Some students were left diappointed last week when the DU Comedy Society Roller Disco ran out of the mildly essential roller skates early on in the night. Chair of Comedy Society Robert Kearns acknowledged there were some problems but disagrees with those who say the night was a disaster.
The Roller Disco was hosted by SU Ents and the Comedy Soc on Tuesday 14th October in the Dandelion Club. The club was booked to hold 900 people and tickets sold out on the day with students paying €8 each to attend the night. However, according to some students who attended, the night was overcrowded and at 10:30 the queues outside the door were so long that anyone without a ticket was told to come back at midnight. One student commented that the club was so crowded she couldn’t move and the line for roller skates was so long that she didn’t bother to attempt it. Another student, Sarah-Louise Hassett, described the night as “dire, really appalling” as she arrived at 11:15 and by 12:30 the Roller Disco part of the night was over.
Another student agreed with this opinion saying she left early because there were not enough skates for everybody and at the start of the night she wasn’t allowed on the dancefloor without a pair of skates. Ms Hassett said that at 12:30 the music was turned down so low she could barely hear it and the DJ kept repeating that everyone had to give back the skates before they could continue to party. Mr. Kearns said he did not hear or notice that the music was turned off. Mr. Kearns said “it wasn’t a perfect night” but he disagreed that large crowds of students were left disappointed. He explained that the Dandelion Club booked an event management company called “Roller Disco” and then approached the Comedy Soc and SU Ents asking them to host the night. According to Mr. Kearns the venue was large enough for 1,000 people and the club wanted that many guests but the Comedy Society decided to sell only 900 tickets so people would have room to move. Things got “a little messy’ at 12:30 when it emerged that “Roller Disco” couldn’t cater to 900 people as the Comedy Soc had been told and queues for skates became dangerous as they snaked across the dancefloor.
One student speculated that the skates had been recalled because “a girl skulled herself” but Mr. Kearns said that the problems were nothing to do with health and safety. When asked whether alcohol and skating is a good idea Mr Kearns said the Comedy Society had enquired into the risks and found that “Roller Disco” had a very low track record of injuries at their events. Railings in The Dandelion were even bubble wrapped.
Although the skates were recalled at 12:30am, Mr Kearns said that the club was full until 2:30am and that the roller disco aspect of the night did not seem to affect most students. He noted that around 500 people were able to skate and there were only 50-60 students who wanted to skate but couldn’t.
A complaints forum has been set up in House 6 but so far Mr Kearns has only received 7 complaints asking for a refund. One student disputes this saying she made a complaint but was not refunded. She also believed that “most people won’t bother complaining”.
Mr Kearns commented that Comedy Soc are currently in discussion with “Roller Disco” as they are unwilling to pay the management company “due to their inability to provide the promised level of service”. Mr. Kearns hopes that the fee which would have paid the company will instead be used to subsidise ticket prices for later events this term. He says due to this students will be able to see comedian Ardal O’Hanlon for a reduced price of €8.
