First university-owned Wetherspoons pub opening this year offering “genuine value for money” says University of Surrey
The first ever UK university-owned Wetherspoons pub is set to open later this year.
In a first in the UK, a university is preparing to open its own Wetherspoons pub. Set to open in May, the new bar – to be called the Sir Ronald Wates – will open on the University of Surrey’s campus in Guildford.
There are already two Wetherspoons pubs - Luther’s Bar in Newcastle and Sanctuary Bar in Hull - run by the student unions, but Sir Ronald Wates will be the first university-owned ‘Spoons. The University of Birmingham’s Guild of Students is also set to open a branch in May.
The Wetherspoons model means staffing, prices and licensing will be set by the University of Surrey, while the budget pub chain will provide guidance as the franchisor. University of Surrey chief operating officer Will Davies said: “We wanted to give our community a pub-style venue that could offer genuine value for money alongside quality.
“Wetherspoons’ model means students can get a full breakfast for less than £5. The Wetherspoon franchise gives us their pricing power and supply chain efficiency whilst allowing us to offer a great experience for our students and staff.”
The new pub will also be open to the local community as well as students and staff. It will operate in the Wates House building on the campus, and takes its name from a building firm boss whose family funded the original building.
Staff working in the Wates House bar that closed in December for refurbishment have been retained, the university said.
John Hutson, Wetherspoons’ chief executive, said: “We are delighted that a Wetherspoon pub is to open at the University of Surrey. We are confident that it will prove popular with students as well as members of the public and be a great addition for the university.”