The Campaign for a Quieter Pub on Campus

The aim of this petition is to establish a second venue for socialisation on the Winchester University campus for those students who do not enjoy the atmosphere of the Vault nightclub and Terrace Bar, i.e. the new union building.

This is not to exclude the large number of students who DO enjoy the lively new union building and the range of events such as Flirt, Bop and LKD. With the amount of revenue gained from these events, it would be impractical and against the wishes of the majority of the student body to remove or reduce them.

However the belief of this petition is that the university is not offering a safe alternative for people who prefer a quieter atmosphere, where the focus is on conversation and socialisation rather than dancing and loud music.

The university used to offer these alternatives in the form of the Round Table in the old student union, and the Village Tavern at the West Downs site. Having two seperate venues fulfilling the same function used to mean that both underperformed, and looking at the figures seperately it is not surprising they were closed. However, it is this petition's belief that looking at the records for the combined incomes of both would provide a more accurate reflection on the potential audience for a new, quieter venue, and would more than offset the potential costs of (for example) converting the ground floor of C2H back into the Tavern.

By not providing these alternatives, the union is failing in it's duty to the student experience by:

ALIENATING THE MEMBERS OF THE STUDENT BODY WHO DO NOT ENJOY THE VAULT EXPERIENCE:

Currently there are no venues for evening socialisation on campus except the Vault. What made the Round Table and Village Tavern unique was that you would bump into other people from your course, groups of friends would meet and interact and it was possible to socialise in a casual atmosphere.

The Terrace Bar is not a viable alternative, as it's proximity to the Vault makes it little more than a 'chill-out' room for the Vault, and anyone visiting it while the Vault is serving an event cannot hear over the music, or the people in there shouting because their hearing has been affected by being in the Vault.

By removing the option of socialisation in a quieter location, the union has removed the capacity for socialisation for those who do not enjoy the Vault's atmosphere, leaving these students less able to form social links outside of seminars - particularly in the case of students living off-site who do not have the opportunity to socialise with student neighbours.

PUTTING STUDENTS AT RISK BY FORCING THEM INTO TOWN:

This is particularly true in the case of first years who are largely unfamiliar with personal safety, and have to walk back through a town which still has no well lit, safe route back to campus. An on-campus venue would provide a safe location for them to get used to socialising without having peer pressure to binge drink, and without the increased risk of date rape / assault from non-students.

This would be particularly true in the case of a conversion of C2H back into the Tavern, as it is directly opposite the offices of West Downs security and the on-site Police constable, providing an instant deterrent to troublemakers.

Forcing students into town also exacerbates the problem of students causing noise problems on their way home, irritating residents and worsening the reputation of the student body and the university as a whole. An on-site pub would provide a location from which they could take the safety bus home if living off-campus, and reduce the multiple security incidents of students bringing civilian troublemakers onto campus.

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The constitution of the Student Union defines it's duty under section 2(ii) as being "To promote and organise Social, Cultural and Sporting activities for the benefit of the Students."

Furthermore section RR1(i) states that "The President may also call a referendum if handed a petition containing the name, course, union card number and signature of at least 200 students who are ordinary members."

Section RR5(iii) also states unequivocally that "The result will be binding on all members of the Union Council."

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Therefore those digitally signing this petition agree to both of the following goals:

1) To see a quieter pub established on campus again.

2) To have more events established for people who do not enjoy the Vault experience.