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PAT test the lights in JP Hall
Categori: University Petition
The Students' Union has brought up this petition and comments made by students regarding the maintenance of JP theatre with the University Executive Board. We have had confirmation from the head of the university estates management that the lights will be PAT tested on Friday Morning. All comments have been taken note of, if you have any additional concerns about JP Theatre please email mya.tibbs@undebangor.ac.uk.
We recognise that this has caused a lot of stress towards student groups and has affected upcoming shows. We will work with the University to ensure that this space is up to standard and is taken care of in the future.
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Using JP Theatre for our rehearsals and performances is a vital part of our student experience. Every evening of the week there is a student group rehearsing on the stage for their next performance which they work on for an whole semester and the space is frequently used by film students for projects in their courses as well as film soc projects. Being part of a drama or dance group that use the space is so important for students to make friends and build community. Being part of these groups also boosts employability, with many students who have been part of theatre societies going on to be professionally involved in theatre outside of university.
The space needs to be looked after better with regular PAT testing being carried out and maintenance of the stage floor. This year 7 student led shows will be seriously affected as students are no longer allowed to use the stage lights for their shows as PAT testing was not carried out in time (which breaches the universities health and saftey policies). Now these 7 shows have to be drastically changed with short notice, with the audience being lit and no blackouts for the show.
The theatre is such a valuable space, celebrated as a part of Bangor's history, and needs to be cared for so that the lack of care doesn't affect students who have worked so hard all semester to put on a show.
Sylwadau
This has been an issue in JP Hall for many years, it’s honestly surprising it has not been a priority beforehand - especially considering that even the Beatles have preformed on that stage and they’re still disregarding that much of student safety!
This is a very important issue and effects not only performance societies but also students who are studying to get film & theatre degrees. While it may only seem like a small component, tech has a massive impact on the end result of anything we create! So PLEASE sign this petition!
It’s so so important that this gets sorted, as a student that uses the space several times a week, if not every day, I had no idea that I was at risk due to the lack of care of the space. Please share and sign! It’s so so important that such an important element of student life continues!
BU Dance and the other performing arts societies have worked incredibly hard this semester to create our shows. To have a significant change like this so last minute is incredibly disappointing and is going to negatively impact the quality of all our performances. Please sign, if not for yourself, but for your hardworking peers.
Dropping this on the societies that rely on this stage at the last minute is really disrespectful
Rostra have worked hard on their performance for their November show and we found out that our show will be severely affected by the absence of lights the week their performance was going to occur. This is absolutely unfair and quite frankly disgraceful that this issue has been allowed to continue for so long up until this point. Do better.
So many people have worked incredibly hard on the performances that are meant to be taking place on JP for a PAYING audience. It would be incredibly disappointing to lose a critical component like lights due to university negligence.
Tech is an important part of theater, not just for the actual performances, but also to provide a creative space for students that is unlike any other. At Bangor, the performing arts societies' tech departments have been an essential part of student well being and community building. It is essential that, in turn, the university supports the members of these tech teams by providing them the resources to do their jobs, to put on their shows, and to build their own community. Please sign and hold the uni accountable to fund the arts and get this issue resolved!
To allow this issue to go unresolved for such a long time is an exhibition of disgraceful unprofessionalism. This level of negligence has prevented multiple student groups/societies from utilising this space properly in order to perform to paying audiences. The level of work that goes into each show is an example of why these spaces, and the maintenance of them are so important; not only has the blatant lack of care hindered each upcoming show in regards to quality, but it has also been putting students at risk each time untested equipment has been unknowingly used at each rehearsal. Help to resolve this issue by signing the petition.
This is completely unfair to all of the groups that have worked incredibly hard to put on shows for paying audiences!! The immense amounts of time and effort that has been put into these societies should not go to waste over untested equipment. Please help to resolve this and SIGN THE PETITION!!
Bloody Outrageous on the Unis part, surely its not that much to get them fixed, and assuredly they will get as much use out of them as the societirs do. I hope this petition suceeds outright!!
It has been told to performing societies that to continue use of JP lights is a health and safety issue, however the university simultaneously claims the lack of pat testing to be an undeb responsibility. Not only is this claim debatable, as the university has a core responsibility to maintain student wellbeing and safety, not offload this responsibility to other groups, but regardless, to only make groups aware with as little as one week before big performances in front of paying audiences, displays blatant disregard for any performing groups, the skills they are showing and cultivating, and the time of all those who have been working towards these performances.
It’s outrageous that the university is failing to fulfill its responsibilities. Just sign the petition it's common sense
The ability to use the technical equipment in JP hall, from the lights to sound to stage, helped me change my career aspirations to a career in backstage theatre, which I am now successfully pursuing. Without the chance to use this equipment and learn how to use it with my peers, I wouldn't be where I am now. It is so upsetting that so many shows are going to be without proper lighting after thousands of hours of hard work, but it is also devastating for all of the backstage teams and aspiring techies at Bangor that will now not have the opportunity to design, rig and operate the lighting for the many winter shows happening this year. JP has long been an issue, but it is a space that many come to see as home at Bangor, and as a university building it should absolutely be down to Estates to find the relevant funds to PAT test the lights as soon as possible.
Some societies are performing in JP to a paid audience. This issue really needs to be fixed
It is a disrespect both to students and staff that this issue has even been allowed to happen. So many societies use this space to create art, to bring together community, and to breathe life into this stage. How are we, as students, expected to continue to use this space when we cannot even rely on the university to care about the work we put into it? How can the university disrespect not only it's students but this historic building so much?
This is just such a shame . My daughter is one of the teachers for the dance show next week and she has worked so hard as have all the students performing . We as a family are travelling from the south of England for the show and were really looking forward to it , but now this will have a huge negative impact on the dancers and the show and we are paying . Just awful and very disappointing .
It does beg the question - how often should electrical devices used in a public space be PAT tested?
Being involved in amateur dramatics in our local theatre, I know that a performance is a sum of it's components, of which lighting is an integral part... A performance would be severely impacted without the moods changes set by lighting. It is such a shame that the university is showing little respect for the work and dedication students put in to performing arts societies and their productions. The university also has a duty of care to ensure that the students can work in a safe environment... Inadequate stage lighting in itself poses its own risks.
This situation is disgraceful and reflects very badly on the senior management team of the university. I’m extremely proud of my second eldest child who has really found their place as leader of the tech team for Rostra. Now the hours spent rigging and focussing lights for the upcoming shows have all gone to waste. Being both a technical manager of a theatre myself and working in an educational setting I can categorically state that there is no question that the estates department are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the building and all equipment within it. The university are guilty of negligence in their duty of care to the students. I have seen the electrical installation for myself and frankly PAT testing is only the tip of the iceberg. Quite apart from the extremely valuable comments on the mental health and well-being of the students involved, their physical health and safety is also at risk. I hope the local or even national press get a hold of this story. Sadly it may take that level of bad publicity to make the university do anything. Shame on them.
The law students are giving free legal advice. You could get them onto it? (https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/2024-09-11-bangor-university-law-students-to-offer-free-legal-advice-to-the-public)
This issue extends far beyond poorly lit performances or the frustration of those involved—it has broader implications that could significantly impact individual societies and even the future of individual students. JP Hall is not just a venue for students to enjoy putting on shows; it’s a crucial space for skill development across a range of disciplines. Students aspiring to careers in fields like film, directing, technical design, lighting, stage management, and more depend on this space to gain hands-on experience. These performances often serve as material for showreels, which are vital for university and job applications. Supporting these opportunities should be a top priority for the university because its fundamental purpose is to invest in the futures of its students. Coming from a drama school background, I can tell you that a poorly lit performance presented on a showreel would be dismissed by future employers, no matter how talented the performers or how skilled the technical teams behind it. The impact is widespread, affecting performers, technicians, directors, stage managers, creative committees, and film students documenting live performances alike. Moreover, these shows are performed for paying audiences whose contributions fund the societies. If the quality of a performance suffers due to inadequate lighting—even if the acting, dancing, and singing are exceptional—the audience experience is diminished. This could lead to reduced ticket sales, directly jeopardising the financial stability and longevity of these societies. These societies are not just extracurricular activities; they’re platforms for students to enhance their careers and build critical skills for the future. This is more than an operational issue; it’s deeply demoralising for students who have poured countless hours into these productions. As someone performing a lead role in two shows, I am devastated by this situation. But more importantly, the university’s failure to address this issue threatens the futures of the students and societies who rely on these opportunities to grow. Do better, Bangor!
Absolutely disgraceful of the university to disregard the safety of their own building and their own students, especially leaving us in the lurch without lighting before our performances
Being in a society that uses this building for over 3 years now I have seen how many problems there have been with the lights. From not being able to use them at all in my first year to the past year where the lights would randomly stop working properly mid performance and on one occasion smelling burning from the lights. This not only had a significantly affected our society and performances that so many of us love, but it also risks the health and safety of the people who use the space, as seen by the burning smell. Using the space for performance has helped so many people for experience for future careers in performance and tech use but also for student well-being, with being an enjoyable activity, socialising with a support cycle and reducing loneliness, a creative outlet, and overall a break from studies. I have spoken to so many people who have told me that being able to perform, use tech and be able to use the space has had such a positive impact on there life and uni experience. You would think that the university would support such an amazing activity that happens here. But instead the societies and SU have had all of the responsibilities put on them, expecting the societies to maintain the building. Which as student lead societies is ridiculous, and extremely unfair to put this responsibility and pressure onto the students. Knowing that the entire time I have been at university the PAT test has not been valid is disgusting, student and the SU shouldn't be responsible for the maintenance of a University building.