SKATING ON THE EAST COAST

a black and white image of a person on a skateboard, superimposed on abstract imagery and shapes of various coolours, giving the illusion of skating on a path, or stream, or wave 1
by Ash

Olympics aside, it’s an interesting time for skateboarding, especially on the UK east coast. To shredder’s delight we’ve witnessed new parks crop up in Loddon and Cobholm to name a couple, and to our dismay old scene relics like the Trowse DIY spot have been levelled. New local projects such as Cigarette skateboards, Barely coping clothing, Girls sk8 east anglia, the shed and Doghead promo have been established to support the scene, whilst Norfolk’s beloved Drug store have had their iconic sign nicked shortly before closing doors and moving into a dreamy new venue.

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NORWICH GRAFFITI: ART OR VANDALISM?

by Leo Quick

Graffiti: the obstinate, acne-covered teenager of the Arts. It wants to be noticed, to be valued, but at the same time shirks acceptance, awkwardly lurking in the shadows of society, preferring nocturnal thrills and bricked-wall canvases to sober gallery exhibits. And Street Art divides opinion like no other medium. Depending on where you stand – you might be an anarchistic advocate or an unimpressed traditionalist – graffiti can dazzle or disgust. But whether you think it’s the scourge of the city or a vibrant channel of urban expression, graffiti is finding itself a home in Norwich. Should it stay?Continue Reading

WHO IS STANDING UP FOR FOOTBALL FANS?

by James Anthony

Earlier this week, Norwich City Football Club announced that they would be moving young season ticket holders and their accompanying adults out of their seats over safety concerns caused by supporters standing up during matches. Fans are not permitted to stand in seating areas of the stadium, and the club is responsible for enforcing this. This latest move has come as advice from a safety advisory group, who warns that the club could face their stadium capacity being reduced if fans continue to stand up during games. Safety must be the number one concern at football matches, but there have to be better options in the long term than displacing young fans who are being moved through no fault of their own.Continue Reading

THE CASE FOR A ‘NORWICH POUND’

by Oliver Steward

The concept of a local currency is one way to encourage people to go to the high street through a creative use of supply side economics.  A local currency would enable towns and cities across the country to stimulate economic activity in their floundering high streets. We need to encourage small business activity during this time of economic uncertainty, as small and micro businesses encourage entrepreneurship and form the backbone of our economy. Independent shops give our high street character and provide an incentive for people to visit our historic towns. The so-called ‘Death of the High-street’ is not just about national chains relocating, but the closure of small businesses. The use of a local currency would help reinvigorate it.Continue Reading

BRITAIN AS A CO-OPERATIVE ECONOMY: A MISSED OPPORTUNITY?

by Oliver Steward

The UK’s free-market economy as a whole is facing one crisis after another.  That is why policy makers and businesses need to consider the co-operative option which offers products and services to our economy. Our corporate and political culture’s lack of innovation and strict adherence to the neoliberal free market means this is sadly more of a dream than reality. However, other nations have successfully replicated this alternative economic model to adapt to their own individual needs.Continue Reading

WORDS WITH FRIENDS II – CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

by Billy Pilgrim With The Heartsease Kid

Are you looking for a way to get your voice heard? Do you have a book of poems on your bedside table that nobody ever reads? Isn’t it time somebody listened to you?

If you answered yes to any  of these questions then you may be suitable for “Words w/ Friends Vol II”.

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WHERE TO HIDE RADIOACTIVE WASTE?

by Joe Burns

Radioactive waste is the solid, liquid, or gaseous waste produced by nuclear power stations, fuel production, weapons manufacturing and nuclear plant decommissioning. Small volumes of radioactive waste products are also created by industrial, research and medical institutions.

This waste has been constantly produced in this country since the 1950s, and the debate about what to do with the radioactive waste products from military, civil, medical, and scientific uses has caused frustration and fear for an equally long time.Continue Reading

NORFOLK’S BAD MEAT

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by Joe Burns

Content warning: this article contains links to graphic videos and mentions animal cruelty 

Over a billion farmed animals are killed in Britain every year. That includes over 10 million pigs, over 15 million sheep, 16 million turkeys, and over 2.6 million cows.

This business is a traditional part of Norfolk, and British, life. Farming of all kinds has been a part of life in Norfolk for hundreds of years. This rural county is most well-known for breeding turkeys, though it is also a moderate producer of other meats, especially from cows and pigs. Is the mass production of animals for consumption something to be proud of though?Continue Reading

THE PEDESTRIANISATION OF NORWICH CITY CENTRE

by James Anthony

I never thought I’d start off a serious article by writing about talking during sex, but here we are. It’s a slightly awkward subject, and one that the world of comedy is not afraid to touch upon. Specifically, I’m referring to everyone’s favourite fictional radio presenter, Alan Partridge, who is no stranger to the delicate topic of conversations mid-intercourse. I’m Alan Partridge brought to British comedy a very memorable line, during a less than steamy sex scene, in which Alan asks his partner just what she thinks of the pedestrianisation of Norwich City Centre.

Aside from being a line used as a sure-fire way to detect a fellow Partridge fan, those outside of Norwich may not realise that we recently celebrated fifty years since the first high street in the city became pedestrianised, and that the debate around the motorist vs pedestrian issue continues to rage on. It is very much to this day – as Alan himself would say – a ‘hot topic’.Continue Reading