Durham University’s recent Winter Ball ended tragically when a student was trampled on while the final song played. St Mary’s College, until recently, had a tradition of playing the song “Angels” by Robbie Williams to end the night. It started off as a fun night however ending in a student seeking medical help.
Following the unfortunate event, Durham University College Officers announced the ban of “Angels” by Robbie Williams from St Mary’s College Balls. In an email, it stated that “As a result of this review we do not feel that the tradition that has formed around this particular song is safe in the confined space of our Dining Hall or anywhere else within College Buildings.” The popular song has been excluded from playlists in University events after a student sustained injuries when the College played it's “traditional ‘end of the night song’”.
According to The Durham Tab, the College has a tradition where students “rush to the centre of the room” when “Angels” is played at the end of the night. The last moments of adrenaline kicked in too hard when a woman sustained a “nasty injury” resulting in the need for surgery. An email was sent to all the students of the College, explaining that a student fell over and was trampled – resulting in a wound to her shoulder.
However, management at Durham University stated that this decision of a ban would be revisited if the students would refrain from moshing. Management further stated that “we do not feel that the tradition that has formed around this particular song is safe in the confined space of our dining hall or anywhere else within the college buildings. The safety of our student is paramount and so it has been agreed that the playing of Angels will no longer take place at future college balls.”
While the ban was for safety precautions, there were many unpopular opinions among the students in the College. They stated that they felt the College “mollycoddling” them. One of their students, Ellie, commented that she acknowledged the unfavourable event but doesn’t feel the need of the ban.
