Wessex Scene Wins Website of the Year 2004 :: Wessex Scene Online

Wessex Scene Wins Website of the Year 2004

The Wessex Scene Online Team

11th November 2004
Laura Fewell Vice President Communications/Wessex Scene Editor-in-Chief

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The Wessex Scene Online sensationally scooped the award for Student Website of the Year 2004 at the Guardian Student Media Awards.

The awards ceremony, which is in its 26th year, was held up in London, at the Bridge bar next to London Bridge on Wednesday 10th November.

The Wessex Scene Online has three times been nominated for the coveted Student Website of the Year Award, but until now has never quite made it to the top spot. Last year, the website was runner-up in the category - second-place to Cardiff. There were high-hopes that this year would see the prize awarded to Southampton, reflecting the hard work and innovation of the webteam that designed and maintain it.

Peter Wood, the man behind the original design, went up to the podium to collect the trophy from host Simon Amstell, who kept the crowd entertained with his witticisms throughout the ceremony. The judges this year included author and comedian, Dave Gorman and the editor of Mediaguardian.co.uk, Lisa O' Carroll.

SUSU President, Andy Wilson said, "this is fantastic news for the Wessex Scene. Everyone at the Students' Union was rooting for Southampton to win, and it is high time that the site won the award, having been nominated three years in a row. Well done to everyone who has had a hand to play in the website".

Before announcing the winner, the judges commented that the winning website clearly knew their market and were targeting it well, and that the usability of the site was excellent. They went on to say that its tabloid format was a winning factor and that "the Sun's owners will probably want to sue their arses, and their designers will want to give them a job for life".

The prize for coming top was a trophy (pictured, held by Chris Buckle, flanked by Laura Fewell and Peter Wood), two plane tickets, Ł500 prize-money and one weeks' work experience at the Guardian Newspaper in London.

Congratulations goes to the webteam and all those that work at the Wessex Scene. Lets hope that this can be repeated next year!