No space for Space Bar

Students are “devastated” that Space Bar will not be replaced in the new Town House.

KUSCO contractors confirmed at the Student Union emergency general meeting on February 25 that there will not be a new campus bar.

First year politics student, Jorden Kelly, 19, said: “I’m devastated, I’m crying inside as we speak. There would probably be room in the new Town House if they made space. We’ve already got a library so do we really need another one?”

Paul Humphries, KUSCO general manager, explained that Space Bar had been losing money for some time.

He said the customer base was continuingly narrowing, encouraging students to “drink some more please, because the income is going down”.

The only replacement for Space Bar will be a renovated Picton Room which will work as a café serving light drinks. But its size and location means it will not be able to host big events like Cougar Chaos.

First year biochemistry student Joshua Kelly, 18, said: “I’m quite worried about the sports socials since they are all done here, and when they are going on, this place gets packed up.”

Both Jorden Kelly and Joshua Kelly agreed that not having a bar made the University look bad, explaining that on recent open days, new applicants had been shown the bar “as if it is going to be here next year”, and student ambassadors were allegedly told not to let new applicants know the bar will be closed.

Humphries said: “The demolishing of the Town House means that Space Bar goes. And I’m going to tell you the truth, there is no reason to dress it up, we will not be able to provide you a similar facility. It doesn’t work for various reasons.

“I don’t say it’s a great plan because it won’t be a direct replacement for Space Bar, but the only plan that has come up is to provide a space in Picton Room.”