Park End safety questioned
A second year from St Peter's College was injured during a concert by Chesney Hawkes last Wednesday, while an area of Park End nightclub, where the singer was performing, has been criticised by observers as being too small for the number of people who wanted to see the singer perform live.
Zoo, the Entz arm of the Students' Union, welcomed 986 students through the doors of Park End last Wednesday for a special appearance by Mr Hawkes. Matt Bryant, who had been engaged to take photographs for Zoo at the event and who was viewing proceedings from the raised DJ booth, told The Oxford Student: "It appeared to me that there were too many people in too small a space."
Josie Green of St Peter's cut herself on a metal barrier while on the dancefloor and commented: "At times I was lifted off the ground, if I'd fallen over I'd have been crushed."
Park End have released a statement that reads: "We knew the night would be well attended and management therefore implemented a number of measures to ensure people's safety was a priority."
Dan Finley, Managing Director of Oxford Student Services Limited told this newspaper: "A video screen was placed on the upper bar floor in order that students upstairs were able to view the performance."
Bryant commented: "When I moved upstairs to take photographs, I found not many people watching the video screen, most choosing to remain downstairs."
During the evening, an announcement was made to reiterate the importance of safety to all attending the event. The Entz provider took numerous steps to ensure the safety of guests at the performance including requesting more door staff from Park End and having three times as many Zoo staff helping on the night. In a statement Finley said: "Sitting on the OSSL Board are three members of the Student Advice Service. Zoo has never and will never put profits before the safety of its students."
Zoo has received one complaint regarding the conduct of the bouncers which is being fully investigated at this time. The Entz provider received no reports of injuries sustained in the club during the performance.
18th Nov 2004