At the start of 2000’s, Concrete fought a lot of battles with the SU and the university itself! For example, an issue covering the BNP was banned on campus; newspapers had to be delivered to editors’ accommodation and circulated as under the radar as possible. It was still following its red top tabloid phase approach to news into the 2000s.
2000 also saw Deputy Editor Nick Henegan interview Arthur Miller for The Event! As Nick recalls, “It was incredible to sit down and chat with such a literary legend for an hour. I still pinch myself about that one to this day.” Towards the end of the year, Concrete was also named the Best Student Newspaper by The Independent, and runner up in the same category by The Guardian!
Nick also recalls how, “by some miracle we managed to get a decent newspaper produced every fortnight, quite often with the thumping of the LCR below the office as we pulled all nighters to get it finished. The internet was becoming a thing and new fangled digital cameras made sourcing pictures – albeit grainy ones – much easier.”
Around this time, Concrete also started to see the union gradually cut back their funding of the paper. While there was still the ability for the Editor to take it as a paid sabbatical year, Editor-in-Chief (2000/01), James Goffin recalls having to sell advertising to pay for the print cost. This could be seen to come along with the rise of the internet, and digital cameras, making photos easier.
James also reminisced on some of his favourite moments from his time at Concrete. “I think my first published article was about a giant inflatable pyramid on campus outside of Nelson Court sponsored by the now defunct Orange mobile phone network. They gave me a free mobile that got me through university, and I still have the same number to this day.”
He also told us how, “One issue we had nothing for the centrespread of The Event – the arts supplement before Venue – and so I drove out some of the editorial team for a film inspired road trip to Norfolk’s own California, a tiny village on the coast. The chance photographs with a police car for a Thelma and Louise parody and the money wasted in the arcades to get a cuddly Gonzo will stay with me forever. I think The Event’s editor Stephen Collins – now an award-winning illustrator – only just survived the stress of that one.”
He spoke to us about how Concrete set him up for his career. “I’d wanted to be a journalist from a young age, but Concrete gave me really strong experience to take to employers- in my case to the Eastern Daily Press, who had picked up several of our stories. The EDP paid for me to train as a journalist and gave me my first job.”
2003 saw the 150th issue hit the UEA campus on Wednesday 12th March. The team then looked back on the then 11-year stretch Concrete had done, its triumphs, and at just how hard it was for the publication to start up.
2004-05 Editor Phillip Sainty’s editorial from 22nd September 2004 highlights some changes to the paper. After “severe financial trauma” the year before, Concrete had luckily managed to secure a sponsorship from Optic. He also suggested Concrete had developed a reputation for not listening to the student population. He aimed to change this via restructuring the society and opening positions for more than just writing, such as sales and marketing of the paper.
By mid-2000s the decade was speeding ahead with same sex partnerships being legally recognised, smoking indoors being outlawed and the UEA student’s union boycotting Nestle. The same can be said for Concrete with the first ever ‘MediaBowl’! A three-round competition of a pub quiz, football and pub golf, against Livewire, saw Concrete take home the win.
For Isabel Vincent (News Editor 2005-06) fond memories emerge when looking back on her time at Concrete. She remembers how she, “loved working on the layouts and with so many great people. I lost whole weekends to the Concrete office, surviving on pizza and coffee. I’d spend all day in the Concrete office, then work downstairs in the LCR bar until closing and cycle home in the middle of the night. Good times.”
As the years went on the internet became more of an ever-growing presence however, a Concrete website had still not been created. While it was often discussed, many at the time thought it would never catch on! 2007-2008 saw the first year that each Concrete was published online as well as in print. It also saw the year Concrete became a proper society, with a bigger number of writers and some social events. This larger group soon saw the need for a bigger office, as Justine Dashwood (Lifestyle Editor 2008-09) recalls, saying “I do remember many conversations about needing a better office than the one we had in a crowded corridor above the LCR.”
The Media Bowl continued, with Concrete winning again, whilst the paper also hit its 15th (2007) and 16th (2008) anniversaries, with parties for both. Andy Judson (Deputy Editor 2007-08) recalls that the ‘sweet 16’ party managed to coincide with several of the editorial teams 21st birthdays!
Emmeline Saunders (Opinions Editor 2007-08) remembers many moments, from heated rows in the office over Dicky Reynold’s spiciest opinion of the week to the old sofa in the office. To Concrete she said “Speaking of which, I hope to God that sofa is long gone, because that thing had a thousand-yard stare even when I was there. It had definitely seen things.” She also met her husband, Andy, through Concrete (they were Co-Opinions Editors!), and they had their ‘Concrete baby’, Serafina in November of last year!
It’s clear that Concrete creates friends for life. Speaking to Concrete, Harry Low (Deputy Sports Editor 2007-08 and Sports editor 2008-09) said “I have been to three weddings of friends made through Concrete, including one Concrete couple who now have a baby, and later this summer will be the celebrant at the wedding of my co-sports editor from my second year at Concrete.” Meanwhile, Emmeline told us “I also made lifelong friends from my time on the paper, and have travelled as far as Australia to watch them tie the knot and start their own families.”
Moving towards the end of the decade, Grace Simpson (Event Editor and President, 2009-10) told us about her favourite moments with Concrete, saying it was “Impossible to pick one out, there were so many. We had such a good time that we had to write it all down in a quote book. Really loved the “Get A Room… Or This Happens” Facebook group and accompanying articles. I enjoyed everyone being subjected to my Fernando Torres calendar.’
She looks back at how Concrete set her up despite not going into journalism for a career, “I am now a HR Director and looking back, being an editor was my first experience of managing a team. A very unruly team who didn’t get paid and were perpetually drunk or hungover! Although I didn’t pursue a career in journalism, I learnt so much more about the world, work, life, people than doing my degree. The 40 hours a fortnight was well worth it.”
Near the end of the decade, Richard Reynolds tried to set up a rival paper. The paper didn’t last long, and Concrete prevailed, however during the time this did cause a fair bit of drama! September 2009 also saw the introduction of our current logo (sans Ziggurats at this stage) designed by George Bennett. The final year of the decade also saw Concrete winning the Media Bowl, again, seems to be a bit of a running theme!
Top Image: Simon Mann (Editors 2-9 at Concrete’s 10th birthday party at the 230 Club in London (Jan 02), in the order: Back row: James Curtis, Niall Hampton, James Tapsfield, Peter Hart, Middle Row: Adam Chapman, James Graham, James Goffin, Front: Jane Kirby)
Leave a Reply