Students have reacted angrily to the news that Grad Ball will this year be held in Lancaster University’s Great Hall, rather than inside Blackpool tower as in previous years.
The line up for this years event includes DJ Reggie Yates, who has recently apologised for propagating anti-Semitic stereotypes in comments made on a podcast, and noughties pop-rock group Scouting for Girls, who performed a free concert in Lancaster city centre for the 2017 Christmas Lights ceremony.
Angry students branded the line-up “washed out”. Past acts have included rapper Professor Green, chart-topping girl group the Sugababes, indie-rockers Maximo Park and Eurodance legends the Vengaboys.
Social media reaction was overwhelmingly negative, with students branding the event an “absolute joke”, “ridiculous” and “a glorified school disco”.
One of the most popular comments joked that “With all the spine diversions it will take just as long to get from the Underpass to the Great Hall as it would take to get to Blackpool”
In a follow up post the Student’s Union defended the decision
“As we are the students’ union and not the university we still have to pay to hire the Great Hall venue which costs almost the same as hiring Blackpool Tower. Had we kept the event in the tower this year we would have had to charge more for tickets and travel due to rising costs in all the things that make Grad Ball happen.”
“This year tickets are only 50p more expensive but transport cost to Blackpool has been eliminated. Grad Ball has been held in the Great Hall on many occasions most recently in 2012 so we know it can still be a magical night.”
The Grad Ball takes place on Sunday the 24th of June, in the Great Hall. Tickets cost £55, though they are up to £10 cheaper with a purple card.
