YUSU have hit back at the University after it was announced that Café Barista, which operates from the Alcuin Senior Common Room, will be closed down from the beginning of next term.
The University did not consult YUSU over the decision, and Union President Kallum Taylor has vowed to fight for the future of the Café.
YUSU also have support from some very senior members of University management, as even they are outraged by the lack of consultation.
“I promise students that this one isn’t done with yet,” said Taylor. “There has been zero consultation about it and many students – and staff – particularly in and around Health Sciences value and depend on it.
“We’ve been doing tours of the Health Sciences department and the Barista Cafe – and there’s a pretty shocking level of surprise/upset at the plans to close it down.
“The irony of it is that we were just about to start pushing for improvements to Barista. Instead of closing something which is struggling, Commercial Services should listen to students over how it can be improved. The range of food is poor in there, and the lack of card payment/nearby cash machine closes the door to further potential or passing trade.
“Its opening hours focus on the 10 week term structure, even though Health Sciences students and staff have a completely different programme to this, and work/study over what most undergrads see as the holidays.
“Also, there’s barely any cosmetic appeal to the place; combined with needed improvements elsewhere, they could really make it an attractive place to relax and refresh too.
“We want to help University Commercial Services improve their cafe and maybe listening to students wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, to improve the service and also to help their business plan.
“I seriously hope, no, expect, that we can start some decent consultation and plan for the future, because we’ve got some pretty good ideas. There are a lot of improvements that can be made to service provision and ‘space’ in general over there.”
Taylor told Vision that YUSU are planning to hold consultation sessions with Health Sciences students, as well as other “wider stake holders” on Campus North, including members of Alcuin College, in the “very near future.”
Café Barista is currently one of three staffed services on Campus North,and serves coffee and cold drinks as well as a range of sandwiches, rolls and snacks.
The decision for its closure is largely down to the popularity of the new library café. A University spokesperson told Vision: “There has been no overall increase in trade on Campus North over the past year. However, increasingly we have seen business shift from Cafe Barista to the very popular Library Cafe.
“In response to this, from next term we will offer a vending service only in the Alcuin Senior Common Room. Staff will be redeployed and there will be no redundancies as a consequence of this. At the same time, we intend to make improvements to B Henry’s before the start of the next academic year to enhance the service in Alcuin College.”
Students do not appear satisfied with these changes however. A first-year nursing student commented: “I can’t believe they’ve closed it down without even talking to the students about it. I use Cafe Barista all the time as it’s nice and the most convenient for me. Somehow we’re paying higher fees but getting fewer amenities, it’s a joke.”
Having worked for YCS I can completely understand their decision. Barista serves nothing that either B Henry’s or the Lib Cafe doesn’t, and Campus North really doesn’t need three outlets. The extra distance between Barista and one of the other two is so minimal I don’t know why there’s such outrage over this.
Wouldn’t you rather have YCS focus on maintaining two vibrant, large outlets than have their time and effort split between three mediocre ones?
There are two large departments served by Barista – you can’t get to either of the other two, get served and get back between lectures, so people will just stop using “proper” catering and use machines instead or just not bother – so YCS will probably lose money not save it!
Barista has the best coffee, and service, on campus – fact. It’s worth the walk from almost anywhere if you have the time. The new library cafe isn’t bad, but it’s too noisy for a meeting with colleagues and the queues are too long at peak times. The staff in Barista know how to handle a queue!