbean evenings complete with delicious Jamaican cuisine.

Walking towards the city centre, you’ll pass the Manchester Museum. Well worth checking out if you have a couple spare hours and fancy a culture fix. Up until November the museum will be hosting a special exhibition on British war hero, computer pioneer and one-time Manchester scholar, Alan Turing. It’s free entry for all, and the gift shop is a great spot for Christmas shopping.

The Royal Northern College of Music is located just on the crossroads from the Precinct, where you can catch free afternoon performances from gifted young classical musicians, and opposite that is the Aquatics Centre. Built for the Commonwealth Games, it has two 50m pools and a 25m diving pool, as well as a gym. With the Manchester Leisure Pass (available for FREE) you can receive discounted prices, and membership starts at £120. Around the corner from the Aquatics Centre is the Sugden Sports Centre, with great membership rates for students and a whole range of facilities available including an extensive list of workout classes. A nine month membership comes in at £165. During Welcome Week and for some time after, a lot of the classes will offer free taster sessions at all of the sports facilities in Manchester, so make sure to check these out before signing up.

Skipping past Manchester Metropolitan University, you start hitting the spots which make Manchester the best student experience. Just off Oxford Road, on Grosvenor Street, you’ll find the slightly dilapidated Footage, a place to catch a live sports match with a cheap burger and a pint. If you fancy catching an intimate gig, head to The Deaf Institute, which has regular and low priced gigs, usually of the alternative/indie vibe. It also has some great food. Opposite Deaf you find The Pub/Zoo, two venues in one and a regular student night out with Mondays being “Acceptable in the 90s”, £1 entry and £1 drinks all night. Bargain. Next to The Pub, you have Sandbar, tad pricy, but with a cosy atmosphere, and a beer garden out back. It’s a stereotypical student haunt, trying to capture the Northern Quarter vibe with a fair amount of success.

Back on Oxford Road, keeping a northward bearing, you’ll pass by the 8th Day vegetarian health-food shop and café. Being the birthplace of modern vegetarianism, it is perhaps no surprise that Manchester has really jumped on the vegetarian/vegan bandwagon, and this is just one of many havens for the leaf eaters among you. Another being The Thirsty Scholar, a vegan pub tucked under the railway bridge which crosses over Oxford Road.

Around said railway bridge, you’ll find one of my favourite places in the world – Font. £2 cocktails? Yes please. Check out the Font challenge! Next door is a newly opened expansion for Northern Quarter legend Black Dog Ballroom. Featuring a roof terrace, with summer BBQs, and 2 for 1 cocktails at happy hour, this place is going to be big.

Just in front of Oxford Road rail station, you’ll find the Cornerhouse, an international cinema and gallery which screens indie films from around the world, and welcomes thought provoking exhibitions and festivals all year ‘round. It is a great place to have a coffee with a friend, perusing the latest exhibition, and feeling all intellectual.

The last stretch – technically Oxford Street – has an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet at Tai Wu, for about £6 during the day time, and the former Victorian public toilet, and now trendy city-centre watering-hole Temple Bar; which offers up a terrific range of bottled beers in a bohemian atmosphere. Elbow singer Guy Garvey can also be spotted in here regularly, so there’s another incentive to pay a visit.

Chorlton

Written by Joe Sandler Clarke on . Posted in News.

Filled with an excessive amount of vegan food shops, bars that seem to cater solely for floppy haired twenty-somethings, and twee cafes; Chorlton is not only a Guardian readers idea of paradise, it’s also a safe haven for anyone looking to escape the vodka-red-bull-swilling, Jack-Wills-wearing brigade that haunt most of south Manchester during term time.

For shopping your best bet is Beech Road, with McQueen offering rare labels and Nood, which stocks an eclectic mix of accessories and dresses, including owner Alison King’s own ‘AKA’ label. Coming off Beech Road and into the more affordable end of Chorlton, Fred’s, Wilbraham Road, is a small boutique which sells specially selected clothes that you won’t find on the high street for affordable prices. Meanwhile, the award for the most stereotypical shop in the area has to go the Creative Recycling Gallery, which sells fashionable trinkets and other goods made from recycled material with the broader aim of promoting “ethical and sustainable living”. I told you it was a Guardian reader’s paradise.

If traipsing around fashion boutiques and eco-friendly galleries isn’t your idea of fun, Chorlton also has a number high-quality charity shops stocking good books, clothes and other items donated by the neighbourhood’s liberal, middle-class inhabitants. While it also enjoys a number of characterful, independent café’s and restaurants; such as the wonderful On The Corner on Beech Road.

Selling afternoon meals and a varied selection of tea and juices, On The Corner also doubles as an independent record shop and regularly hosts live music, DJ-ing and art shows. Battery Park on Wilbraham Road offers a similar selection of food and drink to On The Corner, and boasts a menu containing locally sourced produce and fresh juices.

If you manage to pop into Chorlton on a sunny day, and that will be rare occurrence in Manchester, you can head to one of Chorlton’s lunchtime institutions to prepare for a picnic in Chorlton Meadows.

Barbakan Delicatessen, Manchester Road, and Unicorn Grocery, Albany Road, specialise in freshly baked bread and sell ingredients from all over Europe. Though because selling predominantly organic, fair-trade produce doesn’t come cheap; prepare to be taken aback by prices. In Unicorn you can even buy a vegetarian haggis, though whether that’s an incentive to visit the shop or not I don’t know.

If you’re planning an evening out, Yakisoba, on Barlow Moor Road, is a fantastic Asian fusion restaurant offering Thai and Chinese cuisine at reasonable prices. A bowl of soup so large that you could swim in it and a sizeable bento box will only set you back £10. For something less formal Pi, Manchester Road, is a smallish bar which sells a range of excellent beers and serves up tasty pie and mash for a fiver.

To get to Chorlton you can catch either the 85 or the 86 from the RNCM. It’s just 15 minutes from Oxford Road by bus. Alternatively you can get on a tram to St Werburgh’s Road from the city centre; a journey which only takes between 15-20 minutes.

Fallowfield

Written by Ellen Conlon on . Posted in Freshers' Guide.

Presented with the task of writing an introductory guide to Fallowfield I panicked, thinking that I had been too unadventurous in my first two years as a Manchester student. I had found things that I liked and I had stuck with them. Why fix what isn’t broken? So I pulled a group of friends together and quizzed them on their favourite places in the area. And as the answers began to pour in I realised that none of this was new to me. There is so much to do in Fallowfield but it is easy to forget or brush over it because it is all right under your nose. Especially in first year, living on the Fallowfield campus, everything is only a short walk away, and becomes so familiar. As friends told of their favourite night out takeaway or the best place to spend a lazy Sunday morning I realised that I had no reason to panic. While I may not have sampled every topping from each takeout pizza shop or carefully analysed and compared the drinks prices of every bar, I knew that there was a reason that I had chosen to carry on living there for a third year running. Fallowfield is the perfect location for a student who wants to throw themselves in, have fun and enjoy their new found freedom.

What makes Fallowfield attractive to many students is the number of bars it hosts in such close proximity. The ‘Fallowfield Fifteen’ bar crawl is therefore a popular night out for many sports teams, with its involvement being pretty self explanatory. If a rowdy night out following rugby boys dressed up as babies wearing nothing but nappies and spooning each other their own concoction of ‘baby food’ isn’t your thing, then Fallowfield still offers a more chilled night out. Font, on Wilmslow Road almost opposite the entrance to Owen’s Park, boasts a large menu of tasty cocktails, which is forever expanding, and at little over £2 each it makes it hard to say no to “just one more”.

If you’re looking for something a bit different to a standard overdressed night out in Revolution but don’t want to venture into town towards the Northern Quarter, then head further into Fallowfield, past Sainsbury’s, to The Ram. From the outside it is easy to be unsure of what to expect and this doesn’t change when you step inside, with odd mismatching furniture and graffiti artwork on the walls. Half of the pub is even a gutted out industrial size kitchen which is now given over to pool tables. But with wine served by the pint and regular live music and open mic nights, it is definitely a night that should be given a go.

Just a few meters down the road from Font, Fallow also offers live music. Serving up eclectic mix of beer and cider as well as affordable cocktails, an evening at Trof is a little different from your standard night-out in Fallowfield; but once you’ve discovered it you’ll almost definitely return. Not only do they often have alternative bands playing in an area that leads onto a heated, cosy balcony, but they will welcome you back in the morning with their tempting breakfasts.

For something a bit different, Squirrel’s Bar in Oak House offers a comedy night every other Sunday which is open to all. Hosting comedians who are just starting out as well as established names, including Jack Whitehall, it’s important to get there early to avoid being stuck in the front row and making yourself the target of ‘hilarious’ put-downs from the stand-ups.

If a break is needed from heavy nights out, then Platt Fields Park, just before Owens Park on Wilmslow Road, provides some green, wholesome fun. In good weather the lake is open for boating and pedalos, the park is perfect for BBQs, and every few months it is visited by a fair. The park also plays a large part in the local community and hosts events such as an annual Diwali celebration which includes a large firework show, complete with bonfire. On the last weekend of the final term, Platt Fields is turned not so green or wholesome but with added fun for Parklife Festival, which has big name headliners, nationwide visitors and ends the year with an unforgettable bang.

A guide to Fallowfield would not be complete without a mention of Gaffs, the infamous off-licence. Known for selling £1 bottles of wine, Gaffs is your go-to for cheap alcohol, tickets for nights out, food, DVDs and anything else you could possibly be in desperate need of.

So really apart from the attendance of university when it really is necessary, there is no need to leave Fallowfield when you have everything you could possibly need no more than a few hundred meters away from you. For a guaranteed good night out, I suggest you head to Gaffs to stock up, pop into Font for a few cocktails, dance down to 256 where the music will keep you on your feet all night, and then stagger into your choice of takeaway. (I recommend Venice Pizza or Allan’s Chicken although there is always the trusty Dominos). Wander back to your halls and wake up ready to do it all again tomorrow.

Review: Frontline by David Loyn

Written by Agnes Chambre on . Posted in Books.

“Is a story ever worth dying for?” “Yes. YES. Absolutely.”

This is the wildly captivating non-fiction account of the life of freelance television photo agency, Frontline (1989 – 2004), which trudges through minefields in Afghanistan and the forests of Chechnya. In search? of some sort of truth about “real war”: evidence of massacres and the effects of mis-directed bombings on civilians.

Instead of being turned away once more by the glaze that the words “non-fiction” induces, running to the new ‘adult’ novel from J.K. Rowling, give Frontline a chance. Rarely is a story (even a fictional one) so exciting, its telling so gripping. With dramatic dialogue and eloquent writing, the only snag you may perceive in this book is also its importance: the emotion that it induces cannot be pushed away, or ignored, with the comforting self-assurance that ‘it’s only a story’.

The opening quote above comes from Vaughn Smith (an ex-soldier turned photojournalist), who comprised one of the founders and original reporters of Frontline. The company was the driving force behind freelance journalists, and journalism, who refused to commit to the “24 hour news beast”, and the increasingly homogeneous and bland news coverage of conflict.

When photojournalists were told where to point their cameras and when to close their eyes, Frontline was formed. Independently finding and shooting the real stories of war; no money-making scheme (mostly no money), and no quick way to fame. Rory Peck, Peter Jouvenal and Vaughn Smith were not activists; they went to the front with no biased or political agenda, but with a determination to show the best and worst of the human character in the world’s most dangerous places.

Loyn quotes Jouvenal as saying he would often film things that he knew could not be broadcast, “If people are tied up and shot in the back of the head, then it is my duty to fim it…if you don’t, then it’s a form of censorship. It is as if the deaths didn’t happen”. This is testament not only to the dedication and personal beliefs of Frontline’s founders and journalists, who strove to document, in the hope of disarming (viewers and armies) and not entertaining, but is the driving impetus behind both company and book.

For my part, I had to struggle through the first 50 pages or so, but this work paid off tenfold. I came away completely involved, personally, with the story, and feel that I even learnt something from this book which conveys the extremes of human nature. This is an incredibly well written and important book.

Book Club: Ata Rahman

Written by Phoebe Chambre on . Posted in Books.

Name: Ata Rahman
Age: 23
Occupation: Student and co-editor of the Manchester Historian

Hi Ata!
What are you reading?

Well, I managed two books over the summer, Civilisation: The West and The Rest, which serves as an accompaniment to Niall Ferguson’s Channel 4 documentary on the predicted end of Western civilisation and a book about the lives of five Afghan women under the Taliban regime called The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez.

Where have you been reading it (train, bus, beach, bath, internet, juice carton…)?

Mostly been reading it on modes of transport – bus, train, plane. Its always easier to read when you’re in a tunnel (or up in the air) as for those moments you can’t turn to your phone to distract you.

Is it a slow-burner or quick fire?

Civilisation is definitely a slow burner, you have to fully engage with his theories and critiques before you can get the most from the chapters about Chinese dominance, decline and distention. The Little Coffee Shop is much more of a quick fire with a kidnapping opening the setting, but it’s only until the middle when the five women’s interplay becomes more humanised and the action takes off.

Is it work or rest to read?

Honestly, depends on my frame of mind and the situation. Give me a book on holiday when I’m far removed from the trials and tribulations of uni/work/life and its one of the most pleasurable experiences. However, the thought of dragging yourself to a coffee shop on a Sunday afternoon after you’ve enjoyed somewhat more than a tipple the night before to try and get yourself into a reading mood is pretty difficult, even though once you’re into the book, you know why you bothered in the first place.

Paperback or e-book?

As a student, I spend far too much of my time in front of a screen (albeit over 50% of it for catching up on Big Bang Theory and Gossip Girl rather than for Uni work), so if I am going to read a book, its paperback all the way. My eyes couldn’t hack it otherwise.

Do you ever have time during the semester to read (for pleasure), or is free, unaccounted for time the unicorn of student life?

In all honestly, I probably could squeeze in about 3 or 4 books per semester, but given most of the work you do as an Arts student is reading anyway, you don’t want to spend your free time doing the same thing. I definitely regret not making the most of my free time in 1st year; I certainly could have educated myself on many topics outside of History if I’d sacrificed all the thoroughly important lazing time.

Any books that you’ve been meaning to read for ages, never quite mustering the strength to crack?

Essentially most classics, I’m ashamed to say I’ve never read an Austen (despite watching the BBC Pride and Prejudice Drama series far too many times), or a Tolstoy either.

What’s next?

Common Grounds, a book on the history of coffee. I am rather addicted to the stuff, and after a lecture in 1st year on its history, I became quite fascinated with how it spread across the world. If I manage to read it alongside all the work this semester, I may even treat myself to a fancy espresso machine.

Street Style

Written by Elizabeth Harper on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Name: Louisa Roffe

Occupation: Student, 3rd year at University of Manchester studying Design Management for Fashion Retail.

Spotted: Fallowfield Wearing: Leather shorts, grey woollen jumper and black heeled ankle boots all from River Island.

Style Icon: ‘Whitney Port. She is classy and always looks effortlessly chic’.

The Manchester Art Group

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Arts, Freshers' Guide.

The Manchester Art Group is an undergraduate collective from the Art History and Visual Studies department at the University of Manchester. We curate events, talks, and exhibitions and promote those organised by other institutions that engage with contemporary art.

With the popularity of the Art History Society in swift decline it was widely acknowledged that, unlike other departments within the university, Art History and Visual Studies lacked a sense of community away from the lecture halls. Hence, a group of third year students alongside Charlie Miller, an AHVS lecturer at Manchester University, established MAG in 2011 with hopes of forming stronger bonds between students, staff and the art world.

MAG is a fantastic platform for up and coming local and amateur artists to display their work in a non-intimidating but professional environment. The Mansfield Cooper corridor is now home to an ever changing exhibition that showcases the work of students and local artists, from across the city. Previous exhibitions, curated by Charlotte Baker and Humphrey Hendrix, have included mediums ranging from photography to etchings that follow a rough theme given by MAG. The current exhibition, for example, is loosely based around the idea that “to live is to leave traces”, a quote taken from the art critic, Walter Benjamin. – go have a look!

As a collective, we have curated a range of innovative and interesting events and exhibitions all inspired by art and artists around us. MAG events, such as the art night and private view of ‘COTTON: Global Threads’ at the Whitworth Art Gallery, which was attended by over 300 people, is an example of not only what MAG can do for you, but what you can do for MAG. It gave people a chance to integrate with the exhibition and collective through creative workshops, whilst sipping on complimentary drinks and listening to the local sounds of DJs, Bug and Leaf, who spun not only tunes but cotton too.

Naomi Kashiwagi is an artist and student liaison officer between the Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Museum. She brings an exciting dynamic to the group keeping us up to date with local events and connects the art group with the northern art scene. The latest opportunity she has presented to the group is co-curating the Student Weekender (part of the Manchester Weekender), which will be a snapshot of the city’s best art and culture. This is an exciting chance for MAG to expand their network by becoming involved with such a prestigious event. We are hoping this collaboration will inspire others to join the collective.

Thanks to the hard work, determination and creative outlook set down by founding members, the grounds have been laid for MAG to become a prolific player in the whole of the northern art scene. MAG is going places and we would love for you to join us! Keep an eye out for future events and exhibitions on our Facebook page, under Manchester Art Group, and if you are interested in becoming a part of the committee or submitting works for future exhibitions, email us at [email protected].

Welcome to October: Harajuku Lovers

Written by Elizabeth Harper on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

The end of British Summer Time is upon us and there is an increasing sense of doom pervading these Mancunian streets. The catwalks of New York, London, Paris and Milan have had their say in the fashion stakes and you would be forgiven for thinking that there are no more sartorial delights to keep us upbeat and optimistic in the face of dreaded winter. However, I would like to bring to the attention of all fashion fanatics the news that there are still shows and designers to get excited about even this late on in the fashion calendar.

The fashion weeks of Tokyo, Moscow, Belgrade and Dubai are all scheduled to take place this month. These may not be as prestigious as the big four fashion capitals; however that is what makes them exciting. Of course we get silly about seeing the big guns in action: Chanel, Versace, Dior, Vivienne Westwood and Louis Vuitton etc. Yet there is something equally (if not more) thrilling about leaving the safety of the big four and not really knowing what to expect. Even though they are big in their own countries, these events do not seem to attract much international coverage. This has resulted in the likes of The Independent affording them an ‘underdog’ status. Everyone loves an underdog, so for the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you a background of the designers, culture and who to look out for as we venture off the beaten track into fashion’s emerging capitals.

The rise of Tokyo as a contender for fashion capital status has been inevitable, and this October, its fashion week will see 40 brands showcasing their work. Tokyo is renowned for its Harajuku district, a haven for the lover of avant-garde dressing. A whole subculture of young people live here, dressing up in cartoon-esque punky outfits, congregating and socialising on the Jingu Bashi bridge and parading the streets in their extravagant and decadent attire. It is little wonder that the city has captured the imagination of the likes of Katy Perry and Gwen Stefani, the latter of whom has created songs and clothing lines paying homage to Harajuku, and for a period of time had a posse of Harajuku girls to accompany her across the globe. She went as far as to nickname them Love, Angel, Music and Baby.

There is something inherently free spirited and eccentric in the Tokyo street style with Lolita, Hello Kitty, fairies and glam rock proving to be important recurrent themes. The vibrancy and colour on the street has been refined and translated onto the catwalks through the work of Kamishima Chinami, and Naoashi Sawayanagi.

Naoshi Sawayanagi

Although Japan’s biggest fashion exports Issey Miyake, Yojhi Yamamoto and Comme Des Garcons exhibit elsewhere with a much more Western eye for style, Tokyo fashion week’s selection of designers reflect and refine what is current and desirable on Japanese streets. Many have studied fashion abroad and worked for large labels in Europe and America, for example Yasutoshi Ezumi who attended Central Saint Martin’s School of Design in London before contributing at Alexander McQueen and Aquascutum. It is extremely telling that he has gone back to his home country to show in his capital city. Tokyo is becoming a concentrated melting pot of talent and the world is taking note: it is not only the Japanese who are flocking home, they are bringing with them wide-eyed and bedazzled Westerners desperate for a taste of their vibrant clothing culture.

Love or hate her gaudy and ornate style, Italian born Anna Dello Russo is notable for her continued contribution to Japanese fashion. Since 2006 she has been the editor-at-large and creative consultant for Vogue Japan. As a woman who will quite happily wear a pineapple hat, she clearly lives in touch and in celebration of the Harajuku mood. Interestingly, American Apparel, who are quick to publicise that their clothing is all-American and made in ‘downtown LA’ will be showing at Tokyo fashion week for the first time this October. Although paradoxical, this move is actually incredibly shrewd. The city it appears is a designer’s heaven. The markets are constantly propelled by its youth culture on the street. Therefore in Tokyo’s case, there will always be a customer for your clothes as long as you meet their flamboyant needs. American Apparel’s metallic gold leggings and glittery leg warmers will be selling like hot cakes in no time!

Fashion week in Tokyo is more than just a bunch of designers showing off their work and raking in money. It is a cultural event, where the city’s fashion is characterised and driven by its people. There is little wonder then that the legions of enamoured admirers, looking to it as a source of inspiration and fashion democracy, are growing.

Street Style on the Catwalk in Tokyo

The greatest gaming movie ever?

Written by Sam Dumitriu on . Posted in Games.

It took just under 24 hours for Pure Pwnage: The Movie to reach its target of $75,000 on crowd funding website Indiegogo.  The creators of Pure Pwnage Jarett Cale and Geoff Lapaire aim to produce the greatest gaming movie ever, which with competition like 1989’s The Wizard doesn’t seem like the highest aspiration.

Pure Pwnage started life in 2004 as a web show. The show is a mockumentary that centres on the life of Jeremy, known online as Teh_Pwnerer. Jeremy is pro at games; he lives with his n00b brother Kyle an aspiring filmmaker. Kyle follows Jeremy from behind the camera as Jeremy goes through his life as a pro gamer; humping his monitor, eating sandwiches with ludicrous levels of bacon in, and going to the park so he can draw out C&C strategies in the sand pit.

In the show Jeremy shares his thoughts on religion; ‘Some religions just want you to give them all your time and money, they’re like MMO’s.’ and refers to police officers as admins, this shows us that Jeremy is a man who’s only frame of reference is video games. However, he’s no match for FPS_Doug a man who carries a knife everywhere because its known fact that in Counter Strike you run faster with a knife.

With characters like this, it was no wonder the show became a hit amongst gamers, its popularity lead to Canadian TV channel Showcase commissioning eight episodes. While the TV show never had the crossover appeal of something like Spaced, the fact it even got made demonstrated the power of the Pure Pwnage fanbase.

Cale and Lapaire have talked about their ambitions on the Indiegogo page. They wish to take Pure Pwnage to a truly global scale and show the reality of pro gaming in countries like South Korea. I for one can’t wait.

YOLO Burger & Milkshake Bar

Written by Hanisha Sethi on . Posted in Food & Drink.

YOLO. You will have heard this abbreviation floating around conversations and in the hip-hop industry. It is the contraction of the popular motto ‘you only live once’ and, in my opinion, the perfect excuse to use when you want to avoid living by the rules and eat lots of burgers.

The menu specialises in its large selection of gourmet burgers including beef, chicken and fish.  A couple of choices that caught my eye were the ‘YoMexicano Burger’ which contains a special spicy sauce and salsa, and the ‘B’n’C’ which consists of strips of bacon and chicken. Other options include pizzas, southern fried or grilled chicken and chicken wings. YOLO has vegetarian options, all food is 100% halal and is supplied locally.

The restaurant opened recently so I asked about any special offers. Assad, the owner, laughs as he tells me about the food challenge ‘Man vs. YOLO’- it includes eating two 8oz beef patties, a chicken and bacon burger, hot chicken wings, onion rings, potato wedges and a large milkshake. It’s worth £14.99 but is free if you can eat it in under half an hour.

Special opening deals also include a 10% discount for students and for those who ‘check in’ on Facebook. YOLO is also one of the only restaurants that offer a delivery service during the day so look out for the YOLO smart cars driving around Manchester. Their first franchise is due to open soon in Bolton.

Let’s not be superficial about this…

Written by Jessica Cusack on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

I would like to take the next nine months as Beauty Columnist to make some changes, to really nurture this little section of the paper and develop it… much like something else which happens over the course of nine months, but before you shriek and drop the paper with alarm, I am not in fact with child.

Rather, every so often I would like to take the focus away from fun stuff like make up and hair styles and glittery nails, to talk about – cue cheesy Miss Universe one-liner – beauty from the inside out. There. I said it.

I believe that we can get more out of this beauty column by widening our focus from the face to the bigger picture: it’s beauty in a bigger sense. And once again, before you roll your eyes, I’m not going to lambast you with how to be a better person, or a good citizen. Screw other people: look after yourself. ‘Wellbeing’ is the name of the game, because actually ‘being well’ is bloody difficult to do alongside university. It often doesn’t make the checklist and can fall far behind essay deadlines, reading lists, foraging for something to eat in the god-forsaken fridge, and trying to maintain a social butterfly status.

Added to this, uni plays havoc with your looks, your body, and thus your confidence. Both the academic and the social spectrums can have damaging effects: early mornings after little sleep, rushed meals in the library, too much coffee and staring at a computer screen all day can be just as troublesome as an excess of late nights, cheap booze, and the morning-after food binge. Dominos may, depressingly, be the Fallowfield food du jour but it doesn’t do a lot for your waistline or indeed your pores. And before you start heckling and throwing rotten tomatoes at me in the street like some seventeenth century killjoy, I am not for a second saying we should abandon these debaucheries or marathon library sessions altogether. Indeed they are an integral part of student life. I am, however, suggesting that we should take time to look after ourselves and allow these concerns to move up on our list of priorities, before we emerge exhausted, hung-over, and out of touch with our minds and bodies.

So welcome to my column! Where wellbeing – or Beauty in the Bigger Sense, as I will dub it – will live harmoniously alongside the more sparkly aesthetics of beauty, which, fear not, will also feature heavily. In between bouts of beautiful beauty stuff, I will be writing on food, fitness, health, sleep, and a whole host of other things to make you feel better and ultimately look better. Because no amount of make up, hair spray or perfume can hide someone who’s not looking after themselves: if you’re putting junk in, you can’t conceal the junk that’s coming out.

Must See This Week In Theatre: 1st October-8th October

Written by Josephine Lane on . Posted in Theatre.

Fields of Grey

Hardhitting new drama about the Afgan-US war. A collaborative piece written by New York-based actor and emcee Mtume Gant and Avaes Mohammad (co-writer of Crystal Kisses).

Runs from 3rd to 13th October at Contact. Tickets £5

 

Pat Kirkwood is Angry

One-woman play about Manchester-born singer and actress, Pat Kirkwood. Most famous for her alleged affair with Prince Philip in the 1940s, the play explores the repercussions of the affair that haunted her for rest of her life.

Runs from 3rd to 6th October at The Royal Exchange. Tickets £12.

 

Light-Hearted Intercourse

This play from Bolton’s most famous playwright, Bill Naughton, has its world premiere this week after being unearthed from Naughton’s archives and being brought to life by director David Thacker. The play looks at a young couple in the 1920s adjusting to married life whilst keeping secrets from their pasts from each other.

Runs from 4th October to 3rd November at The Bolton Octagon. Tickets £9.50-£15.50

 

Julius Caesar

A Royal Shakespeare show, originally created as part of the World’s Shakespeare Festival, the classic tale of power and betrayal comes to the Lowry this week as part of its UK tour. The production, set in Modern Africa, has so far been receiving rave reviews.

Runs from 2nd October to 6th October at The Lowry. Tickets £20-£24