Sidney Sussex: finally a college on the river
After years of planning, an artificial canal brings La Serenissima to Cambridge

Construction of the canal began last Thursday and finished at 2am yesterday. The canal itself was made of metal scaffolding and damp-proof membrane. It rises to a height of three feet and extends around the college. Seven punts carried ball-goers throughout the night. As one of the few large colleges without access to the River Cam, the idea to construct an artificial river for the Sidney May Ball has been floated for years. However, this year’s committee, which included two Engineering students, was the first to pull it off. Committee member Jack Scannell said, "The Sidney May Ball committee is very excited to have been the first committee to achieve this. We’re thrilled by the buzz that it’s caused around Cambridge."
Comment / Bonnie Blue is the enemy, not the face, of female liberation
13 October 2025Features / Beyond reality checkpoint: local businesses risking being forced out by Cambridge’s tourism industry
15 October 2025News / Cambridge climbs to third in world Uni rankings
11 October 2025News / Join Varsity this Michaelmas
13 October 2025Features / How to spend a Cambridge summer
12 October 2025