CANCEL-D?

By Leon Morris

MASSIVE LOSSES have prompted YUSU to warn Derwent JCRC that Big-D will not be bailed out for another year, after two consecutive years of significant loss.

Big-D, widely recognised as Derwent’s flagship event, made a loss of £25,000 in 2013, rising from a loss of £17,000 the year before.

Chris Judge, DJCRC Vice Ents has told Vision: “Though last year’s Big-D underwent format changes, feedback about the event was overwhelmingly positive. Events are a cornerstone of Derwent’s identity, and we are always trying to give our college the best experience possible year on year. As a JCR event for our students, this year’s event will take shape around the needs and requests of Derwenters, and as always, our JCRC will be at the forefront of this.”

49 thoughts on “CANCEL-D?”

  1. This is why you do not get students to organise events, because they are stupid and don’t understand money.

  2. Oh no what a big loss! I’d been promised so much from big d and last year was terrible. May just burn the 30 quid this year, might be more fun. Just shockingly organised. The guys in charge seemed like they just wanted to be known on campus…

  3. Big D used to be a huge end of exams/degree blow out at the end of every year, with a Glastonbury style panic for tickets that would crash the YUSU website. When the university changed the academic year so that most commitments were finished by week seven of summer term a lot of students moved away from York before the end of term, and even those who were still around wouldn’t go because lots of their friends had left. This caused Big D to go from a sell out event, to one where the JCRC were forced to slash ticket prices to get more people going. This is a real shame as Big D used to be fantastic. The JCRC have run a number of successful Club D nights, and these should be the basis for resurrecting Big-D as a smaller but hopefully better end of year blow out.

  6. It would be a massive loss for Derwent and for the University to cancel the Big-D event, it’s always a massive highlight of the year. Chris Judge and the rest of the JCR invested a huge amount of time and effort into the event, organising a brilliant night. It would be a massive shame if these loses result in the cancellation of Big-D.

  7. @Big D-ecline

    Don’t even try that crap. They lost money because they chose crap acts.

    @derwent 3rd year

    Yes, they invested a lot of time losing £25k. What great chaps, lets give them a platform to try and lose £30k this year!

  8. @Erm..Crap acts??? Really dont think that’s the problem, nor the organising of the event. The actual event was just as good if not better than the previous years which broke even. If people have returned home 2 weeks before then the JCR, no matter how perfect they promote and organise the event, are never going to be in the black.

  9. The inaccuracies in this article are staggering. Vision once again showing that it will let anyone who can use Microsoft word write for them.

  11. @derwent 3rd year

    What planet do you live on? The year it was successful (which I may add, you wouldn’t have been at York for) had Basshunter and Lethal Bizzle.

    The next one was Roll Deep, Reverend and the Makers and Scott Mills (who despite being the headline, they had to add “DJ from Radio 1” next to his name on the posters, because nobody knew who he was). When Roll Deep were announced, even the Derwent chair had to raise an eyebrow and ask people around her who they were.

    As for last year, apart from Ms Dynamite, who basically had to come out of retirement to perform, so little relevance she had, I can’t even remember what the other hipster acts were called.

    Crap organisation, decision-making, and no clue what overall student demand would be.

  13. If you can do a better job then run for JCR, im sure they’ll love you’re insight

  14. How has last years Treasurer, now Chair Anmoli Sodha not been implicated more in this? Surely she carries the buck for the last 2 years of failure as much as anyone else if not more so!?

  15. Maybe because as even this years Treasurer can vouch, BigD is handled fully separately from the committee, even having their own committee which they interview people for to run it?

    This is a JCRC event as much as it runs according to their structures and led by the Vice Chairs, but it is handled completely outside of the realms of the JCRC.

    You may call yourself a sleuth, but that is just mudslinging without knowing whats going on.

  16. Yes the buck does stop at the top but that is such a cynical and dare I say aimed move up to the top?

    Surely Chris Judge and Joel Brocklehurst are the people who ran the event, booked the acts etc – and thats what people are complaining about above?!

    Those numbers above sound lubricous, and tbh are bigger than any I had heard rumoured, but there is no smoke without fire and those two boys have gotten off scott free for nearly running the event and college into the ground.

  18. That’s hardly fair on Anmoli.

    The reason it failed was because of the lack of effort and attention those organizing put into it combined with student apathy and the change in term times.

    Anmoli put all her effort into making it a success and giving it a chance – don’t blame her for the incompetence of the Vice Chairs that should never have run for the position in the first place.

  19. BBz I waz there and had an AmaZiing night guys. GOt with Ms DynAmite and evryfing! xoxoxoxo #smith4prez2014

  22. A few things I don’t get. 1) If last year was that bad, then why bother commenting on an article about it not happening again. You should be delighted and celebrating. 2) If you care so much about the college to want people held responsible then why aren’t you supporting college events? Surely you can’t love Derwent so much you were so hurt by the loss but then rejoice in the failure of one of Derwent’s main events? 3) Everyone questioning the organisers, were any of you actually present during any of the organising? If so might have been a good time to say something. Or maybe you’re basing your opinions on nothing. 4) The arguement that this years acts were hipster and coming out of retirement whereas the booking of Lethal Bizzle (of pow 2004 fame) was inspirational is slightly strange. Looking forward to seeing all these anonymous people jumping up to organise other events this year

  23. Big events can run successfully, Goodricke puts on a FREE festival each year. I went down to Goodfest last summer and I was blown away by the size of the event, especially because it was free to all.

    Colleges need to start funding themselves successfully and stop charging ridiculous prices for rubbish. Derwent, along side other colleges’ incompetence, has meant that YUSU have placed tighter restrictions on what colleges can do and spend money on. Just seems to me that they have ruined it for everyone else. Back to the chalk board Derwent!

  24. Because no other Derwent third years can have a positive opinion about Derwent than Anmoli? To be honest she’ll have enough balls to put her name next to her comment if she wants to post on here. Lets not stir, it’s not nice.

  25. I’m sure chris judge will be more than happy to discuss this in person with anyone that thinks he didn’t do his job properly

  26. @let downs – you chose Goodfest as an example…that legendary, must-attend event

    Most people on campus aren’t aware it even happens!

  28. I was not saying it is the beggar event ever. I was making a point that with a competent committee/sub committee events can happen without making stupid losses needing to be bailed out, again.

  30. Next Big D should be organised for Week 8 rather than Week 10, that way more students will be around to go and there is much more chance of breaking even or making a profit.

    #winteriscoming

  31. Oh look a comment from the bastard. Just like you to support an event which clearly needs to be cancelled

  33. Quack quack quack? Quack quack quack! Quack, quack… Quack quack quack quack quack.

  37. Lets hold back on the squabbling for a moment and just appreciate that LEON MORRIS has held down a post long enough to actually produce something! Top Bloke!

  38. Too Funny.

    Though a lot of students may have already left to go home, and though there was a lot of competition from other events going on at the same time, this should have been planned for.

    The organisers should accept responsibility for the losses and offer their time to pay it back, in a community service kind of way.

    I think Chris, Anmoli and Joel should volunteer at the derwent dining hall on minimum wage until the deficit is repaid.

    They suck.

  40. @Adam Seldon

    No one takes your criticism of her seriously: You lost the Chair elections to her over a year ago….move on!

  41. Just to clear things up, that wasn’t me that posted the comment above under the name ‘Adam Seldon’, but someone else pretending to be me.

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