latest news headlines
New Hallam University Students Union Opens with Showsec
Students at Sheffield’s Hallam University took charge of their stunning new Students Union this month.
The building was initially constructed to house the ill fated National Pop Museum, and having stood empty for a couple of years the university has purchased and refurbished the facility at a cost of £5 million. From the outside it looks like two giant silver drums and it will now be a unique and unrivalled welfare and social facility for 28,000 students at the University as well as being open to the public.
The facility opened on 14th February with a VIP function attended by the mayor, councillors, University and Student Union officials. Student Union president Chris Franc said: “We have transformed the building so that it can house our student advice centre and volunteering team, a shop, social space and activities area, as well as three multi-functional entertainment rooms and a stylish café/bar. Hallam really needed this facility and we are all delighted.”
Following the opening ceremony, 300 students joined the celebrations for a Valentines Ball through to the early hours of the morning.
Crowd management and security consultants Showsec have worked with Hallam Students Union for six years and two of the company’s managers, Steve Reynolds and Richard Church, started their careers with Showsec whilst at college in Sheffield. Hallam’s longstanding union general manager, Ruth Wilson, explained: “From our experiences we know that Showsec understand what stewarding in a Students Union is all about, treading the fine line of keeping order while letting people have a good time.”
“We worked with Mark Logan to produce all of the documentation for the venue before going to licensing as there was a challenge to prove we could control the movement of students around the building. Mark’s planning meant we overcame this challenge and opened with confidence.”
Simon Sinclair has been appointed as Showsec’s venue manager for ‘HUBs’. Having worked from Showsec’s Manchester regional office for 10 years, Simon has toured the world with artists such as Whitney Houston, and his specialist skills in backstage and pit security have seen him managing these areas at shows including Download and numerous concerts at Manchester Evening News Arena.
Simon said: “I am looking forward to this new challenge with a new building, while maintaining the already good existing relationship with Hallam students Union and expanding Showsec’s Sheffield office into new venues and events.”
21st February 2005
HEADLINES
news archive
search stories
FOOTNOTE: Select the news type you require in the red band above; this will enable you to see the current news stories from that section
© 1999 - 2012 Entertainment Technology Press Limited News Stories
