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THE 10- OF Students unhappy over Trashed!

Three groups of squatters were Silwood conference centre evicted last Friday from the student The College has announced its intention to convert the Main House at in use, that it is unsuitable for residences in Hamlet Gardens into a conference centre. The Postgraduates at the Park are families and that it has insufficient following a court injunction. The worried about the effect that the centre1 will have on their own facilities. kitchen and bathroom areas. At squahers have caused several They are concerned that they will lose married student accommodation, present the Southwood II block thousand pounds worth of damage kitchen facilities and access to the Main House for social events. contains 4 couples, two of which are and have been threatening the The college hope to earn money not for selling drinks. in single rooms, 2 families and two Hamlet Gardens staff with violence. by building a centre which will "Its no use having a split Union single students. Some of the squatters have since provide accommodation for thirty with a bar on one site and facilities Students are also worried that they broken into another Hamlet people. The centre will contain a on another" said Union President, will lose access to the Main Hall and Gardens flat owned by the Notting restaurant and private dining room Ian Lowles. Conservatory which are regularly Hill Housing Trust. and the College are considering a The new bar is expected to serve used for social events. The College The squatters have been living in plan to use profits from Harlington drinks at an increased price to has given verbal assurances to the flats 131,137 and 135 the since they Gravel to build a swimming pool conference guests, but will be open Students that they will be able to were vacated at the end of last term. and a squash court for conference to students in the evening for drinks book rooms in the centre on a 'first The occupants of one of the flats had guests, staff and students. at a cheaper price. come first serve' basis, but it is likely been living in the College's 2.00 Plans for the centre have been The development will mean the that they will have to book the block since Christmas until they draughted and the Biology loss of three flats for married rooms a number of months in were evicted by builders working for Department has been moved into students and the Union are hoping advance. The union fear that this the landlords, Strolmor at the end new buildings to make room for the of term. centre. The College is currently The squatters have been regularly trying to raise money for the project, hurling abuse at the student estimated at between 1.4 and 4 managers in Hamlet's Summer million pounds and is hoping to Letting Scheme. One of the conduct a feasibility study on the managers, Steve Mercer, told scheme. that the squatters had hit him in the Should the project prove ribs with a snooker cue and said that successful the College plan to one of the squatters had threatened construct an accommodation block to set a vicious dog onto the staff. for conference guests and a new Several residents have also been lecture theatre in the Main House. threatened including an old lady The students at Silwood are who is now too frightened to talk to concerned that the development will the police. The managers also cause the loss of the Student's believe that the squatters are Union's facilities. The long term responsible for a burglary in one of future of the Union building is the flats on July 18th in which Hi Fi uncertain and the Union fear that and jewelry were stolen. the building may have to be Accommodation officer, Loretto demolished to make for the planned O'Callaghan told FELIX that the expansion in the Conference Centre squatters had left the flats in a accommodation. In an interview to appoint an Accommodation will put an end to their social events. disgusting state. One of the flats with FELIX on Wednesday, Estates Officer to try and locate cheap flats Silwood administrator Keith Fisher was covered in abusive graffiti Secretary, Mr Cameron Clark said for married students in the Reading told FELIX that he didn't think that directed at the student managers. that there were no immediate plans area. Since the sale of Sandyride this would be a problem, "It may Contract cleaners refused to clean to use the Union building, but said house in April, Silwood has lost five mean that students have to get another flat where the squatters that it "may or may not be the sight of its flats for married students. Mr organised to use the house" he said. kept a dog and eleven puppies for a new accommodation block" in Cameron Clark told FELIX that It is unlikely that the Silwood Ball, locked inside. The furniture inside the future. accommodation for married organised by the Royal College of another flat had been thrown out of the windows. The Student's Union are also students was available in the Science Union will be able to take unhappy about a plan to move the Southwood block which contains place next year. Work on the new The Accommodation Office is bar in the union building into the double rooms which can be centre is set to begin in the Spring worried that the squatters will move Main House. The Postgraduates will interconnected. The Union argue of next year. back into the flats when the be able to use the old bar area, but that this accommodation is already Continued on back page. ISSUE 808 12 AUG 1988 About Town Acton Venture Day Editorial Hamlet Gardens: The student At the end of the last academic year Imperial College Community Action Group donated to the Acton £250 managers at Hamlet Gardens have Saturday Venture Club. The Club, which runs a play centre for youngsters with special needs, used the money been harrassed and threatend by to fund an outing to Chessington Zoo. Alistair Goodall went along to investigate. squatter vigilantes since the The weather was none too good as and horses by a 'Baaa' but this was ICCAG's involvement with the beginning of the Summer. The we drove to the zoo whilst the two soon rectified with some great, if Club is limited to putting people in squatters have been evicted, but vans picked up the children from one sided, conversations. touch with them and having a they left Hamlet in a disgusting the Acton area. The signs to all the rides soon student representative on their conditon. I visited one of flats after The sky relented in time for the proved all too alluring and so, Committee. The club meets on it had been cleaned; the stench was arrival of the vans with their full impatient to risk life and limb, small alternate Saturdays at a purpose- sickening. More sickening though is complements of children, although groups of children and helpers soon built playcentre for disabled children the College's laissez fair approach. I'm not sure just how many went dashed off in search of this World and go on a number of trips Year after year, FELIX runs stories because nobody was in the same of Adventure. throughout the year. The activities about the dammage caused by place for long enough to be counted. Half an hour after we had at the playcentre can range from squatters. The student managers According to the club's annual arranged to rendez-vous at the pushing a child on a bike, to can not be expected to cope with the report, there are '29 members aged entrance we were still missing one handicrafts and baking. Volunteer problem by themselves; unless between 6 and 24 with a predominance child who was in a wheelchair. We helpers are supposed to 'assist something is done, the squatters of youngsters with special needs, found out that he had gone off with youngsters with their games and will return at the end of the including those with physical and some other people unrelated to the creative attempts'. In practice this Summer. Loretto O'Callaghan and mental disabilities and their able-bodied Club (there's nothing like being means that they can have great fun the managers have done an friends'. This extract doesn't do independent!). and can act in a childish manner excellent job, but they should not be justice to the pack of loud, For myself the nicest aspect both without anyone noticing. expected to do the job alone. exuberant and very energetic kids of the day out and the normal Should you be interested in this who make it all worthwhile. Saturdays is the way that the or any other form of voluntary work Congratulations to Dave Smedley Everyone managed to stay children are so ready to trust you then get in touch with ICCAG via for completing the Union Handbook together as we went round the and 'be friends with you'. This the pigeonhole in the Union Office and to Adrian Bourne for Children's Zoo with its rabbits, places a responsibility on you not to or come along on the Soup Run completing City and Guild's guinea pigs and other furry abuse their trust in any way but at (meet Thursdays, 9.15pm in Week's handbook, Spanner. Both of them creatures. There seemed to be a the same time it lets you into their Hall Basement Kitchen) which is our have produced excellent slight lack of rustic knowledge when group where you really can have a other main activity. publications donkeys were greeted by a 'Moo' great time. Thanks to; Rose, without whom this issue had no chance, Dave, Steve Meyfroidt, Steve Kilmurray, Doug King, Dave Griffiths, Mick Godfrey Squash and Mark, Yishu and Alistair.

The Imperial College Union Semis four players at her disposal. Will anyone stop Materials next Postgraduate Group hosted the year? Materials master tactician inter-departmental postgraduate The semi-finals provided a lot of Ming-Jen Tan will be here next year teams squash championship at the drama. After the qualifying matches Finals to try and make it a hat-trick for Sports Centre on July 12. ICCC, Materials and Civ Eng all them. The eight teams vying for the looked possible winners. The finals were not as close as one They will be a tough nut to crack Professor Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Everyone knew that Materials would have hoped, Materials ran if Prof Sheppard makes a re• Trophy were split into two groups: versus ICCC was going to be close. through easy winners, after winning appearance for Materials next year Group A: Civil Eng, ICCC, Ming Tan beat Steve Berry 9-2, 9-4 the first three matches, leaving the after missing this year's Management Science A, Chem Eng. in a match of power play which saw ladies match to be inconsequential. tournament. The professor provided Group B: Materials, Management not a single drop shot. John The squash tournament finished plenty of spice in the 1987 Science B, Physics, Mech Eng. McCairn (ICCC) beat Richard at 8.15pm after over 10 hours of play tournament. The tournament was organised Sweeney (Mat) equally convincingly on all four courts. It looks like the Wilkinson Trophy along the lines of the European 9-2, 9-2. Alex Brennan (ICCC) beat will become a focal point of inter• football championships with the top Jon Durn (Mat) 9-1, 9-1. ICCC had The final order of the teams was: departmental squash competition in two teams from each group won two matches and lost one and Champions Materials the years to come. qualifying for the semi-finals. The they lead by an accumulated total of Runners up Mech Eng qualifying round was complicated 42-23 ball points. Things looked 3rd ICCC Yishu by the fact that each department had ominous for Materials because even 4th Civ Eng to play in twelve matches with a if the Materials lady won her match 5th Physics restriction that a player could not be 9-0, 9-0 Materials would still be 6th Management Sci A used more than twice. The team pipped 42-41. However it had been 7th Management Sci B captains could use a team of decided that in the event of a team 8th Chem Eng MICHAELJACKSON winning two matches and also minimum strength or use players IN CONCERT only once and go for a player loosing two matches against an The trophy presentation in at Wembley Stadium, participation bonus by using more opponent, the winner of the ladies Southside Upper Lounge saw Pro- than the minimum strength team, match would decide the tie break. Rector Professor Brian Coles name 15th July 1988. The Materials lady had everything since the bonus points for player the trophy after Sir Geoffrey Excellent quality tapes of participation were significant they! to play for and took her team into Wilkinson Nobel Laureate who is a fantastic Jackson show. could not be ignored. the finals. retiring from the College this year The group qualifiers saw Civ Eng The other semi-finals saw Mech and was a keen squash player at one Only £6 per set (2 x C60) and ICCC, with Materials and Mech Eng beating Civ Eng after the Civ time. The trophy was presented to Contact Adrian at FELIX Eng go through from Group A and Eng captain and squash supremo Ming Tan, veteran of Material's B respectively Alison West did not use the best victory in 1987.

Page 2 FELIX August 12 1988 Food

hod without frontiers Yishu Nanda graduated from Imperial College in 1986 and is now doing research in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He established a strong culinary reputation in Holbein House after serving a number of gastronomic wonders in events as diverse as gourmet lunches to international dinners. .... tM- The 'eight jewel stuffed duck' (Cantonese), the 'almond flavoured steamed rice pudding' (Chekiang Province), Rogan Josh and Chicken Tikka are just some of the gastronomic delights which have graced his table Yishu's infectious love for food soon spread to the pages of FELIX. His gastronomic survey of the world aimed to inspire students to be adventurous when eating abroad. The ambitious gastronomic itinerary included Thessalonika, Paris, Rome, Venice, Delhi and Lagos. He provided a brief background about the regional dishes before recommending places to eat. Yishu is fortunate to have a diverse knowledge on food from all over the world. Four years in LibeJa (West Africa), six years in a Polish school in England, his love for Chinese and Italian food have enriched his Indian culinary heritage. He has worked in the restaurant of a resort island hotel in New England where he first learned the joy of eating fresh seafood. He still reminisces about his first lobster. To cap it all Yishu is an adept cocktail bartender and has even earned his livelihood making flambee coffees.

Restaurant Reviewclassi c starter of 'Proscuitto Melone' dish. presented with stunning visual (£2.80). Anyone who has not eaten My share of the bill came to £7.50 impact provided by 250 colour Spago this special salted and air-dried ham which bought me a beer, starter, photos of Italian settings as well as (6 Glendower Place, S Kensington accompanied with melon slices main course an an expresso. Not at the dishes. It is one of the best books 01-225 2407). must try it. all bad for South Ken. on food that I have read, a bargain I would not have dreamed that an The others dining with me had Enzo, the chef did a first rate job. at £12.95. Bugiali runs a cookery establishment with a strong Italian the garlic bread (90p). I was a little My compliments to the chef and the school in Florence and has long flavour existed within walking surprised to find the bread in the two brothers from Milan that run been regarded as an authority on distance of the College. form of thin but large discs which the place. When you go there ask for Italian food. The establishment is run from a had been baked and rubbed with Cinzia to show you to a table. single room seating at most 30 olive oil and garlic. People are recommended to make people. The small confines of the The main course choices were a booking if dining during peak place help it to acquire a rich priced at around £3.50. I was able hours. Spago has been known to atmosphere by eight o'clock. A to sample a wide cross-section of the serve food as late as midnight, so be clientele in the 20s to mid-30s age menu. a little bit more ambitious next time group, peppered with a few Italians Spaghetti Pesto, Pesto is made you feel hungry late at night. holed out in , seeking from fresh basil leaves, walnuts, nostalgia from the live TV garlic and pignoli (pine-nuts). broadcasts from Italian television, Although very flavoursome I found provides a pleasant setting for a the combination of pasta and the Classic Volumes meal. pesto a little too dry. on Food The a la carte menu was varied Fetuccini Funghi Basco. The pasta but not so much so that one would is bathed in a sauce made with wild Giuliano Bugiali's The Taste of Italy have visions of a frantic chef tying mushrooms. The overall impression has pride of place on my cookery the spaghetti into knots. The created was pleasant but did not shelf. The book is extremely well appetizers were priced in the 90p to especially excite me. written covering a wide range of £3.10 price range. I settled for the Spaghetti Cartoccio—Cooking 'al regional Italian dishes. 125 recipes cartoccio' is popular with fish but ICCAG Soup Run works equally well with pasta. Enzo This is a plea to all you hardworking the chef produced a great SUBWARDEN FOR OLD HOSTEL postgrads who don't get holidays and to combination of mussles, prawns, BEIT HALL all you undergrads who are still in London squid and pasta. The under-cooked and obviously don't want holidays. Applications are invited for the post of Subwarden in Beit Hall to take pasta is combined with the tomato up duty from the end of September 1988. If you are around any Thursday evening at sauce, olive oil, parsley and other 9.15pm then come along on the Soup Run The Subwarden is required to assist the Warden and the Hall Committee and we promise we'll get you back ingredients and cooked to enlightened and enlivened by 11pm. completion wrapped in foil in an in keeping the peace and promoting the social life of the Hall. We leave Week's Hall (the large ugly oven. Applicants should, for preference, be postgraduate students with at least building next to The Student The menu offered a number of two full years to run in the College. Accommodation Office) basement at about pizzas with interesting names priced 9.30pm (but arrive earlier and see true The Subwarden will receive rent-free accommodation in a self-contained chaos) to give out tea, soup, sandwiches, at around £2.50. did not have the 1 flat. and biscuits to some of London's gastronomic energy to try one. homeless, most of whom are more Applications should be sent, by August 23rd, to: talkative and interesting than a great many Maybe next time. students. The a la carte menu was Dr P J Finley, Beit Hall You don't have to be a particular sort of supplemented by a number of person to come and you don't have to specials which included a risotto of accompanied by a current CV and two references. ' come again, but please see if you can make the fruits of the sea and the classic it some time this summer because we Preliminary enquiries on 4013 (day) or 3671 (evening) are welcome. really are short of people. 'Carpaccio', a marinated raw beef

August 12 1988 FELIX News

Continued from front page. Summer Letting Scheme finishes. Computer Stolen Refit Mrs O'Callaghan is considering plans to give students a weeks free accommodation in an attempt to ensure that the flats are not left An IBM 8D Computer system, Security Officer Terry Briley told The Sherfield refectory is being empty. valued at £6000 was stolen from the FELIX that many ot ihe thefts were refurbished over the Summer at a Mrs O'Callaghan is critical of the Rector's Electrical Engineering caused by people leaving their cost of £300,000. The new look lack of support given to her by the Office on July 15th. The incident is offices unlocked. He added that refectory will feature padded chairs, police. "Hammersmith Police just one in a series of computer thieves were able to by-pass the formica tables and a suspended Station is very unhelpful and didn't thefts which have cost the College security desks by using back exits ceiling designed for easy want to get involved" she said. She insurers an estimated £110,000. left open by members of staff on maintainance. Three serveries are is currently negotiating with the Amongst the computers stolen their way home. planned with illuminated display College to persuade them to take the was an IBM Landmark Rt A description of two men who cases for the food with new squatters to court for assault. She Computer, one of only three in the were seen attempting to steel a entrances and exits designed to cut has asked College to help with the world, which was taken from the computer in the Electrical down queueing time. Two of the costs, should the student managers in April. The Engineering Department on 28th serveries will serve tradtional decide to prosecute. computer was valued at £42,000. July has been circulated to College refectory meals, whilst the third will serve pasta and salads. A public College Security Chief, Geoff The spate of thefts began at the Security. The men are described as address system, paid for by the Reeves told FELIX that the College start of the year when a BBC being of Asian origin, one 5ft 6 and Queens Gate trust will enable the had no plans to hire security guards microcomputer was stolen from stocky with a beard and the other refectory to be used for social to police Hamlet when the flats are ICU's Microcomputer Club in the 5ft 9, thin with dark spikey hair. The functions. vacated at the end of Summer. He Union Building. Since then 26 men have been seen loitering said that the flats were too dispersed computers have been taken from the outside the departments where the The College has agreed to pay out to police effectively and added that departments within College. thefts have occured. Mr Briley has .an extra £30,000 for a lighting security firms would be unwilling to The thefts are believed to be the asked anyone seeing these men to system designed by the Rector's deal with the squatters, who he work of ex-members of College. contact Security on 5372. wife, Clare Ash. The system, described as 'psychopaths'. He consisting of about fifty low voltage went on to say that the only legal Hamlet Gardens after the squatters lamps and twenty two wall lights way of removing squatters was to aimed at the ceiling, will replace the apply for a coiq-t injuction, a process original economy strip lighting which can take months. planned for the refectory. Mrs Ash Mr Reeves is planning to write to is also planning to redesign the the Commissioner of Police, the colour scheme in the new refectory. Secretary of State for the Refectory Manager, Rob Northey Environment and the Home told FELIX "I hope its going to be Secretary in an attempt to prevent a hell of a lot less like a school dining the problem recurring. "We need to room". The project is due for get the law clarified with respect to completion by September 25. our property" said Mr Reeves. Unfortunately there are no plans to refurbish the range of food on offer. Break-In Merger There was a break-in at Garden Hall r late on Wednesday night. One of Imperial College officially merged the video games was completely with St Mary's Hospital Medical gutted and the pool table had the School last Monday. The Bill glass ball shoot smashed and ripped enabling the merger recieved Royal open. Accomodation consent on 29th July and the College The incident was discovered by will now be known as Imperial Security at 3.30am and the police A new accommodation block for short course accommodation. College of Science, Technology and were called. Although there must postgraduate students is to be built Students at Silwood are pleased Medicine. The merger will be have been a lot of noise when the at Silwood park. The College will be by the move as they feel that the marked by a ceremony on 19 front was ripped off, splitting the taking out a loan to build the new William Penney block is unsuitable October where speaches will be wood, none of the residents heard block which will be paid back by for long term students. The block given by Lord Flowers, Chancellor anything: One resident claimed to increases in student rents. The new suffers from poor lighting, small of the University of London, the have seen people playing pool block will replace the William kitchens and very poor sound Rector, Professor Eric Ash and around lam when he came home. Penney block which is to be used for proofing between rooms. Professor Peter Richards, Dean of St Mary's. The ceremony will be The police returned yesterday to followed by a party for staff and take fingerprints and the games students in the Serpentine machine owner came to collect the Restaurant, Hyde Park. machine, 'Karnov', which he says Asbestos should be returned by Friday.

Contractors have removed frayed Union President Sydney Harbour- asbestos lagging from the Bridge threatened to call in the New Dean New Tutor Underwater Club. The asbestos, Health and Safety Executive. Estates which was found to be in a also plan to remove the asbestos Professor Patrick Holmes of the Dr David Goodgame, Senior Tutor dangerous condition was replaced from a fire door in the Scout & Hydraulics section in the Civil in the Chemistry Department, has1 by expanded foam cladding. The Guide storeroom and the Union are Engineering Department has been been appointed as a new College College Estates Section arranged for pressing for asbestos in a storage elected as the new Dean of City and Tutor. the asbestos to be removed after area beneath Biet to be cleared. Guilds College.

FELIX is published by the Editor for and on behalf of Imperial College Union Publication Board and is printed by the Imperial College Union Print Unit, , London, SW7 2BB (Tel 01-589 5111 ext 3515). Editor: Bill Goodwin. Business Manager: Andrew Thompson. Advertising Manager: Sumeet Ghaie. Copyright FELIX 1988 ISSN 1040-0711.