Pal’s new direction: Your college, your favourite Durham lamppost!
By Tabitha Watford
Today we’re trying out a new editorial direction – gone are the days of boring old news – our readers want something new, something engaging, something original. With this as our guiding principle, we are proud to present a taster of Palatinate’s new style. GONE are the stuffy old news pages and IN are our new, personalised articles, like this one below: Your college, your favourite Durham lamppost!
Trevs: She’s cute, she’s quirky, she’s the #Moment. She even has a name, so we hope Trevs can accept Lampounette as their unofficial mascot lamp! Unfortunately we were unable to locate a hexagonal one!
Stephenson and Josephine Butler: Located at the site of one of the fiercest collegiate battlegrounds – The Mound – these two lampposts are emblematic of the struggle over who can claim the iconic landmass. The modern, yet understated, look of this particular lamppost also reflects the hidden gems that are these colleges. And for those asking – yes, Stevo is the bigger, better one!
Van Mildert: Like the students of this particular college, these streetlights, found near Ustinov, are well-rounded, while the statue in the back looks a lot like the feathers of a certain duck… we’re quakers for Fuzzy!
Aidan’s: This streetlight can be found high up on top of a hill, much like the students of this college, in the Neville’s Cross area. The yearning look of this fixture reminds me of the contemplative nature of Aidan’s – isolated on their hill, do they long for a bigger part in the action?
Grey: Grey by name, grey by nature, or so I am told. I personally enjoy the understatedness of this lamppost, but reservedness is a quality many need to acclimatise to… #BeYourself.
Collingwood: Braggadocios, loud, imposing. Reminds me of many a Wednesday sports socials night. The perfect streetlight to ponder while chunning after a yard with the rugger boys.
John’s: The picture speaks for itself. A perfect companion for a lads trip to Sunday Mass and a perfect selfie spot for any aspiring Johns influencers. A quick Pal tip ahead of the upcoming exam period: perhaps pop a prayer under the inspiring glow of this lampost to ensure academic excellence #StayHoly.
Castle: Exuding a distinctly privately-educated energy, these lights will ensure any Palace Green passersby see your new Ralph Lauren quarter-zip. Castle students will also remember these fine pieces of lighting prowess from their experiences of lugging a car. Keep your eyes on the prize, there is a light at the end of the lane.
John Snow: What could be more apt than these festive, SNOWglobel-esque street lights? These are SO #snowcore – high enough to be out of reach for casual passers-by and snapped on a frosty morning – although they are a tad closer to the city centre than our snowy friends!
Hild Bede: Milburngate is a development that has seen many setbacks and delays, and so these lampposts find a kindred spirit in Hild Bede, where delays to work on the Leazes road site have halted the project for now. Time will tell if the lamppost or the college see their respective works completed, but for now both sit tucked away from the hustle and bustle of town, waiting.
Chad’s: A small, quaint fitting on Owengate seems like the one for Chad’s. Juxtaposed next to the more modern signage below (think the tube map in the bar), this lamp post has an old-style shape that speaks to the traditions that surround Durham’s smallest college.
Hatfield: This one looks like it’s wearing a hat. Like, HATfield? Geddit? Also, this classy lamp post has the manner of an aloof (dare one say, posh?) country gentleman. Need we say more?
Ustinov: This selection is less about the lampposts – though they are rather grand, in an old-fashioned way – and more about the style of photo, which will surely put members of this college in mind of their childhood – a time before colour photos when horse and carts would have passed over this very bridge. That’s right, its our aged wise friends at Ustinov!
South: This shining beacon is quite the testament to the design ethos of South. NESTed between two monuments to modernity, the lamppost is nevertheless part of a longer tradition, harking back to a bygone era with its stylised crest. Who could it be other than South, a new(ish) college amongst the old guard?!
Mary’s: This diva lamp post showcases the college’s luscious blossom, and we love love love the pink – SO spring ‘26! Who’s excited for the trees to bloom?!
Cuth’s: This dungeon-core lighting fixture is perfectly suited to Cuths’ prison cred. We hope this pick shines a light(!) on the oft-overlooked Prison Cuths: don’t think you are better just because you’re on the Bailey – perhaps you can turn Prison Cuths bar into your new local (if it can fit enough of you)?
Do let us know what you think of our new creative direction. Henceforth, each of Palatinate’s print editions will now feature 5 of these articles, ranging from readers’ favourite root vegetables to their favourite contestants from Bake Off 2013, using the print space we save by cutting the news pages. Comments, questions and queries about these changes should be sent to our acting editor, Tabitha Watford.
Cover Image: Hugh Ludford
