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Smooth operators
As around 3,000 'freshers' settle into student life at the University of Hull, two recent graduates extend a warm welcome to the new arrivals
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Phil Benson (left) and Simon Long pictured at this year's Hull Global Food Festival |
Choosing to study in Hull may prove to be one of the best decisions Simon Long and Phil Benson ever made.
The international business graduates, who met and became friends on the four-year course, are now running their own company called Xing which they set up in 2006, a year after graduating.
They have their own retail outlet in the Hull University Students Union building, from which they sell a wide range of fresh-fruit smoothie drinks, and they also franchise their business to allow Xing drinks to be sold in cafés, restaurants, shops, and gyms.
Business is going well and they have installed smoothie-making facilities at John Moores University in Liverpool and Hull's Gemtec Arena.
Both Simon and Phil say they love being in Hull, and add the city has much to offer this year's new arrival of freshers.
"Hull is a great place to be, it's a city on the up," says Simon (25) who is originally from Leeds but now lives in west Hull.
"There has been a great deal of economic regeneration, such as the transport interchange and St Stephen's shopping centre, and freshers will benefit from the impressive new facilities.
"The university has a fantastic campus, everything is on one site, and I can strongly recommend Hull to all new students.
It's also a very friendly and welcoming university with a good record on graduate employment."
Best option
Simon and Phil developed their business idea while on a study year in the United States as part of their course where they began drinking smoothies.
Back in England, they decided to put their business acumen to use and run their own company, and with financial help and advice from Hull City Council, the Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce and the University of Hull, they launched Xing.
They also go into primary and secondary schools in Hull to promote the benefits of eating fresh fruit and vegetables because they say a balanced and healthy diet helps children and young people feel good and have fun.
Phil (25) is originally from Wakefield but moved to Cottingham as a child.
He had no hesitation about choosing to study in Hull.
"I considered other universities, such as Loughborough and Newcastle, but Hull was the best option for me.
"Studying here meant I could keep in touch with my mates, make new friends at university, and I felt the Hull course was better as it included the year abroad.
"It also meant I could live at home for the first two years to save money, which was a big help.
"I've lived here since I was four and I class myself as a local – freshers are not just from other parts of the country, many live locally, and studying in your home city can be a great experience as it was for me."
Valuable contribution
Meanwhile, students make a valuable contribution to Hull, says Councillor Kalvin Neal, who has responsibility for quality of life in the city.
Students helped to promote the 'café culture' on Newland Avenue, many take part in voluntary projects to help local people, and having students from more than 100 countries across the world adds to Hull's cultural diversity, bringing a true international buzz to the city.
"The University of Hull and its students are an integral part of our city – Hull just wouldn't be the same without them," said Councillor Neal.
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Best place to visit: The Deep, the world's only submarium containing 3,500 fish and 40 sharks.
Best place for a fry-up breakfast: Lattitude, Newland Avenue
Best restaurants: Marrakech Avenue and the Thai House, both on Princes Avenue.
Best nightclubs: Sugar Mill on Princes Dock Street, Pozition on George Street, and the Welly Club on Beverley Road.
Best coffee shop: Planet Coffee on Newland Avenue.
Best bar or pub: Pave on Princes Avenue and Fusion Bar and Grill on Cottingham Road.
Best shopping destination: for high street shops St Stephen's, and for specialist shopping Savile Street.
Best pub crawl: the Old Town.
Best place to chill out in the open air: Pearson Park.
Best cultural experience: the Museums Quarter, High Street; and Ferens Art Gallery, Queen Victoria Square.
Best place for comedy: The Piper Club, Newland Avenue
Best bookshop: Waterstones, university campus.
Best theatre: Hull New Theatre, Kingston Square
Best cinema: Vue in Princes Quay
Best transport: cycling on Hull's 70 miles of cycle lanes connecting all corners of the city.
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