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Month: February 2020

Richard Matthews@Flikr.com

PremFlix: an exciting opportunity to change football coverage

Written by tomreynolds on . Posted in Sport.

The cost of watching the Premier League on TV has been increasing in recent years. However, the introduction of a streaming service, nicknamed PremFlix could change this. The service would be run centrally by the league could cut prices for fans and boost revenues for clubs, as well as reduce the power that global corporations such as Sky have over football.

Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 the cost of watching the top flight of English football from the comfort of your own home has soared. To watch every match this season fans have to pay more than £900, with monthly subscriptions needed for the broadcasters Sky Sports and BT Sport, as well as the recent addition of online streaming service Amazon Prime as a rights holder.

This could be about to change; plans are being worked on to create a centrally run streaming service to show Premier League football, according to CEO of the league Richard Masters. Although many of the details are unknown, this could help to address the affordability problem of being a fan of English football with the service being likened to Netflix. Netflix costs between £5 and £12 per month which, and so if the Premier League were to emulate this kind of pricing structure it could mean football fans have to pay a lot less in the future.

The current high prices have led to frustration amongst fans as well as the rise of illegal streaming of games, with nearly half of fans admitting to having watched matches illegally online, according to a survey conducted for 5 Live Daily. 

Although fans could pay less, the Premier League should not expect to see a fall in revenue. In fact, by cutting out the ‘middle man’ of broadcasters, the league’s income could soar. Owner of Crystal Palace and advocate of the PremFlix service Simon Jordan has argued that the idea could increase revenues from the current £2.7bn a year to as much as £24bn. With this in mind, it is hard to see how the idea can be anything other than a win-win for both fans and clubs.

This must be a worry for broadcasters such as Sky, who built their business off the back of the acquisition of Premier League rights. It may also see the end of football being used as a method for companies such as Sky and BT to bring in customers for their variety of products from telephone deals to broadband packages. 

This could also prove to be an opportunity for the Premier League to address some of the controversial questions around its football coverage. These include the ban on the broadcasting of 3pm kickoffs and the emergence of matches being played on Friday nights due to TV rights deals. 

Frank Schwichtenberg@WikimediaCommons

Black artists and the Brits: the politics in their performance

Written by Megan Oyinka on . Posted in Opinion.

The 2020 Brit awards saw the powerful performance of Dave’s ‘Black’; a performance that addressed issues of rehabilitation, the Windrush scandal, racist political leaders and gave tribute to Jack Merritt. This stance is not a unique one; it follows Stormzy’s 2018 Brit performance which addressed the lack of rehousing after the Grenfell disaster. Both artists have used their platform to expose the political injustices they see in their society. Their bravery is breathtaking and the importance and impact of it should not be understated.

Dave’s performance was intense and poignant. His choice of song, art work and special added verse was a deliberate choice. He emphasised through his performance and his song choice the institutional racism that affects the black community, seeing it as a chance to publicly celebrate the beauty of being black and the struggles that living with darker skin comes with.

The song ‘Black’ begins with the lyrics, “Look, black is beautiful, black is excellent, black is pain, black is joy, black is evident. It’s workin’ twice as hard as the people you know you’re better than ‘Cause you need to do double what they do so you can level them”. He continues the song’s theme of social justice in an added verse where he chose to reiterate Stormzy’s comment from 2018 about the lacklustre response to the Grenfell disaster.

As a black British citizen we can often forget what a small minority we are in this country. But take a look at the reaction to Dave’s performance on social media and the tabloid coverage and you will be reminded of the prejudice that is against us. We often do not and cannot see all the barriers that are in front of us, halting our success. Sometimes it feels easier to expect and accept injustice rather than to fight it, but Dave and Stormzy haven’t taken this approach. They have used their platform to shine a light on these issues and educate those that are ignorant.

Just Dave and Stormzy getting to the positions that they have in the industry is an achievement in itself. They have overcome hurdles that many others in the Brits ceremony have not had to consider. Their brotherhood in an awards ceremony which, in the past, has overlooked the accomplishments of black artists was a rewarding image.

Stormzy’s performance this year was more of a celebration of black British, Ghanaian and Nigerian culture than a political statement. But in a world where there are few safe spaces to embrace such a culture, and in a world that tries to reduce and diminish the beauty and diversity of African-Caribbean culture, it becomes a political statement in and of itself. Seeing so much black talent – so many singers, dancers, and musicians – made me so happy for the younger generation of black British citizens. This representation matters.

In a time where black MPs are being confused and mis-represented by our own British Broadcasting Corporation, where the first royal of black descent has been harassed out of her role by the tabloids, where people who have only ever known the UK as their home are being deported for minor crimes: these expressions of black British culture are important. Stormzy successfully created ten minutes of positive media representation that felt like a breath of fresh air to every black British citizen who may have felt strangled by an insensitive press.

There is also a deeper debate here about whether artists with such a platform should openly express their political opinions but, in this case, where the political is truly personal, I will disregard this debate.

My worry is that black artists like Stormzy and Dave will be constantly expected to address the political issues that disproportionately affect them. I worry that society will see their public outcry of institutional racism and injustice as a standard and not as the last resort it really is. I worry that people will fail to see how powerful calling our current PM a “racist” on stage actually was.

I also worry for the artists themselves. They are addressing issues that are extremely close to them. But they are also issues that a proportion of people fail to understand or to acknowledge. Their musical activism is inspiring, but the trolls, abuse and ignorance that can come with it can be exhausting. As we have seen in the tragic passing of Caroline Flack and their treatment of Meghan Markle, the tabloids and the public often fail to be kind.

Mix this in with the racism that is still such a rife issue in our society (whether people choose to acknowledge it or not) and the intersection of gender and the suicide crisis amongst men, artists like Stormzy and Dave put their mental health at risk when they make these wider political comments. This is what cannot be forgotten or undermined in their greatness and boldness.

Stormzy and Dave should be so proud of how they have used their platform. What a bittersweet time to be a black British Citizen. But now we must protect them, their talents and their energy, at all costs. The gravity of their statements should not be dismissed and those in power should take not only notice but action. Their statements should not be made in vain. It is extremely embarrassing for the people running our country that two years ago Stormzy addressed the Grenfell housing issue, and two years later Dave has had to make the same point.

‘Penthouse and Pavement’ – Sarah Hardacre at The Modernist

Written by Lisa Habernik on . Posted in Arts.

The Northern Quarter holds many small hidden gems. One of them is The Modernist. Based at 58 Port Street behind a green Georgian period shop façade, which might mislead some, the not-for-profit organisation’s focus is on 20th-century modernist architecture and design. The Modernist operates as a gallery, a book and gift shop and publishes a magazine quarterly.

They are currently exhibiting Sarah Hardacre’s ‘Penthouse and Pavement’. Unusually, the exhibition consists of unframed prints. Hardacre makes collages featuring brutalist architecture and overlaps them with bodies of scantily dressed or completely naked women. The architecture images used in the collages are archival photographs of Bury, and the female portrayals are cut-outs of pin-up girls from vintage magazines.

 

Photo: Sarah Hardacre

Most of the architecture images are black and white, which contrasts with the women’s brightly coloured bodies. The contrast between the brutalist architecture with the soft female bodies manages to interconnect the femininity and male dominance in architecture. She critiques the historical preoccupation of males in the architecture field, and the rejection and struggle of female architects connecting it with the objectification of female bodies. As a comparison, she uses the brutalist architecture to demonstrate the phallic uprising of towering apartments in the 50s with males on top of it. The women in the collages are enlarged and appear to be liberated from the architecture, sitting just like goddesses in their surroundings. At large, the whole composition forms a pleasant image.

It is interesting to compare to the current housing situation in Manchester with the one in the 50s. The building industry is booming and it seems like there is a new tower popping up every day. The city’s skyline is developing and getting a completely new look. The question here is, is it a ‘male’ look? What would a ‘female’ look be like? How much different would the world look if women have had more influence on architecture? Would the modernist and brutalist movement be the same? But most importantly, what will the future look like?

The exhibition has previously been on view at Bury Art Museum & Sculpture Centre, and is now being displayed at The Modernist until the 21st of March 2020.

Outbreaks of mumps reported at universities across the country

Written by Kate Jackson on . Posted in News.

Reported cases of mumps have risen to their highest level in a decade, with outbreaks at universities being touted as the main source of the steep incline in cases.

There were 5,042 lab-confirmed cases of the mumps in 2019, which was up from 1,066 in 2018 and the rise is set to continue in 2020 with over double the number of confirmed cases in January 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

Of the reported cases in 2019, 43% manifested in young adults aged 17 to 21, with the North West being found to have the most cases in the country. About half of the confirmed cases were found in those who were unvaccinated.

The outbreaks at universities has been linked to a large number of unvaccinated students (over 25,000) who started university in the Autumn 2019.

Having contact with those infected with mumps over prolonged periods of time can see the infection easily spread from person to person. As a result, halls of residence and student events at nightclubs have been deemed as hotspots for transmission.

In light of the outbreaks, Public Health England have reiterated the importance of getting vaccinated if you missed out on the jabs as a child.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, the Consultant Epidemiologist at Public Health England, stressed that it is “never too late to catch up” and that the “best protection against mumps and its complications is to have two doses of the MMR vaccine.”

She added: “We encourage all students and young people who may have missed out on their MMR vaccine in the past to contact their GP practice and get up to date as soon as possible.”

The rise is deemed to be the result of the Wakefield scare that occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many of the students who began university in 2019 were part of the group of children who went unvaccinated due to the findings of the research paper issued by Andrew Wakefield. The paper claimed there was a link between autism and the MMR vaccine, a finding which has since been proven to be false.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock referred to the rise in cases of the mumps as another example of the “long-term damage” that anti-vax information can cause. He reiterated: “Science proves that vaccines are the best form of defence against a host of potentially deadly diseases and are safer and more effective than ever before. Those who claim otherwise are risking people’s lives.

“Our Vaccine Strategy will soon be published outlining how we will increase uptake, limit the spread of vaccine misinformation and ensure every child receives two doses of their MMR vaccination. Anyone who is unsure whether they are fully covered should contact their GP.”

For most people who suffer from mumps there are no long-term health issues, but Dr Nisha Jayatilleke, National Specialty Adviser for Immunisation at NHS England and NHS Improvement, believes that such a steep rise in cases of the infection is still a cause of concern as it can lead, for some patients, “to life-long complications like meningitis, deafness and even infertility.”

The cost of helping students affected by Bolton Cube fire revealed

Written by Megan Oyinka on . Posted in News.

It has been revealed that £1.25 million was spent on supporting students affected by the fire at the Bolton Cube student accommodation in November, in which 211 students lost their homes.

The University of Bolton provided the students affected with emergency alternative accommodation, hot food, and cash after the fire had destroyed or damaged the students’ belongings.

Vice-Chancellor of the University George Holmes has now revealed the financial compensation the fire caused. He commented: “It was an enormous job. On the night, myself and the president of the union met – about an hour after the fire began – and the issue was that we had 200 or so displaced individuals who needed somewhere to sleep, food, clothing and so on.

“I made the decision that the university would effectively underwrite the costs of that. By lunchtime of the first day, I’d spent £250,000 on it.

“We had to book hotel rooms, we used some of the vacant rooms at the Orlando site, but to accommodate 200 people you’ve got to underwrite that cost.

“Some of the students didn’t even have their own bank cards, clothes or basic cosmetics because they were still in the building.

“It was a mammoth task that we took on because they’re our students but it did cost the University a fortune. We probably spent between £1m and £1.25m in total.”

President of the University of Bolton’s Students’ Union told the Manchester Evening News: “I was actually on my way to the Cube already because I was going to meet my friend’s new hamster. I got a call that there was a fire and I panicked. I just got the feeling that something was terribly wrong so I started running.

“It was distressing to see the students like that so the way they’ve come out of it is commendable. For the first few days, I did not really think about how I was feeling, but it did have a toll on my health and I was recently admitted to the hospital because I was unable to manage my workload.

“It has given me a new perspective on life.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham visited the university on Friday 14th of February to meet with students and announce new investment in the fire service.

He said that he plans to keep 50 fire engines in use across Greater Manchester and recruit 108 additional firefighters.

“I’m asking the council taxpayers of Greater Manchester to pay more at a difficult time and I’m not sure how much longer I can ask them to do that.

“You cannot fund essential emergency services constantly through the council tax. That simply is not a sustainable way to do it. Central government, in my view, has got to stop the cuts to emergency services.

“If they stop the cuts – we’re not cutting it – therefore we can have a solid budget that can maintain the fire service in its current position.”

Mr Burnham also said that a report into the cause of the Cube fire is imminent and confirmed he would be sending it to the Prime Minister.

He added: “There’s a huge number of policy issues that are coming out of this report. Just because there weren’t casualties, it doesn’t mean the government can say, ‘that’s fine forget about that’. This was a near miss that can easily happen again.”

Students call for an official prayer room in the library

Written by Megan Oyinka on . Posted in News.

Students from the Interfaith Prayer Room Campaign have delivered a letter to the director of the library requesting an official multifaith prayer room in the main University library.

The letter was signed by Mustafah Kazi, Committee Officer of the Islamic Society and Chair of the Prayer Room Campaign and nine other student society leaders. It invites the director of the library to a meeting “to discuss this with you, at your earliest convenience, in coordination with the Education Officer of the SU who would act as mediator.”

At present, the library provides an unofficial prayer space for students. However, UoM economics student Rizwan Sabeer told The Mancunion that there is a “lack of coordination” between staff and the university, meaning evening prayers are often disrupted by library security in this space. Other students said they sometimes take to praying outside of fire exits but are interrupted or prevented by staff due to safety reasons.

Students from the society also told The Mancunion that other spaces on campus, including the multi-faith space in the Students’ Union, a kitchen in Simon building, a basement in Sackville Street and stairwells in the Learning Commons are also often used for prayer. The society states that a multifaith prayer room is important to uphold the dignity and respect for student faith and prayer.

Other female Muslim students commented that the prayer hall used by most students also felt an unsafe journey to make for evening prayers. They said that they prefer to walk together as they are aware that the journey is not the most populated or lit, causing concerns for their safety. The group feels that implementing a safe space for prayer in the Main Library would solve these concerns.

The society, who have been planning the campaign since November, are working towards establishing a safe and private space before the month of Ramadan, which is predicted to be from the 23rd of April to the 23rd of May. In this time three of the five daily prayers take place in peak library usage time.

The society says that these students lose over an hour each day due to the fact there is no official prayer space within the library, a factor that does not only affect them but other service users as they often save seats for this time, causing tension between students looking for study space.

Mustafah hands over the letter to university staff
Photo: Megan Oyinka

The society has assessed possible rooms where the Muslim student community could make the most use of. However, the lack of gender separation and essential washroom facilities important before prayer would still not fully meet Muslim prayer needs.

The campaigning society noted this as an issue across the country, and that few universities have dedicated prayer spaces with key facilities in their main University library.

Upon research, The Mancunion has found that the University of Liverpool’s main library has a dedicated Muslim Prayer room. Their university website states: “The University Muslim Prayer Room is a purpose-built facility to meet the needs of our Muslim Community with wudhu, storage and prayer room facilities. It is located on the lower ground floor of the Sydney Jones Library.”

It continues: “The Muslim Prayer Room Management Group meets regularly throughout the year to discuss and solve any issues identified by users.”

In 2017, The Mancunion reported that “86% of students felt they had experienced wanting to pray on campus but feeling like there was no space to do so, 96% wanted to see more prayer facilities on campus and 17% said they had felt harassed for praying on campus.”

The society has outlined that even though Muslim students may use the space more regularly, that space would also be available for other faiths and as a quiet meditation room for students. Jack Foster, President of the Christian Union, commented: “The ability for everyone to exercise their faith without large amounts of effort is a right, especially in a space like a university where you are exploring what you believe and how you believe it.”

He added that having a quiet space in the library for prayer would help his wellbeing, particularly during periods of stress such as exam season. He also clarified that the Christian Union wanted the Muslim students to have this space and be supported in their campaign to have a safe location to practice their faith.

Jack Swan, president of the Citizens Society also commented that there has been support from the wider student network for their request, with only a few students not understanding the importance campaign but none actively against it. As of yet, the society is waiting for a response to the letter that was handed in on Monday the 17th of February.

Jonathan Coe, or the novelist who tries to narrate Brexit

Written by Will Stonier on . Posted in Books.

In June 2016 the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. It is now February 2020, Boris Johnson was elected as Prime Minister in December 2019, and Britain formally left the EU on January 31st. However, these dates are a mere reduction of the fons et origo of Brexit, an event that was sculpted by politicians from the residue of events such as the election of the coalition government in 2010, the 2011 riots, and the 2012 Olympics games in London.

All of these, nonetheless, are events that altered and informed British national identity; all of these are events that Jonathan Coe chooses to explore in his latest novel Middle England in order to underpin the outcome of the Brexit referendum. Because of this, Middle England is not a novel limited by a sense of historical myopia — it is, instead, a novel that is broader in its approach to Brexit, and Coe is a writer sensitive to social and political nuance. A result of Coe’s broad political field of vision, Middle England was awarded the 2019 Costa prize for best novel and was described by the judges, though in a rather slapdash and cliched manner, as being the ‘perfect fiction for our times’. (This is better than calling it a ‘tour-de-force’, albeit not by much.)

My qualms with lazy reviewer rhetoric aside, for readers familiar to Coe, they will recognise many of the characters in Middle England. The novel is part of a trilogy —  the first in the series being The Rotter’s Club (2001) which was followed up by The Closed Circle (2011). However, this should not put readers off from jumping into Coe’s fictional universe headfirst if they are unfamiliar with the rest of the trilogy, as Coe does provide familial links and pepper prompts to each character’s personal histories which never read as being too on the nose. Middle England’s characters include Benjamin Trotter, who — following the failure of his relationship to former lover Cicely — now lives a quasi-hermetic lifestyle where he spends his energy writing a novel that does, eventually, get published to much success.

Other characters include Doug Anderton, a left-wing political commentator who consequently begins a romantic relationship with a Conservative politician, much to the disgust of his daughter Coriander, who reads like a caricature of a zealous Corbynite.

In and amongst Coe’s cast of comic characters is the newlywed couple Sophie — the art historian —  and Ian, the driving safety tutor with an Enoch Powell quoting mother. This is where Coe examines the tension between Leave and Remain voters. Coe is never shy from mocking the contradictions and naivety of middle-class life in England — and whether or not they voted Leave or Remain is not really important to Coe — though I’m unsure whether this forgives the absence of any real working-class figures within Coe’s novel.

Though it has been named the so-called Brexit novel, if I am to speak of it as its own genre, this topic has been tackled by other novelists firmly entrenched in the Eng. Lit. establishment — namely, Ali Smith, Ian McEwan, and John Lanchester. Coe’s Middle England rests on his sense of satire and humour, and it is a comic method that manages to untangle the cliched vocabulary and iconography from the Brexit campaign and utilise to its own ends. 

Though Coe never gives Brexit a bloody lip — and there is very little in the way of ideological sabre-rattling — there is something to Coe’s cool aloofness that helps to build his sweeping state-of-the-nation novel.

 

Porto’s Moussa Marega subjected to racist abuse

Written by Kate Jackson on . Posted in Sport.

Porto’s 2-1 victory against Vitoria Guimaraes last weekend was marred by yet another instance of racist abuse, with Porto’s Moussa Marega the target of the Vitoria fans. 

Marega had suffered racial abuse from the home fans since the beginning of the game, but following his goal in the 60th minute, which turned out to be the winning goal for Porto, fans were heard making monkey noises and were seen throwing stadium seats towards the pitch.

Marega celebrated the goal by gesturing to his arms, assumedly as a way to emphasise his skin colour, but just nine minutes later Marega attempted to walk off the pitch as a result of the abuse he was receiving. 

The 28-year-old was restrained by teammates who were attempting to keep the Frenchman on the field. Porto head coach Sergio Conceicao also pleaded with Marega as he attempted to walk down the tunnel but Conceicao eventually relented and allowed him to leave the field, substituting him with Wilson Manafa. 

Marega was then seen making a ‘thumbs down’ gesture towards the crowd as he went down the tunnel. 

Marega later wrote on Instagram: “I would just like to tell these idiots who come to the stadium to make racist chants, go f*** yourself. I hope I never see you on a football field again. You are a disgrace!”

He added sarcastically: “And I also thank the referees for not defending me and for giving me a yellow card because I defend my skin colour.”

After the game Conceicao spoke about the incident, saying: “We are a family regardless of nationality, skin colour, hair colour. We are human, we deserve respect. What happened here is unfortunate.”

Portugal football’s governing body, Liga Portugal, condemned the actions of the Vitoria fans in a statement on their website. 

“Liga Portugal does not agree and never will with acts of racism, xenophobia or intolerance that jeopardise the dignity of footballers or any human beings.

“Liga Portugal will do everything to ensure that this episode and all other racist incidents do not go unpunished.”

Vitoria said in a statement: “We will investigate what happened during the game played at Estadio D Afonso Henriques, acting firmly and thoroughly in full co-operation with the competent authorities.”

The incident in Portugal follows the news that a 17-year-old Bournemouth fan has been banned from football for three years after pleading guilty to chanting racist abuse at a match versus Tottenham last November. A 12-year old Celtic fan has also been charged in relation to alleged racist chants occurring at a match in December. 

Off the field, this past weekend also saw former Derby player Craig Ramage come under scrutiny following his comments on BBC Radio Radio Derby Sportscene after Derby’s 1-1 draw against Huddersfield. 

Ramage said: “When I look at certain players, their body language, their stance, the way they act, you just feel, hold on a minute, he needs pulling down a peg or two.

“So I’d probably say that about all the young black lads, all the young advice if they wanted it, that, you know, it’s about, when you are struggling for form, you are going through a sticky patch, it’s about going back to basics, working hard, and doing the right things.”

The pundit released an apology following the broadcast but the BBC condemned the remarks and announced they were cutting ties with Ramage. 

A BBC spokesperson said: “These were entirely unacceptable comments and we will no longer be working with Craig.”

Review: Naked Lunch

Written by carlfitzgerald on . Posted in Film.

Among (many) other accolades, it probably wouldn’t be complicated to praise David Cronenberg for being ambitious in the source materials he chose to adapt; from turning the romantic tragedy of 1958’s The Fly into a terrifying body horror, to bringing J.G Ballard’s controversial Crash to the big screen. When thinking of him in this way, it’s easy to see how probably his most ambitious project, of William S. Burroughs’ semi-autobiographical Naked Lunch has found a slot in HOME’s recent season showcasing adaptations of “unfilmable” novels.

Burroughs’ initial novel is a manically written and hugely controversial work detailing the author’s heroin addiction and the people he met in various drug scenes. It was banned in Boston for obscenity upon publication and is largely non-linear and unclear in terms of plot.

In adapting such a mountainous work, Cronenberg simultaneously creates a film that is both a Naked Lunch adaptation and a Burroughs biography. The central character, William Lee, is played by Peter Weller almost as if to recreate Burroughs. From his still body language and demeanour, to the noir detective costume design, the character is built through performance and direction to greatly resemble how Burroughs embodies himself within the novel.

The film also incorporates elements not just from Burroughs’ novel, but also his other writings and life. A pivotal scene in the film involves Lee accidentally shooting his wife his the head as part of an intoxicated game of “William Tell” based on how Burroughs actually killed his own wife, Joan Vollmer. The film presents this sequence as a benchmark of its overall themes. It not only sets Lee slipping through the cracks of society and escaping to live in the Interzone, and thus the plot of the film, but also the pivotal moment in showcasing Lee hitting rock bottom over the course of his addiction.

Lee spends the majority of the film being constantly high. He knows something is desperately wrong, but is completely powerless to seek help from his addiction. After becoming dependent on a liquidised form of the bug spray he uses in his day job as an exterminator, we see him symbolically craft blocks in the road from him realising his true problems; a secret legion of Interzone spies which constantly demands reports on his progress becomes a frequent hallucination. This also becomes a fantastic place for Cronenberg to demonstrate his signature effects work through a series of talking cockroach typewriters acting at the voice of Interzone, constantly demanding more of Lee and presenting him more missions. It’s almost comical until you consider how Lee is building an inescapable circle that constantly brings him back to junk.

Naked Lunch is not only a triumphant addiction of a difficult novel and a man’s life. It is also one of Cronenberg’s most admirable films. A twisted surreal horror that perfectly encapsulates the tragedy and comedy of addiction held together with sharp performances and direction. It’s expectedly upsetting and grim, but so finely accomplished that you can’t help but admire it.

4/5.

employment

New mayoral budget to fund more police officers and fire service workers in Greater Manchester

Written by Anna Jin on . Posted in News.

Mayor Andy Burnham’s new budget outlines plans to recruit more police officers and fire fighters.

The budget for the 2020/21 year was passed on Friday 14th of February and reveals plans to increase the number of police officers in Greater Manchester to 6660 in 2020, an increase from 6159 in 2017 when the mayor took office. Burnham also aims to recruit over 100 fire fighters this year. The new officers and fire fighters will be funded by an increase in council tax across all bands.

The budget also outlined plans to finance the recruitment of 108 fire fighters in response to the new challenges presented to the regions fire and rescue services by recent events such as the Cube fire in Bolton and the publication of first phase of the Grenfell fire inquiry.

Mr Burnham was critical of the cuts implemented by the Conservative party during the past decade, saying their decisions have put people across the country in danger.

“Our Fire and Rescue Service has been hammered over the years due to funding cuts by central government – a loss of £23.8m since 2010. My priority has always been to keep people in Greater Manchester safe and that is why I have found extra resources for GMFRS to mitigate to effects of government cuts. I have heard concerns about fire station mergers, not least in Bolton. In light of that I am proposing to put that merger on hold to allow further consultation with Bolton Council and community leaders.

“I have also committed to maintaining 50 fire pumps in Greater Manchester and existing crewing levels on them. But the time has come to make it clear to the government, particularly post-Grenfell, that essential local emergency services cannot continue to be funded in this way. We now call upon the government to address Fire Service funding in its forthcoming Budget and bring to an end these dangerous cuts.”

The budget also extends the measures to help rough sleepers across Greater Manchester with more funding being given to the Mayor’s successful A Bed Every Night scheme.  The service provides a bed and emergency support to rough sleepers who don’t qualify for statutory provision.  There has been a significant reduction in the number of rough sleepers in the past few years with there now being 44% less people sleeping on the streets than there were two years ago.  A Bed Every Night has provided support for over 3000 people and has helped 1186 people find long term accommodation.

Takeaway owner given suspended sentence due to cockroach infestation

Written by Megan Oyinka on . Posted in News.

A takeaway owner has been issued with a suspended prison sentence after a major cockroach infestation was found in a takeaway in Baguley, Manchester. 

Rizwan Baig, the owner, pleaded guilty to seven offences under The Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations. Officers working on the case described it as “one of the worst cases they have ever dealt with in their 30-year career.” 

Manchester Crown Court sentenced Mr Baig to two months of imprisonment suspended for 12 months and was also ordered to pay costs of £3,126.12, on the 31st of January 2020.

The case began in August of 2018 when officers City Council’s Environmental Health team visited the property following an anonymous complaint and carried out a food safety inspection which exposed an extensive cockroach infestation throughout the property. 

Officers also found evidence of serious cross-contamination with food in the takeaway. Ready to eat items of food were exposed to contamination from raw chicken and a container of mayonnaise had been stored in a pool of raw chicken juices.

Live cockroaches were also found on serving counters, the takeaway delivery bags, around canned drinks and cooking equipment. Dead cockroaches were also reported to litter the floor and food storage rooms.  The environmental health officer advised the court that it was one of the worst infestations she had seen in her 30 years’ experience of inspecting food businesses. 

Despite the cockroaches being the most serious food safety offence, it was not the only one. Other serious food safety concerns were found including dirty equipment, such as the ice cream machine, the deep fat fryer and the fridges. 

Mr Baig voluntarily agreed to close the takeaway business until the investigation was under control and the cleanliness of the property and food safety practices had improved. After being allowed to re-open on the 3rd of September 2018 if this agreement was upheld and the owner had maintained regular pest treatments. 

Manchester City Council Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, said: “The City Council takes food safety extremely seriously and will not hesitate to take robust action against food businesses which put the public at risk.  

“We hope this case sends out a strong message to other businesses about the importance of maintaining high standards of food safety at all times.

“I would encourage anyone concerned about the hygiene of any food establishment to get in contact with the council so we can ensure standards are adhered to to protect public health.”

Opinion: The issue with British football academies

Written by James Owen on . Posted in Sport.

Playing at academy level is the ambition of any young footballer, a chance to impress, turn professional and enjoy the subsequent riches. The reality though, is harsh.

Football clubs see players as assets. They are judged on what value they can bring to the club, whether it be monetary or performance. This is a system that impacts football all the way down to the lower leagues.

League Two side Exeter City have made over 5 million pounds since 2015 in fees gained from selling prospects on to bigger clubs. Some would consider this a success story, a lower league club competing with high spending Premier League regulars in the production of talent, but the fallout is damaging.

As the number of academies grow so does the number of youngsters who enter a system with a 99% failure rate. Each year hundreds are released amongst different age groups without the skills that will help them succeed outside of football.

Up until the age of 16 academy players are required to attend school, if they are then kept on past 16 they must continue with education, commonly in the form of a BTEC sports diploma.

Despite this, for academy players, education largely plays second fiddle, getting into an academy set up as young nine creates a football-centric lifestyle, it narrows youngster’s identity’s of themselves and what they can achieve outside of football.

In an interview with The Guardian, former Watford academy player Eddie Oshodi recounted how players were “placed in a bubble” and wider education provision was limited.

Players will go from playing at multi-million pound training facilities to non-league football, followed by no football at all. The transition is brutal and can have detrimental effects on the mental health of youngsters.

A study by Teesside University found that adolescent footballers released by their clubs go on to experience clinical levels of psychological stress. With stark opportunities for academy players released in Britain and impacts on their mental health, there has been an increase in players gaining scholarships to American colleges.

In America, high schools and collegiate systems are responsible for developing young athletes and education is interlinked with their development. To play college football a player must graduate high school with a 2.2 GPA, the equivalent of a C grade in subject areas including Maths, English and Science.

Once in College, education is also a priority with the NCAA (national collegiate athletic association) establishing a minimum GPA, credit hours and percentage-of-degree requirements needed before you can play sport.

The system is designed to benefit those who do not make it professionally, academic progress has been placed alongside sporting development so that if a player does not make it they will still leave college with a degree and range of career options.

One former British student who graduated from Clements University on a football scholarship went on to work for the Bank of America, whilst another supplied souvenirs to major league sporting events.

The contrast between the UK and US systems tells a harsh truth about the state of British academy systems and a need for reform in the future.

Photo: National Cancer Institute @ Wikimedia Commons

UoM scientists have found a way to stop breast cancer cells from spreading

Written by Zahra Salimi on . Posted in Science & Tech.

University of Manchester scientists, in collaboration with other scientists from the Universities of Glasgow and Sheffield, have discovered a way to contain one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer from within the lab.

The study of the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), funded by Breast Cancer Now, and published in Oncogene, is believed to pave the path in battling with this calamitous disease.

TNBC is a type of cancer by which its progression and growth is not fuelled by oestrogen, nor progesterone, or excess HER2 protein – the protein that stimulates cell growth in normal healthy breast cells. Thus, as a result, it does not respond to hormonal therapies or other targeted treatments, such as medicines targeting HER2 protein receptors.

This form of cancer tends to be more common in young people, usually below the age of 50, and is found typically in African-American and Hispanic women, or those who have the BRCA mutation – more specifically the BRCA1 gene mutation.

Additionally, TNBC tends to be a higher grade of cancer compared to other forms of breast cancer, and therefore is considered to be more aggressive with a poorer prognosis and high reoccurrence rates.

Around 15% of all breast cancers are Triple Negative. According to BreastCancer.org, there is also a higher mortality rate associated with this form of breast cancer. The five-year survival rate for TNBC is around 77% whereas this number is around 93% for other forms of breast cancer. This emphasises the significance of finding new treatments and medications for TNBC and the importance of this recent findings.

The lead researcher of the project, Dr. Paul Shore, from the University of Manchester, commented on the study: “Triple-Negative Breast Cancer is a particularly devastating disease which doctors, scientists and patients are investing much time and effort into finding new and better treatments.

“So this discovery is an important milestone in the understanding of how metastatic cancer spreads – though clearly, there’s a long way to go before it has a chance of being translated into effective therapies.”

Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, Research Communications Manager at Breast Cancer Now, which funded the study, said: “These promising findings help us to understand more about how some triple negative breast cancers spread around the body and become incurable. We hope that the discovery of the role of the CBF beta protein in the spread of the disease could one day lead to much-needed new treatment options.

“Around 8,000 women in the UK each year are diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, which can be more aggressive and more likely to come back and spread in the first few years after treatment. With these women still severely lacking in targeted therapies, it remains one of the greatest areas of unmet need in breast cancer.”

Reekie’s magical kick

Written by Iwan Hopkins on . Posted in Sport.

The Summer Olympics is one of those events where the world comes to a complete halt. With viewers from every country and an inspired sense of patriotism, it is arguably the ‘top dog’ of sporting competition. 21-year-old Jemma Reekie will not be watching from the comfort of her sofa; she will be competing, and if the words of her coach are anything to go off she might just win gold. 

Following her victory at the Muller Grand Prix in Glasgow this month, Reekie has gone so far as to exceed many of the expectations for her. She looks a certain pick for Team GB and her coach, Andy Young, claims that this is only the beginning for the youngster. 

When speaking to The Herald, he could not talk highly enough of her scintillating speed. Young claimed that he has “not seen near enough anyone who’s got that kind of kick”, and describes the youngster’s opportunities in Japan as “an exciting prospect”. 

Young also coaches Scottish superstar Laura Muir and, with this pairing, arguably holds two of the favourites to bring home middle-distance golds in the summer. 

When speaking on Reekie, Young informed The Herald that she had recently had a sinus operation to prevent repeated flare-ups which have momentarily stalled her progress in the past. He also revealed that the youngster has been on a gluten-free diet, which has helped her health massively over the past few weeks.   

With the Games only five months away, Reekie is looking a very exciting prospect to keep an eye on for Team GB. Competing alongside Muir, the future of British middle-distance running looks very promising. 

Photo: TerriC @ Pixabay

The influencer-industrial complex: Love Island through a Marxist lens

Written by Felix Hanif-Banks on . Posted in Features.

With the recent tragic news of Caroline Flack’s suicide, and reports from the last few years of similar deaths of past Love Island contests, there’s never been a more important time to assess the impact of the latest reality TV phenomenon on our mental health, our ideas of relationships, and even our ideas of self. The Socialist Worker Student Society took on these ideas through a Marxist lens with the help of journalist Sarah Bates at a recent talk.

While Marx and his contemporaries missed the delights of Casa Amor and the ‘Do Bits Society’, Marxist writings on alienation and how capitalism distorts relationships are still incredibly relevant in the context of a show such as Love Island, and the rampant consumerism that it both supports and feeds off with equal vigour.

As people become increasingly alienated from society due to economic hardships, poor working conditions or social and political tensions, it becomes increasingly easy for the media that companies produce or the products and services they sell to shape our society and the way we view the world around us. If life is hard and work is stressful, retreating into the world of Love Island at 9pm everyday seems very appealing.

What we then buy into, as consumers, is the commodification of our romantic relationships and us as romantic hopefuls. An audience is hardly presented with people, but a selection of would-be influencers primed for their inevitable Boohoo sponsorship deal. Of course, some seemingly genuine connection happens such as last season’s lovebirds Tommy and Molly-Mae, but having a sprinkling of legitimate romance helps the show to be palatable and at least not entirely disingenuous.

However, for the most part, Love Island acts as an efficient machine of consumerism. With the lucrative sponsorship deals or media opportunities available to contestants immediately after leaving the Villa, it would be ridiculous to assume that a majority of contestants don’t have more on their mind than just love.

Every single part of the process is intensely commodified. From plastic water bottles covered in the show’s slogans, to endless tweets of the contestants’ catchphrases or tours of nightclubs up and down the country, there’s an entire pipeline for these up-and-coming influencers to be make money (for themselves and larger corporations) at every stage of the process. For a show supposedly focused entirely on relationships and love, every aspect of it being geared towards profit should be a major red flag.

While many of the human interactions present on Love Island could be seen as somewhat genuine, the need for constant drama or juicy snippets for promo material or the creation of narratives trumps all. Producers have been known to tell people to have certain conversations, manipulate contestants with access to certain information (common during Casa Amor, when couples are split up and tempted with a new array of beautiful, barely clothed potential matches) and then edit the show to support specific contestants or make some look worse.

When contestants are aware of the need to stand out and be favoured by the producers, they become complicit in their own commodification. Last year’s contestant Maura Higgins stormed into the villa and quickly established herself as a hyper-sexual person intent on getting exactly what she wanted, and popularised the phrase “fanny flutters” in her regular conversations about sex. There was nothing overly taboo about much of what Maura said or did, but using what could have been an opportunity for the show to encourage sex positivity to instead paint such behaviour as very risqué for shock factor is a prime example of prioritising profits over morality.

Maura’s very existence as a person could then be marketed as we only experienced her in very manufactured bites of television. She left the villa and went straight into an Ann Summers sponsorship deal, again evidencing that ‘influencer-industrial complex’ of these crafted personalities fitting neatly into a world of consumerism, selling out any personal nuance to represent and make money for a brand.

That these very limited and profit-driven models of relationships are so prominent is worrying, but many Love Island viewers claim to be wise to it. Every student I spoke to about their Love Island viewing claimed to do so with a hint of irony or distance, acknowledging the show’s faults but watching for the addictive drama, the raucous personalities or simply the social element of watching TV with friends that promotes discussion.

While university students well-versed in wider concepts of gender and sexuality might be more likely to view the show critically, Love Island’s audience is much wider than that. Love Island is the most successful show in ITV2’s history, with this season’s opener getting a viewership of 2.4 million, which is low by the show’s standards. Due to the show’s prevalence on social media, younger and younger audiences are being exposed to it, and throwing very manufactured models of relationships at young teenagers can’t do any good for their emotional development.

This is discounting further issues of body positivity (the show’s token inclusion of ‘plus-sized’ contestants has received a lot of criticism) and racial politics within the show (there is a real lack of diversity and the treatment of black contestants is a repeat issue), which it would be disingenuous to discuss here and not offer enough depth. However, it is clear that a show being ran primarily for profit at every stage can’t be sufficiently socially responsible when dealing with such sensitive topics such as love and relationships.

The commodification of relationships present in Love Island is sadly visible elsewhere in our society. As people feel increasingly stressed, disconnected or lost for purpose, corporations are eager to fill in the gaps with another product or service you can buy, full of all the secrets to a happy life if you just give them your £20.

Dating apps are a very prominent example of this, and do many of the same things as Love Island in commodifying people and our relationships. We now must present ourselves to the potential love of our lives (as any less than that wouldn’t make for good marketing) with just a few short words and create a personal brand to show the world. That language of building a ‘brand’ is becoming more and more prevalent, as we are encouraged to view ourselves using the language of capitalism as something we can sell and profit of.

These apps are attempting to further the role of commodification with more and more paid services. Tinder Gold promises even more chances of finding love, CoffeeMeetsBagel gives you activity reports on potential matches, and some services even allow you to link your FitBit to prove you’re really the active person you say you are. There even exists an automated Tinder plugin that learns how you swipe and message and automates the entire process. It seems more and more genuine feeling and human contact is being sucked out of our relationships in favour of buying more things, which we are told fills the same void, but doesn’t feel too convincing.

Consumerism always seems to have a new answer for us or a new way of life taken from some faraway country and repackaged into a series of books, YouTube videos or Ted talks. We lap them up with the promise of fulfillment, but now it seems the only way to get that fulfillment is to splash out. Marie Kondo is a prime example, her ideas of minimalism and organisation were a worldwide hit with her 2019 Netflix series.

While the concept of ‘sparking joy’ seems very innocent and wholesome in its intentions, it’s inevitably accompanied by a wave of products you have to buy to get the full Marie Kondo experience and to truly spark joy in your life. But joy can be sparked if you buy a $60 basket, or spend $125 on 23 inches worth of shelf (screws are not included).

Such tactics may seem like common sense, or simple ‘entrepreneurship’. Yes, people need to make money and identifying consumer trends is an effective way of doing that. But it seems worrying if that search for profit promises a life away from the stresses of the world, only for solace to be found in the emptying of one’s bank account.

The rampant commodification of deeply personal aspects of life such as love, relationships, and mental wellbeing is a worrying trend we should actively be combatting. Allowing such significant parts of who we are as people to be heavily influenced by corporations’ drive for profit blurs the lines between socially responsible practices and entrepreneurial spirit. And that grey area is exactly where companies want to lie, appearing friendly, offering you a service you do desperately need, and laughing all the way to the bank.

Climate Crisis Photo: Li-An Lim @Unsplash

Climate change announced as the theme for Manchester Science Festival 2020

Written by Ella Gerry on . Posted in Science & Tech.

It has been announced that the theme for this year’s Manchester Science Festival, produced by the Science and Industry Museum, will be climate change. From October 23rd to November 1st   2020, the festival will showcase a range of art commissions, immersive and participatory experiences, outdoor events and live debates centred around responding to future climate challenges.

The festival’s theme will support the 2020 Year of Climate Action, which was launched earlier this month at the Science Museum by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, alongside guests such as Sir David Attenborough. The festival will take place just before the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), where world leaders and roughly 30,000 delegates will convene in Glasgow to discuss the climate crisis.

2020 has already presented some bleak news for the climate; earlier this month, records showed both the highest daily average of carbon dioxide levels and the highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica. Closer to home, flooding from Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis has inflicted havoc across the UK, serving as a reminder of our own vulnerabilities to the changing climate.

Sally MacDonald, Director of the Science and Industry Museum, said: “I’m delighted that Manchester Science Festival is back for 2020. The Science and Industry Museum is home to ideas that changed the world and it continues to inspire the future of scientific exploration and technological progress through its exhibitions, activities, and events. The Festival is a major part of this and will provide a compelling public program focusing on our altering climate.”

The festival will host world-leading voices in climate change and provide an insight into some of the cutting-edge technologies and developments at the forefront of combating climate change.

Organisers hope that the festival will help encourage important conversations about the climate crisis.

Credit: The Crystal Maze

The Mancunion takes on The Crystal Maze

Written by Felix Hanif-Banks on . Posted in Features.

Opening originally as a pop-up in London in 2015, The Crystal Maze Live Experience has taken the country by storm, providing all the charm, humour and sprinting up staircases of the beloved 90s TV show. The Mancunion team were lucky enough to get invited along to try and snag some crystals and avoid getting locked in and missing our 9ams.

Described as ‘breathtakingly immersive’, The Crystal Maze really has you feeling like you’re sprinting through an Aztec pyramid straight into the year 3000. Each environment is carefully crafted with props strewn everywhere to throw you right into the games without ever being too tacky or garish.

Immersion really is a priority, and throwing yourself into your crystal-seeking adventure once inside is massively helped by the Game Masters. We were led by the plucky backwards-cap-wearing Billy Brooklyn who had us charging up stairs, through cramped tunnels and down slides into a sandpit, while throwing some helpful advice in amongst his quick wit.

Everything is geared towards getting the most out of your time in the maze, with the Game Master making sure everyone tries a range of games if they want to. There’s four categories of games: Mental, Skill, Mystery and Physical, with each seeing one person complete a challenge while the rest of the team shouts on in a display of muddled encouragement and advice.

Our team dodged spy-like laser mazes, solved the murder of a cheating poker player and even attempted some embarrassingly difficult two-digit multiplication. Matt, one of the Maze’s artistic directors – and a man who wore the hat of someone who could definitely design a great interactive maze experience – told us he “gets inspiration from everywhere.”

He told us they develop “98% of games in house in [their] production department”, where games are refined and tested “over months and months”. Games are continually being adjusted, added or removed from the maze according to ongoing feedback, as elements of certain games will be fused together to create the best experience for everyone.

Lots of work goes into making the games as “physically neutral” as possible, so the Maze can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. Not knowing what game you’ll be playing before you choose who will play it does make for some funny situations on those lines, as our Deputy Editor Nicole was faced with 5 minutes of frantic jumping to press some just out of reach buttons in a memory game.

As far as the range of games, there really is something for everyone and some genuinely impressive games in the Maze. Technology is used in a very inventive manner, with the highlight being a live 3D mapped sandpit, where contestants had to shovel, dig and construct lakes, mountains and volcanoes to match a rearranged picture on the wall.

Everything about the Maze experience is so radically different to what anyone does in 99% of their lives, and that escapism is really enjoyable. As Matt told us, one of the best aspects is simply “being able to put your phone down for a couple of hours and just be silly”, as the Maze has a strict no phones policy inside. It really adds to that sense of immersion and there’s plenty of times for filming boomerangs with your medal or replica crystals after your victory.

Students can take advantage of a big discount and enjoy the maze from just £20pp on selected days. Check out the Crystal Maze Website to grab your tickets and start your journey into the Maze!

Eugenics: The balance between morality and fact

Written by lukeedwards on . Posted in Science & Tech.

The age-old eugenics debate has once again reared its ugly head in the headlines this week, prompted by the realisation that Boris Johnson’s recently hired personal advisor, Andrew Sabisky, holds controversial views regarding the topic.

Sabisky has since stepped down over the issue, however, it raises serious concerns about the integrity of Johnson’s office and begs the question: how did someone like this end up at the centre of British politics?

Senior government sources claim Sabisky wasn’t vetted, although this development comes at a very unfortunate time; the Prime Minister’s chief advisor, Dominic Cummings, last month invited “misfits and weirdos” to apply to advise the government, which has not put him in good stead with regards to addressing this issue.

Eugenics is the belief that selective breeding can be utilised to enhance certain characteristics in organisms, by excluding those with weaker traits and including those with stronger ones. It was one of the cornerstones of the Nazi Party’s ideology, involving the extermination or sterilisation of communities of people throughout Europe, to create a superior ‘Aryan’ race.

It is not a new ideology either; there is strong evidence supporting eugenics being practiced within both ancient Rome and ancient Greece, as well as being advocated by principled figureheads such as Plato.

Eugenics in the modern age spawned as a mutation of Darwin’s theory of evolution, and the term was coined by Darwin’s cousin, Francis Galton, who strongly believed in the practice. It would grow to become a worldwide movement and played a key role in the turmoil surrounding the world in the early twentieth century.

The issue today has been inflamed by eminent evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Dawkins took to Twitter amidst the controversy to advocate the factual side of eugenics, stating that the practice is biologically feasible, however, this was widely misinterpreted by readers as Dawkins advocating the idea.

There is often a fine line between the education of issues such as eugenics and the advocacy of them. As students, we have a unique viewpoint to appreciate the importance of diversity within communities and its ability to broaden people’s perspectives.

The University of Manchester has an extremely diverse mix of ethnicities and peoples, with more than a quarter of its students being international. University is often the most enlightened periods of people’s lives, and the mix of learning and tolerance is what makes universities a brilliant melting pot to allow individuals of all backgrounds to assimilate into a cohesive whole.

With the rise of CRISPR and genome editing (dubbed ‘neo-eugenics’ by its sceptics), we must take extra care when dealing with these issues, as the line between morality and immorality is easily crossed.

The thing to remember is to never allow the pursuit of human progression to marginalise and isolate those deemed to be ‘unfit’ by the standards of the evaluators. Eugenics over-estimates the influence of nature over nurture, violates the right of people to decide their own future, and is a ‘cop-out’ for those who disregard the root cause of the problem: issues surrounding nurture, and social inequality.

photo courtesy of Lucy Clutton-Brock and designed by Phoebe Moore

Let’s Get Away: Edinburgh

Written by lucycluttonbrock on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Edinburgh is known for its annual summer Fringe festival, but a visit any time of the year offers a weekend full of wacky activities. From climbing a volcano to visiting the fanciest Wetherspoons you’ll ever see, Edinburgh is a great choice for a few days away. Just a heads up – get equipped with a hat, gloves and lots of layers!

Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in the UK. Streets lined with colourful, painted houses and shops full of tartans lead up to the ancient castle that sits atop the Royal Mile. Being quite small for a capital city, it is possible to walk almost everywhere in Edinburgh, meaning you can save a lot of money from not using taxis or public transport in the daytime. We managed to get trains from Manchester for under £30 each – look out for train routes that change at Preston and run at odd times of the day (such as early morning or after 8pm) as these tend to be cheaper.

We started our first day in Edinburgh by climbing Arthur’s Seat – the dormant volcano that towers above the university accommodation. There is a clearly marked path (which we didn’t discover until after scrambling up the rock face and reaching the top) and in total the climb to the top and back down can be done in less than two hours. The wind at the top is overwhelmingly strong, but the view is definitely worth it and something I highly recommend.  Some students climb up on Bonfire Night to catch great views of fireworks from the top, although if you are planning to climb when it is getting dark, make sure you don’t go alone and that someone knows where you are.

When in Edinburgh, make sure to check out the many coffee shops dotted around the university campus area. We loved Black Medicine and Kilimanjaro Coffee, both of which had incredible coffee and vegan cakes on offer. Edinburgh also has its own dog café, Chihuahua Cafe, and it sounds amazing. We wandered up Nicholson street to the city centre which has lots of charity and independent shops to explore.

photo courtesy of Lucy Clutton-Brock and designed by Phoebe Moore
Photo courtesy of Lucy Clutton-Brock and designed by Phoebe Moore

The National Museum of Scotland and Scottish National Gallery are both free to visit. You can easily spend a couple of hours in the museum which has some great collections ranging from ancient China to outer space and the building in itself is worth a visit as the central hallway is beautiful. After walking up the Royal Mile towards the castle we visited Camera Obscura, Edinburgh’s museum of illusions. Tickets are quite pricey at £14.50, but there is an impressive view from the top. The illusions museum itself is fun, especially for getting some weird photos of you and your friends distorted by optical illusions.

We spent an afternoon in a board game café, ‘Noughts & Coffees’, where for £3.50 you can choose from a large collection of games. This is a great way to spend a few hours without spending too much money – plus the hot chocolate is really good. Our favourite food place was Ting Thai Caravan, which is a street food style restaurant located on Teviot Street. Delicious curries and noodles are served in cardboard boxes at affordable prices – definitely try out the bao buns if you get the chance.

In the evenings we explored Edinburgh’s eclectic mix of bars and music venues. As there is an alcohol tax in Scotland which makes drinks more expensive, knowing where to find a good student deal is a big help. Brass Monkey offers £3 cocktails with a student card and has a nice, laid back atmosphere with bed-like sofas rather than just chairs and tables. Of course, a trip to Edinburgh wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the fancy Spoons on George Street, which is aesthetic AND cheap! For a good bar, visit the Three Sisters in Cowgate, or if sticky floors and cheesy music is your thing, try the underground club ‘Hive’. Just make sure to look out for your friends and their drinks, as it gets very crowded.

As it’s a capital city, Edinburgh can be expensive but a weekend away can definitely be done on a student budget, you just need to know where to look!

Is it Art? Fashion Week

Written by Alice Porter on . Posted in Arts.

The question of whether fashion is an art form is one that is complicated by the fact that, since its conception as an industry, it has been commodified and commercialised. This is especially true now that fast fashion is widespread and is therefore the way in which most people access and are aware of fashion. Fashion week, however, and the collections that show within it are a different world to the fast fashion industry. But despite this, the designers involved in fashion week are still ultimately creating clothing, largely, with the aim to sell it. So this begs the question, is it art?

Major fashion weeks happen twice a year, in September and February, with brands showing their designs in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Designers spend most of the year working on collections for September, in which brands showcase their spring/summer designs, and February, which focuses on fall/winter collections. Major designers also create resort, couture and, depending on the designer, menswear collections.

The work that goes into these collections certainly suggests that they are art, from the research behind the idea to the sketching of designs to the attention to detail required in creating each piece. The exhibition of the work is also creatively motivated, with carefully thought out sets that reflect the idea behind the design, mirroring the exhibition of conventional art.

Conventionally, clothes are available to buy four months after the collection is shown, making them less about commodification and more about the art. But in recent years, many brands, including Burberry, have moved to a new model in which designs can be bought straight from the catwalk. Sarah Mower, Vogue’s chief critic, commented on this format saying, ‘if you can’t buy it immediately, you forget about it.’ This suggests that fashion week is still economically motivated, which perhaps makes it a lesser form of art because it is sometimes equally, if not more, motivated by money than creativity.

Money aside though, perhaps Instagram’s involvement in fashion has tarnished its creativity. Designers and critics have noted that it’s important to make designs and sets that look good for Instagram, not just in person. Additionally, whereas front rows in the past were largely made up of journalists, critics and those who have made a name for themself in the fashion industry, now, with the celebrity culture that Instagram has created, it is mostly public figures such as pop culture figures and influencers. Some might say that this is just fashion week’s way of staying relevant, and it is true that many influencers and pop culture figures are knowledgable about fashion, but the reason they are put on the front row is so the brand will be platformed on social media, not because they are most likely to appreciate the designs.

My final question is: is fashion week performance art? Not just the shows themselves, but the personas the guests, journalists and models (basically anyone involved with the shows) adopt and portray in reality and on social media. It’s all to create a kind elusive and aspirational glamour that provides fashion week with the importance and the allure that it has.

Verdict: it’s undeniable that the work that goes into creating the collections that show at fashion week are art. But the commodification of it and the runway shows themselves, are perhaps what threatens its status as an art form. If nothing else, the drama and display of it all certainly makes it a performance art, because it is nothing if not performative.