From the NZ Wines raid to Fallowfield door penises: The Manchester Tab first term news round-up

It's been a big semester for student news in Manchester, with stories such as the so-called clapping ban and the Factory bouncer attack making national headlines.

Loads of other stuff has gone down on and around campus, like penises being graffitied all over Fallowfield, a 42s baby, protests, road blocks, and drugs testing.

Here's The Manchester Tab round-up of the most popular stories this semester.

New Zealand Wines raided by police for selling laughing gas

Situated directly opposite Owen's Park, New Zealand Wines is inargubly one of Fallowfield's favourite things. Probably because they do two bottles of wine for a fiver.

Almost as soon as this term's Freshers' Week was over, New Zealand Wines was raided by police for selling nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas.

Thankfully, the combined efforts of Greater Manchester Police and the Psychoactive Substances Act of 2016 were no match for cheap wine, and NZ Wines were selling booze again within 24 hours.

£2.50 drugs testing for Manchester students

This year's University of Manchester freshers will be the first to have access to recreational drug safety testing, with £2.50 kits made available by the Students' Union.

All students at UoM can obtain the single-use kits, which use a reagent chemical to identify a particular substance. When mixed with the substance being tested, the reagent will change colour in order to identify the sample's active ingredient.

In November, a warning was issued after 86 per cent of Mancunian cocaine tested was over 95 per cent pure. This more advanced testing is carried out at Manchester Metropolitan University using specialist equipment.

The safest way to take drugs is always not to take them at all, but if that decision has already been made, make sure you check out The Manchester Tab's MDMA safety guide.

Fallowfield is going to shit

Last year, we reported that Fallow Cafe was being forced to cut their opening hours. This September, it was gone, to be replaced with a clean-living eatery.

We spoke to other Fallowfield bars including Revolution, who claimed "the local council have attempted a purge on Fallowfield nightlife as a tactic to move students towards the city centre".

Just weeks later, The Font Fallowfield announced they would be closing in January.

Meanwhile, the daytime Fallow economy suffered the loss of Tesco Express this term. This also cost Fallowfield its Post Office, and means if you don't make it to Sainsbury's by 4pm Sunday you'll be doing your food shopping at New Zealand Wines.

Last week, we found out Garden of Vegan will close unless the owner Mr Gaff can raise £20,000. The vegan pizzeria was born last year, having rebranded from an iconic Fallow convenience store when Mr Gaff was fined £60,000 and sentenced to 11 weeks in jail for selling pirate DVDs.

At least you can still get your vegan pigs-in-blanket flavour teabags from Sainsbury's.

Ladybarn Road got covered in penises

One Sunday morning in November, residents of Ladybarn Road woke up to find penises had been spray-painted on front doors all along the street.

Being right in the middle of Fallow, behind Sainsbury's, most of the residents were students, one of which told us they found it pretty funny.

An elderly resident of the street was less than impressed, telling the Manchester Evening News she had recently spent £600 on a new front door.

In December, Greater Manchester Police released CCTV from 3:40am that morning, and appealed for help in identifying the four people shown in connection with multiple criminal damage offences.

The Students' Union have banned clapping! Or have they?

"Clapgate" now feels like a distant memory, but it was actually just weeks ago.

Did the University of Manchester ban clapping? No.

Did the Students' Union ban clapping? No.

Did the Students' Union ban clapping at democratic events, such as Students' Union Senate meetings? Yes.

At the first Senate meeting with the new policy in force, the Senate chair explained that clapping is not banned and that it's simply encouraged that you replace audible clapping with jazz hands.

The basis being that you won't be forcibly removed by security for clapping, and therefore it isn't banned.

Speaking to The Manchester Tab, SU Liberation and Access Officer Sara Khan emphasised that the motion "is not a ban, it's encouraging the use of BSL clapping at democratic events".

The Senate motion to replace audible clapping at the events with "jazz hands" was passed on 27th September.

At the next Senate meeting on 8th November, a motion was tabled to "revoke the clapping ban" citing that clapping is "an effective and tradition means through which to express approval".

53 per cent voted against the motion, and the "jazz hands" policy remains in force.

Student asks for condom on Fallowfield Students Group and gets one delivered

Back in October, Jamie, a second year Business Management student and Teletech DJ, found himself in need of a condom.

Naturally, he decided to ask an audience of over 36,000 by posting in Fallowfield Students Group.

Jamie later told The Manchester Tab: "Basically I wanted to get my dick wet and I needed a condom and didn't have any.

"We ran out last night and couldn't be arsed to go to shop obviously, student budgets and all that."

Jamie dubbed his saviour Matthew the "hero of Fallowfield". The first-year economics student had seen Jamie's post whilst on the bus home and happened to be carrying a spare.

Jamie said that whilst the moment had passed by the time he got there, they "recouped and got down to business".

His mystery companion could not be reached for comment.

Extinction Rebellion protest blocked Oxford Road

Extinction Rebellion have hit both local and national headlines this term, trying to bring attention to the plight of the planet.

They're calling on councils, governments, and anyone else who will listen to declare a climate emergency.

In early November, they blocked Oxford Road outside the University of Manchester Students' Union building.

Liz Haughton, Activities and Development Officer at the Students’ Union, was at the protest and said: "This is a national movement. We’re making a peaceful rebellion against the government’s actions that are worsening climate change."

Weeks later, she was arrested for taking part in another Extinction Rebellion road block, this time on Oxford Street near the Paramount Wetherspoons.

The Students' Union Executive Officer was one of several charged with wilfully obstructing the highway and awaits trial in January.

A "42s baby" has been born

Back in October, news began to spread that the world had been blessed with a "42s baby".

Don't worry, the baby was neither born or conceived in the club, and his mum's #42sbaby hashtag simply refers to the parents having first met at 42s.

Liv Gallagher tweeted the club after their son, Frank, was born on 26th October. She first met Frank's father, Jimmy, at 42s way back in 2015.

Liv told The Manchester Tab: "This guy slid over in the booth and told me I looked really drunk and we started talking."

Factory's licence suspended after bouncer attack video

Closing off our semester one round-up is the now-infamous Factory bouncer attack.

The labyrinth of stairs that is Factory nightclub made national news after a video went viral showing eight bouncers violently attacking two young male customers.

The attack left Joe Sharratt in hospital with a bleed on the brain. The second victim was a UoM Pharmacy student, who said that he tried to help his friend "but they were just hitting me."

All eight bouncers in the video were sacked, and Factory's licence was suspended just days after the incident at an emergency meeting.

Greater Manchester Police are investigating, and have already made seven arrests for violent disorder and assault.

In the week before Christmas, Factory submitted an appeal against the suspension of their licence. The appeal was withdrawn by the nightclub the very next day.

At a review hearing on 28th December, it was decided that Factory will be allowed to reopen from the 18th January next year, just in time for your exams.

Conditions agreed between the council, club, and Greater Manchester Police include that all security staff will be equipped with body-worn cameras and that the club will reduce its opening hours.

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