Editor

Sarah Pusey

Content

Rachel ShircoreMarcus SiddallFreya MorrisRichard Hall

Design

Tom PountneyJack Smith

Patrycja CudakRachel Shircore

Photography

Zack SaitotiMax McClure

Elodie BarakatSanjay MistryBecky Bird

Proof reading

Alistair EvansSarah HopperLiz TomlinsonEmma Brown

Contents

EditorialGraduation; The end? Or the start of something new? Creating this issue has only reinforced how fast my own graduation is approaching, marking not just the end of a fantastic four years at UWE but also the beginning of a new job, new flat and ultimately a new chapter in my life.But graduation does not just apply to university degrees. With summer just around the corner, the next few months will open up a whirl wind of opportunities; festivals, travelling, summer work, holidays, moving houses, moving cities even. In this issue we thought we’d give you a helping hand by providing info on the local festival scene, what some UWE graduates have done in their year since leaving and potential new living arrangements (squatting anyone?) On top of this, Westworld has been invaded by those creative Bower bods showing off their graduate collections in the Fashion section. So with the graduates of 2008 I take my bow. Westworld has gone from strength to strength this year so who knows what will happen in the years to come? It’s never too late if you have something to say, we’re always listening...

Sarah PuseyEditor

4. The Sky is Your Limit7. One Year On14. A house is made of walls and beams...20. UWE Graduate Fashion22. Summer Lovin’27. Hidden Gems28. UWE Events

3

the sky is your limit

I have spent years researching and contemplating what to do next with my life. It would probably surprise you that although finishing in a few months, I have absolutely nothing planned. I have

researched every possible choice that is available to me and I am stuck at a dead-end. Instead of letting this knowledge go to waste, I will impart what I have learnt onto you! I have narrowed the options down into three categories: further education, employment, and “time out”. Further study includes anything that requires YOU to pay to learn, such as another degree, a teaching certificate or an MA. ‘Employment ranges from work where employers pay for your placements, to internships and full-time employment. “Taking time out is not a holiday, but where you take time out of the typical ‘work’ environment. This can include travelling, work-experience, family commitments and so forth. This is for anyone coming to an end of a chapter of their life. This is often an option for recent graduates as time away from ‘real life’ can provide an opportunity to think about the above options.

by freya morris

When it comes to planning the future I am the

worst offender...

I have spent years researching and contemplating what to do next with my life. It would probably surprise you that although finishing in a few months, I have absolutely nothing planned. I have

researched every possible choice that is available to me and I am stuck at a dead-end. Instead of letting this knowledge go to waste, I will impart what I have learnt onto you! I have narrowed the options down into three categories: further education, employment, and “time out”. Further study includes anything that requires YOU to pay to learn, such as another degree, a teaching certificate or an MA. ‘Employment ranges from work where employers pay for your placements, to internships and full-time employment. “Taking time out is not a holiday, but where you take time out of the typical ‘work’ environment. This can include travelling, work-experience, family commitments and so forth. This is for anyone coming to an end of a chapter of their life. This is often an option for recent graduates as time away from ‘real life’ can provide an opportunity to think about the above options.

by freya morris

5

F

the world is

your oyster

urther education can be complicated because money is always an issue; chances are you will already be in debt from being an undergraduate. It is a tempting route to take as it puts off going into the “real world” for another year or so and lets you indulge further into the subject you like the most. Not only this but chasing after further qualifications also carries

with it a delusion of grandeur. The “title” of Master carries a seduction and temptation that can carry on further to a PHD; all of a sudden the prospect of becoming a Professor can be very appealing.

However tempting the reasons may be, these are probably the wrong reasons for pursuing another degree. If another qualification is not required for your chosen career path, it will probably be best to wait until later in life to indulge in study again as a part-time student.

It may sound obvious but I have found it immensely vital to research the industry I want to enter into. If further study is advantageous or essential, such as a PGCE for teaching, then you must do it straight away! A great source of info is the Prospects website that gives valuable advise and people’s experiences: www.prospects.com.

Employment is brilliant because it gives us money! The best thing I ever did was get a part time job. I had to start at the bottom of the barrel of course and I will give you a brief outline: Somerfield, then Waitrose, a phone job from Pertempts helping with government campaigns, Bristol Old Vic in the box office, then work- experience at Meningitis UK, followed by a summer job with a Balloon company doing marketing/sales.

Although only part time, the jobs I undertook helped me to discover what I did and didn’t enjoy in a variety of areas. Knowing a bit about admin, retail, leisure and charity work, I decided to research other routes. Before I knew it, I became editor of the Comment and Debate section of the WesternEye and have loved every minute of it. I am still looking to gain more experience because getting into the publishing industry is very competitive. Each job I have been in was based on the experience of the last one and therefore I think

it is vital to get experience (whether voluntary or not). Any experience of employment is better than none.

If you are in your first year or second year these are probably the best times to try and gain experience. Most of these jobs came

from the UWE Jobshop and I found work experience using www.do-it.org.uk.

The second thing to consider, if you are graduating this year or next is to look at industries that offer internships and placements. UWE’s Career

Survival Guide says that you need to research your job market and when is best to focus on applying for jobs because some “companies may start recruiting a year ahead while smaller firms may only start looking for people when they have graduated”. Have a look ahead of time if you can because these placements are made for graduates.

If you are considering taking “time out” then do it. I wish I had taken the opportunity to travel. I am still considering doing this after University because the UWE careers guide says that companies and businesses do not frown upon it. It is probably the only time you will be able to do these things without repercussions. If you want to travel, start a family, or do voluntary work, then do it! You will never have such an open opportunity to do them again. Do not look back and regret the choices you made. There is always a chance to work later. My mum had a family in her early

twenties (and there are four of us) and she took a part-time job and then a part-time degree, when

we had all started school. She is now a teacher and loving her job with

no regrets.

Only you can answer the question - what is best for you. Sometimes we would love

somebody to map our lives out for us, but how boring that would be! Begin to understand

yourself, your abilities and the job market and you can begin on your way to sorting your life out.

In writing this article I have come to realise that I should try everything, this is probably the only time I will

get such opportunity to experience so many things. If in doubt, give it a try. It is the only way to find out. Sometimes we have to

grab life with two hands and jump out of the comfort zone.

the world is

your oyster

urther education can be complicated because money is always an issue; chances are you will already be in debt from being an undergraduate. It is a tempting route to take as it puts off going into the “real world” for another year or so and lets you indulge further into the subject you like the most. Not only this but chasing after further qualifications also carries

with it a delusion of grandeur. The “title” of Master carries a seduction and temptation that can carry on further to a PHD; all of a sudden the prospect of becoming a Professor can be very appealing.

However tempting the reasons may be, these are probably the wrong reasons for pursuing another degree. If another qualification is not required for your chosen career path, it will probably be best to wait until later in life to indulge in study again as a part-time student.

It may sound obvious but I have found it immensely vital to research the industry I want to enter into. If further study is advantageous or essential, such as a PGCE for teaching, then you must do it straight away! A great source of info is the Prospects website that gives valuable advise and people’s experiences: www.prospects.com.

Employment is brilliant because it gives us money! The best thing I ever did was get a part time job. I had to start at the bottom of the barrel of course and I will give you a brief outline: Somerfield, then Waitrose, a phone job from Pertempts helping with government campaigns, Bristol Old Vic in the box office, then work- experience at Meningitis UK, followed by a summer job with a Balloon company doing marketing/sales.

Although only part time, the jobs I undertook helped me to discover what I did and didn’t enjoy in a variety of areas. Knowing a bit about admin, retail, leisure and charity work, I decided to research other routes. Before I knew it, I became editor of the Comment and Debate section of the WesternEye and have loved every minute of it. I am still looking to gain more experience because getting into the publishing industry is very competitive. Each job I have been in was based on the experience of the last one and therefore I think

it is vital to get experience (whether voluntary or not). Any experience of employment is better than none.

If you are in your first year or second year these are probably the best times to try and gain experience. Most of these jobs came

from the UWE Jobshop and I found work experience using www.do-it.org.uk.

The second thing to consider, if you are graduating this year or next is to look at industries that offer internships and placements. UWE’s Career

Survival Guide says that you need to research your job market and when is best to focus on applying for jobs because some “companies may start recruiting a year ahead while smaller firms may only start looking for people when they have graduated”. Have a look ahead of time if you can because these placements are made for graduates.

If you are considering taking “time out” then do it. I wish I had taken the opportunity to travel. I am still considering doing this after University because the UWE careers guide says that companies and businesses do not frown upon it. It is probably the only time you will be able to do these things without repercussions. If you want to travel, start a family, or do voluntary work, then do it! You will never have such an open opportunity to do them again. Do not look back and regret the choices you made. There is always a chance to work later. My mum had a family in her early

twenties (and there are four of us) and she took a part-time job and then a part-time degree, when

we had all started school. She is now a teacher and loving her job with

no regrets.

Only you can answer the question - what is best for you. Sometimes we would love

somebody to map our lives out for us, but how boring that would be! Begin to understand

yourself, your abilities and the job market and you can begin on your way to sorting your life out.

In writing this article I have come to realise that I should try everything, this is probably the only time I will

get such opportunity to experience so many things. If in doubt, give it a try. It is the only way to find out. Sometimes we have to

grab life with two hands and jump out of the comfort zone. 7

I never intended to go

to UWE, or even be in Bristol, but fate rolled the dice and that’s

where they, and I, landed. When my degree, and a fantastic three years in Bristol, came to an end I found myself in a similar situation to when I began. Plans had been dropped and circumstances had considerably changed. Fate had rolled the dice again, and come up with question marks. I think it happens to a lot of students; your degree ends before you’ve realised it and suddenly you have to make a decision

and step into the big bad world, but which road to take? I lingered at the crossroads for a summer, and then, just as quickly as I had found myself studying at UWE, I found myself teaching in Shanghai. I had no other commitments and an overwhelming desire to leave Britain. It was not what I had planned, but life doesn’t follow plans, it is always changing and surprising you. Having a degree behind me allowed me to take such an opportunity. I don’t think I’ll do this forever, but I know that now this door has opened

for me, it will open others.

After finishing a post-Uni

six week work placement at Oasis’ head offices, I signed up to loads of job websites and sent out CV’s to

many different companies. I heard back from very few of them. The reality is that fashion design offices

receive many applications and there are only very limited places available. While l was looking for career jobs’ I had to work so I got

a job at Topshop as a concession manager for the companies ‘Upper 5th’ and ‘Famous Forever’. I have worked there now for six months and whilst I

enjoy my job, it’s not what I want to do. My current job and lifestyle do not live up to the plans I made before leaving University to be honest. I was under no illusions when leaving and I did not ever think that I would just walk into a design job. I enjoy my life now and when Uni came to an end I was ready to leave and try to find a job. Hopefully in another six months

I will be living in London and getting paid for designing clothes at Upper 5th which are sold in

Selfridges and Topshop.

Ha

nna

h Tamplin

T

opshop Concession Man

ag

er

BA(Hons) Fashio

n/textiles

LottieH

arrison, T

eacher(Shanghai)

BA(Hons) English

James Baker,

BroadcastEn

gineer, Bsc Music

Systems Engineering

Scott Mighal

l,HSC

Aim hig

her Co-ordinator.

BA (

Hons) Drama

One year on...

8

I never intended to go

to UWE, or even be in Bristol, but fate rolled the dice and that’s

where they, and I, landed. When my degree, and a fantastic three years in Bristol, came to an end I found myself in a similar situation to when I began. Plans had been dropped and circumstances had considerably changed. Fate had rolled the dice again, and come up with question marks. I think it happens to a lot of students; your degree ends before you’ve realised it and suddenly you have to make a decision

and step into the big bad world, but which road to take? I lingered at the crossroads for a summer, and then, just as quickly as I had found myself studying at UWE, I found myself teaching in Shanghai. I had no other commitments and an overwhelming desire to leave Britain. It was not what I had planned, but life doesn’t follow plans, it is always changing and surprising you. Having a degree behind me allowed me to take such an opportunity. I don’t think I’ll do this forever, but I know that now this door has opened

for me, it will open others.

I didn’t want to go to Uni

near my home as I just needed to get away and stand on my own two feet and discover a new place. It was all part of a big thrill not knowing what was going to happen to me. I wanted to stay in Bristol for at least another year after my course finished as I wanted to get a job and try and support myself without loans or moving back in with my

folks. My intentions after that year or so of working were and still are to move to Canada for a year then to Western America then

Tokyo to work and play live music. I was in the right place at the right time to get my current job. I’m a coordinator for HSC Aim higher, it’s part of my job to create new and diverse road shows to help young people aspire towards higher education and to give them the confidence to let them do what they want to do. I’m currently very happy with my job, it wasn’t what I had planned to go into as initially I wanted to be a lighting/sound designer. As it is I get to be hugely creative, I can afford to pay all my bills for the first time in years and I get

to make a difference to young peoples lives.

On leaving Tech College in

Hereford I decided I wanted to do a course in music technology and engineering. In the final four months of my degree I began compiling CV’s and covering letters to send out to various companies. I kept an eager eye on

all of the media job websites, in particular mediauk.com, which is where I found the advertisement for my current position of Broadcast Engineer to be based at the Bristol office of GCap Media PLC, who are the UK’s largest commercial radio group. After a gruelling assessment day and an interview, I received a call from my now line manager offering me the job! I was very pleased as GCap Media is a great company to work for. To date I’ve progressed through the trainee stage of my position, and am now a Broadcast Engineer. After a few months a new position arose, based along the M4 region, working as the in-house engineer for GWR Wiltshire,

in Swindon, but also covering a number of different sites as well. I now have a company car, and often travel to different

areas of the country to help out with the new installation of equipment, maintenance and cover/support other

engineers in my region.

After finishing a post-Uni

six week work placement at Oasis’ head offices, I signed up to loads of job websites and sent out CV’s to

many different companies. I heard back from very few of them. The reality is that fashion design offices

receive many applications and there are only very limited places available. While l was looking for career jobs’ I had to work so I got

a job at Topshop as a concession manager for the companies ‘Upper 5th’ and ‘Famous Forever’. I have worked there now for six months and whilst I

enjoy my job, it’s not what I want to do. My current job and lifestyle do not live up to the plans I made before leaving University to be honest. I was under no illusions when leaving and I did not ever think that I would just walk into a design job. I enjoy my life now and when Uni came to an end I was ready to leave and try to find a job. Hopefully in another six months

I will be living in London and getting paid for designing clothes at Upper 5th which are sold in

Selfridges and Topshop.

Ha

nna

h Tamplin

T

opshop Concession Man

ag

er

BA(Hons) Fashio

n/textiles

LottieH

arrison, T

eacher(Shanghai)

BA(Hons) English

James Baker,

BroadcastEn

gineer, Bsc Music

Systems Engineering

Scott Mighal

l,HSC

Aim hig

her Co-ordinator.

BA (

Hons) Drama

One year on...

So, we’’ve given you the lowdown on your potential future, but what about the people who have been there, done that,

and are just queuing in an orderly fashion for their T-shirts? Four UWE graduates tell us what they’’ve been up to in the year since they left university...

Squating

Words by Richard Hall Photography by Elodie Barakat

Squating

Most of us are likely to have an idea of what the rest of our life will look like,

even if that idea seems vague and somewhat hard to conceive right now. Most people take it for granted that they will ‘choose life, choose mortgage payments, choose washing machines, choose cars, choose fucking big televisions’ etc etc. These things are considered signs of success, they are what most people strive for. But what of those who make a different choice, who choose life, not in the traditional sense, nor in a debauched Irvine Welsh sense, but who live a life unrecognisable to us iPod-wielding students. Fitting with the graduation theme of this issue, new beginnings, a new life, I visited a squat in Bristol dubbed The Red Factory’ to meet with a group of Bristol squatters. It’s a dark Monday evening as I walk onto Portland Square, a location as well known for the grand buildings that surround it, as for the nefarious inhabitants that dot its footpaths. The Square is dimly lit by lantern style street lights which surround a fenced off park, the kind you see in the wealthier areas of London. It only takes a few

seconds upon entering the square for me to find the building I am looking for; spray painted in the window are the words “peace and love“. After a brief explanation as to why I am here I get shown through a stone-walled hallway, up some stairs into the main room of the squat. Roughly ten people are sat around the room on an assortment of sofas and chairs cobbled together, the room is lit with a few strip lights setting a moody, yet inviting scene. Anita Ekberg stares out from a crumpled film poster for ‘La Dolce Vita’, statements, dictums and graffiti cover the walls along with posters and pictures all of which create an atmosphere similar to that of an art studio. It is certainly a contradiction to the austere picture I confess to have imagined.

A weekly BHAM (Bristol Housing Action Movement) meeting is taking place so I take a seat on the floorboards. The group are discussing things that are needed for the house such as plumbing parts, shower heads and curtains. It is an informal and relaxed meeting with people waiting patiently for their turn to talk,

someone mentions that they had spoken to a group of Bulgarians who were looking for a squat in Bristol, three people volunteer to help them find a place to live. “If they come here and tell us they want a place we can go straight out and find somewhere“ says one of the volunteers, this is one of the main activities of BHAM. After the meeting I spoke to one of the organisers about the group, Gerry told me: ‘BHAM is a group of squatters and their supporters, they are there to aid and support people who are homeless or who would like to squat, “we find them somewhere to live, help them to get in if needs be, provide them with materials, court help and generally be around if anything goes wrong.“’ Those of you who remember coverage in the local press surrounding a group of squatters occupying Bristol North Pool early last year will have unwittingly encountered BHAM already. That particular campaign was exemplary of the groups’ political activities, “we campaign against the privatisation of public land and housing and for the defence of public space’ reads the BHAM website.“ From my three visits to the Red Factory I have witnessed the important role that BHAM play in helping the homeless of Bristol. It is on the frontline in the very

literal sense that it is made up of homeless and squatters alike. As well as supporting Bristol squatters, they are an important vehicle in transferring people from the street into some sort of accommodation, where possible they support people with getting into official housing. What BHAM offers that is seemingly unavailable elsewhere is its role in boosting the morale of people living on the streets, helping to deal with some of the problems they can expect to face, Gerry explained the ways in which BHAM helps to do this: “we see if they want to do anything creative like run a nursery, newspapers, or whether they are just isolated, we work with people to make them feel like they are not on their own, raising people’s morale, you find homeless people can be just stuck in a doorway in Clifton, which can be very lonely, whereas if you’re squatting with a group you feel that you’ve got people behind you.“ As someone picks up a guitar on the other side of the room and begins to strum ’East of Eden’, I’m offered a can of cider by a man named Rav who tells me about his experience of squatting. “I finished university in Portsmouth,“’ he explained, ‘“moved to Bristol and starting getting into music. I was working in a call centre and at Blue

12

Mountain in the evenings, then I just thought, I don’t want to do this anymore. I made the decision to do things that I wanted to do, things that benefited the community,“ Rav now plans to teach Maths to the residents of the Red Factory. There is a great number of people who choose squatting as an alternative lifestyle.

The greatest wave of squatting seen in Britain came after the Second World War; construction of houses had been postponed during the War

and a great deal had been destroyed by bombing. Servicemen returned from battle with nowhere to live.

Today the picture isn’t quite as bleak, but lack of affordable housing and the high number of empty properties (689,675 in England according to the Empty Homes Agency) has led many people into choosing to live in squats. The squatting movement as an alternative lifestyle was at its peak in the late sixties and early seventies, as Steve Platt recalls “people had

The names of the people interview

ed in this article have been changed for the purpose of anonymity.

a sense of living somewhere special, symbolised by the street carnivals and parties which became a regular feature. Squatting began to be more than just finding a roof, it offered a sense of community, a way of life in its own right.“ The Red Factory offers this same sense of community. Until a month ago it was a disused, abandoned cardboard factory, it is now a community arts centre for the homeless with film nights, yoga, a meditation room, foreign language lessons and maths lessons for a community that feels disenfranchised, and who would not normally have access to these facilities. It has been transformed, and continues to be transformed. People who need to eat can be fed here, if they need

a place to sleep there are people who will go out with you and find an empty building for you to sleep in. It would be an oversight to write about squatting without acknowledging that there is a serious inequality inherent in today’s society; it is normal for some people to own several houses and for others to sleep in a doorway. Of all the worthy causes that would have benefited from the billions of pounds that were spent instead on bailing out a small British bank, housing the homeless would be one. Squatting and indeed homelessness will continue as long as the people that do it continue to be ignored by the government of the fourth largest economy in the world. Squatting is to many of those who partake, a political statement, a reaction to lack of housing and to the more general problems of

capitalism. For people who believe housing is an inalienable human right, squatting is as much about protest as it is finding shelter. The political side of squatting has created movements around the world, both in and out of developed Western capitalist societies. Squatting can be a political statement that emphasises the gap between the wealthy and the poor and in socialist countries, and countries with strong socialist parties, squatting can be used to solve homelessness. Residents of the Red Factory were reluctant to talk about their politics as many of them engage in direct action, suffice to say that apathy is not a problem. ‘A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams. This sentiment is echoed by the residents of the Red Factory. What they have created is much more than a roof over their head, it is a community, a place they feel a part of, this was expressed by James, a resident of the Red Factory and a squatter since 1986; “it’s not just about a place to live, if it ever becomes that it’s wrong, this is a place for people to express themselves in a positive way.“

My visits to the Red Factory taught me the importance of these community squats, not just to keep people off the streets, but to provide a sense of worth to homeless people. It also led me to dismiss entirely any legitimacy I had attributed to the moral objection to squatting which I had contemplated momentarily in my ignorance, the notion that squatting is wrong simply because someone, somewhere owns the property. It is worth considering who commits the greatest sin, one who finds shelter in an empty building or one who keeps several buildings empty until it best serves their bank balance. My opinion is that housing is an inalienable human right which trumps any right to private property. When I asked Gerry what he thought of

the moral objection that some people have, his answer was simple: “try being homeless.“

On revisiting the Red Factory for some more photos I was dismayed to learn that the residents there are now facing eviction, the community arts centre could once again be transformed back into a derelict factory. On my way back from the Red Factory however I was pleased to see that another community based squat had opened up just around the corner from my house in the Little Theatre, Colston Street, offering a free art exhibition as part of a coordinated day of action for squats around the world. It seems community squats are here to stay, and I for one am glad.

“The poorest man hath as true a title and just right to the land as the richest man.” Gerrard Winstanley, the Diggers, the earliest squatters.

the web we weave... UWE Graduate Fashion.

Photography by Zack Saitoti and Max McClure

Print and knitwear designs by Cathy Craig, BA (Hons) Fashion/Textiles

Fabric manipulationby Katie Burglass,BA (Hons) Fashion/

Textiles

Fashion photography by Sophie Taylor, BA (Hons) Fashion

Womenswear, designed byAlex Kaegler, BA (Hons) Fashion/Textiles

Fashion illustration by Natalie TyeBA (Hons) Fashion

Menswear by Vikki Li, BA (Hons) Fashion/Textiles

summer

lovin By Rachel Shircore.

22

Raving

on Sha

kespea

re’s

home

land t

o drum

and b

ass,

the ele

ctroni

c Eur

opean

beats

harmo

nising

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h

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bia or

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a gra

ssed

amphit

heatr

e with

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en

year

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man w

ho l

ooks

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your

Dad on

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time.

Fo

r

those

of you

wonder

ing

what

all m

y blu

bberin

g is

about,

here

is a

little

histor

y tri

p. Fir

st he

ld in

1974

Bristo

l Com

munity

Festiv

al

grew

steadi

ly thr

ough

the

sevent

ies and

became

a two

day e

vent i

n 198

4. At

its pe

ak

the f

estiva

l was

clai

med

to

be Eur

ope’s

bigges

t fre

e

festiv

al; pe

rhaps

an ink

ling

of its

excel

lence!

Money

(that

all too

annoyi

ng

necess

ity in

life)

becam

e

tight

for th

is not

-for-

profit

organ

isatio

n and

gradua

l ch

anges

such

as the

intro

ductio

n of

a min

imal

entran

ce

fee

starte

d the

declin

e tow

ards

a

more

comme

rcial

run

festiv

al.

Initia

lly ca

lled

the

Bristo

l

C o m m u ni t

y

F es t

i va l

,

l o c a l s

c h a ng e d

its nam

e

to the

Asht

on

Court

By Rachel Shircore.

the coming m

onths. It is

to be a

city wide fe

stival on Sa

turday 20th

and Sunday 21st Septem

ber with

main outdoor

features su

rrounding

the amphithe

atre and wat

erfront.

Gigs and clu

b nights wil

l be moved

inside come

the evening.

My concern i

s the use of

the word

‘festival’. Sure

ly an event

spread

across a cit

y cannot be

entitled a

‘festival’. W

ill we be ab

le to walk

barefooted

carrying an opened

bottle of cid

er around th

e streets

of Broadmead

? We need o

nly look

upwards to t

he restricte

d alcohol

free zone

signs to get the

answer. Perh

aps though I

am being

unnecessaril

y negative a

bout this

new adventure for the city.

Am

I not want

ing this new

form of

festival to

over take an

d shadow

my happy memor

ies of Ashton

Court? It ap

pears this i

s not the

intention of

the organis

ers:

“This does

not mean we are

hoping to replac

e or replicate

the previou

s festival a

t Ashton

Court, but

start a new

venture

true to the

original eth

os, which

is not neces

sarily limit

ed to one

outdoor fest

ival site, b

ut which

could encom

pass a numbe

r of

citywide eve

nts.“”

So they do

not want

to merely

copy Ashton

Court, but k

eep the

essence of it alive.

For

me, the spec

ification of

a

festival was

the notion

of a parallel world,

an enclosed

hub that

you specif

ically

followed

the

trails

to,

knowing that

at the end,

you

would reach

the gold. Sur

ely

taking your

usual

stroll into

town

and being

Festival in

2004 after its relocat

ion. It

temporarily moved to He

ngrove

Park (South Bristol) in 2001

as a precaution due to the

outbreak of foot and

mouth.

Plummeting attendance f

igures,

changes in licensing laws,

stricter health and safety

requirements, compulsory

entrance fees and a se

curity

presence all led to th

e slow

death of the Festival.

Under dark clouds of spir

alling

debt, the outlook for 2

007 did

not look promising but the

locals refused to let the

community spirit die a

nd the

not-for-profit organisatio

n

was given one last chance

to recover. Regretfully the

gods were against us once

again and the 2007 festival

was cancelled on the

second

day due to torrential r

ain. 80

bands were unable to p

lay and

the financial implication

s

were just too great t

o save

the company from liquid

ation.

On Friday 20th July 2007

Bristol Community Festival

Ltd called on unsustainable

financial losses as the

demise

of the infamous Ashton

Court

Festival.

So what now for Brist

ol and

its community spirit? Well,

another ‘festival’ of c

ourse.

I am not for one second

going

to damn those organising

this event for 2008 as the

immediate emergence

of

another festival is tes

timony

to the people of Brist

ol and

their passion to explo

re and

showcase the creative and

unique range of people

that

make up this city.

Bristol Festival

is once again

run by

volunteers,

on a not-

for-prof i t

basis. They have been

fundraising all year with

many more fundraising e

vents

lined up in 24

the coming m

onths. It is

to be a

city wide fe

stival on Sa

turday 20th

and Sunday 21st Septem

ber with

main outdoor

features su

rrounding

the amphithe

atre and wat

erfront.

Gigs and clu

b nights wil

l be moved

inside come

the evening.

My concern i

s the use of

the word

‘festival’. Sure

ly an event

spread

across a cit

y cannot be

entitled a

‘festival’. W

ill we be ab

le to walk

barefooted

carrying an opened

bottle of cid

er around th

e streets

of Broadmead

? We need o

nly look

upwards to t

he restricte

d alcohol

free zone

signs to get the

answer. Perh

aps though I

am being

unnecessaril

y negative a

bout this

new adventure for the city.

Am

I not want

ing this new

form of

festival to

over take an

d shadow

my happy memor

ies of Ashton

Court? It ap

pears this i

s not the

intention of

the organis

ers:

“This does

not mean we are

hoping to replac

e or replicate

the previou

s festival a

t Ashton

Court, but

start a new

venture

true to the

original eth

os, which

is not neces

sarily limit

ed to one

outdoor fest

ival site, b

ut which

could encom

pass a numbe

r of

citywide eve

nts.“”

So they do

not want

to merely

copy Ashton

Court, but k

eep the

essence of it alive.

For

me, the spec

ification of

a

festival was

the notion

of a parallel world,

an enclosed

hub that

you specif

ically

followed

the

trails

to,

knowing that

at the end,

you

would reach

the gold. Sur

ely

taking your

usual

stroll into

town

and being

the very young or the very old. That I cannot complain about.I suppose in my romantic eyes all good festivals should symbolise community, diversity, a touch of hippy love, eccentricity, bohemian living, and a passion for music that can touch your soul in that cliched way. I think if I can walk down the street (shoes on mind) with music driving the steps I take, sensing a huge and excited crowd ahead of me, eager to explore the day’s events and the uncontrollable urge to submerse myself in it until the early morning it would have done its job, be it a festival’ or not. I wish it well, and look forward to the 20th September, 2008.

confronted

by pocket

s of

entertainmen

t, culture and

music would

make the trip

all the

more exciti

ng,

but will the

buzz still

be

flying thro

ughout the

air?

Is it now not

just mimicki

ng

St. Paul’s c

arnival and

the

street party

vibe? Why

though am I so caught

up

in how this

‘festival’

is contained?

It is the

atmosphere,

people and

music that m

ake a festiv

al,

regardless

of wheth

er

I’m walking on grass

or

concrete.

One import

ant

question howeve

r is how

and were wil

l local tale

nt

be displayed, and will the

West’s talent st

ill be the

driving force

behind the

day’s entertainmen

t? The

Bristol Festiv

al website

clearly states

its desire

for a community

directed

weekend of e

ntertainment

:

“We aim to br

ing the crea

tive

communities

of Bristol

and

the Southwes

t together f

or

a weekend of celebr

ation,

inspiration,

and showcas

e of

local talent

.“”

The winners of the UWE

battle of t

he Bands, ‘

Dead

Zebra Funk’

have already

won

their right

to a place on

the

main stage t

his summer.

The

logo for the festiv

al was

the result o

f a competit

ion

for local de

signers; arti

sts

and novice

s alike; Alex

Donne, a rec

ent UWE Grap

hic

Design gradua

te won. So

community d

rive and sp

irit

remains in pl

ace for anot

her

year. It’s just the format

that has change

d. Having

events throu

ghout the ci

ty

will hopeful

ly enable m

ore

accessibilit

y to the fest

ival

for those wh

o can not ea

sily

travel. Organi

sed events

within comm

unity halls

will

enable poetry

, media and

art all to b

e showcased

in

environment

s that do

not exclud

e

the best of the west 08

Beach Brea

k Live

9 June - 1

2 June

Where: Po

lzeath,

Cornwall

Cost: £79

(£30 deposi

t

secures ti

ckets)

Rip Curl Boa

rdmasters

Unleashed

8 August - 9

August

Where: Newq

uay, Cornwa

ll

Cost: ££54.99

adult

weekend tic

ket, Friday

&

£ Saturday £

29.99 each

Exeter Summer FestivalFriday 13 June until Thursday 19 June 2008

Where: ExeterCost: Various, some FREE

Bloom Festi

val

8 August - 1

0 August

Where: Seve

n Springs,

Gloucestersh

ire

Cost: adults

£85, Kids (5

-

15yr) £30, un

der-5’s FRE

E;

campervans

£25

the Eden Sessions 27 June - 25 JulyWhere: St Austell,

Cornwall Cost: £40

The Green Man Festival 15 August - 17 AugustWhere: in the Brecon Beacons, Powys, WalesCost: ££105 (children

under 12 free). Live -in vehicles ££35

Music for Af

rica

11 July - Sat

urday 12 Jul

y

Where: Mont

acute,

Somerset

Cost: Adult

- £16/18/20

Child (varie

s)

StonehengeSaturday 21 June 2008Where: Stonehenge,

WiltshireCost: FREE (including

FREE car park)

Bath Interna

tional Music

Festival

21 May - 7 Ju

ne 2008

Where: Bath

Cost: Various

, some FREE

Maker Sunshine Festival 1 August - 3 AugustWhere: Cornwall

Cost: early bird’££75 adult w/e ticket 12-16yrs ££50, 5-12yrs ££30, under

5 free

26

the best of the west 08

Rip Curl Boa

rdmasters

Unleashed

8 August - 9

August

Where: Newq

uay, Cornwa

ll

Cost: ££54.99

adult

weekend tic

ket, Friday

&

£ Saturday £

29.99 each

Bloom Festi

val

8 August - 1

0 August

Where: Seve

n Springs,

Gloucestersh

ire

Cost: adults

£85, Kids (5

-

15yr) £30, un

der-5’s FRE

E;

campervans

£25

The Green Man Festival 15 August - 17 AugustWhere: in the Brecon Beacons, Powys, WalesCost: ££105 (children

under 12 free). Live -in vehicles ££35

Music for Af

rica

11 July - Sat

urday 12 Jul

y

Where: Mont

acute,

Somerset

Cost: Adult

- £16/18/20

Child (varie

s)

Amongst the sprawling patchwork and confusing array of goings-on down in Bristol’s Harbourside lies Spike Island. The aesthetics of the building are disconcertingly clean cut and formal on approach, unmissable from behind the familiar row of terraced housing; but not out of place, its old brick heritage glares out from behind the smart, high lettering that bears its name. A long row of bicycles face up to the harassing parallel parked cars opposite and the southward facing outdoor seating makes the time honoured therapy of people-watching an easy one. Boiler suit clad, paint splattered and visibly brimming with enthusiasm, the students and other types constantly protrude from the heavy glass doors to help counteract any pretensions you may have as to what lies inside. Lots of natural light and a great atmosphere make the bar’s pricy menu feel less damaging. Where else could you sip on a Hoegaarden whilst listening to Richard D James?

Whether you’re on foot or cycling, the River Avon trail is relaxing and

peaceful escapism. Anyone taking the main line from Temple Meads to Bath Spa would have seen it had their eyes

been irresistibly drawn to the line of colourful long boats and a path intertwined with the surrounding

greenery. One of the most picturesque periods of the trail

is the wood-lined area by Hanham – but less inclined cyclists might

want to take the suggested detour to avoid getting muddy and wet. The

collapsing banks along this area are soft and nearby at all times; this

certainly isn’t the place for speedy rides. Instead, the low lying and

well-sheltered path deserves a more thorough and relaxed approach. Of

course you could go in the opposite direction towards

Avonmouth, where the

second highest tidal range in the

world awaits you, but it’s the former

direction – up stream

– that seems more logical.

Words by Marcuss Siddall | Photos by Elodie Barakat

Spike Island

River Avon Trail

So you’ve heard of the regular nights at the Students’ Union, the Carling Academy and the Thekla, but what about the underbelly of Bristol? There is a whole host of other venues, many whom don’t count students amongst their regular clientele. Being that bit more diligent to see more of Bristol than they want you to means next time your friends come visit, you won’t be short of places to take them. Each issue Hidden Gems digs deep into the nooks and crannies of Bristol to show you a collection of bars, pubs, shops, labels, clubs and designers that can be counted as being some of the most unique, interesting and downright quirky in the wild,

Beyond the usual circuit of the bars, clubs, trodden city parks and well-worn seating so often used for meeting friends, lies a less known path. Unfamiliar to most, and quiet on the sunniest of days, these places retain as much quality from their semi-secret status amongst most Bristol occupants as they do their detached sense of existence from the surrounding landscape. Go hours along the same trail without meeting anyone else, escape the bustling city lifestyle and all its restrictions; get purposely lost and wonder where you are.

St Matts

Bower Ashton

What’s O

n...

QUIZ NIGHT!

Every Wednesday in

the SU Bar

at 7.30pm

Frenchay

Glenside

Sunday night quiz night every week!

Eighties

Night!

Nineties

Night!