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 j0j0 10 months ago
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I just took the survey on entertainment at the union. Great, nice to know I can put my opinion in. But I cannot descirbe how disgusted I was at the question about how comfortable I would be about having non-students let in to the union.
erm, hello? Its supposed to be a STUDENT union. for STUUUDENTS. What kind of student union even considers letting in non-students? of course, Portsmouth union, because it is obsessed with money making rather than suppoting and satisfying the student body. Why else would they considser letting in non students?
Before the union attempts to bring in new customers, perhaps it should consider why existing users aren't going as much any more. having to pay at the door to have a few drinks at the waterhole, the plain white 'club' which lacks any form of atmosphere and the bland unimaginative music are just a few things that should be solved if the union wants to sort out their growing unpopularity.
If the union becomes open to non students I certainly won't be setting foot in it again. |
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Alex Harries, UPSU 10 months ago
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 Grumpy, geeky old grey-headPosts: 476 Member rating: 0
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... or, (without wishing to wade into this debate too much, and with My Personal Opinion hat on), the Union is canvassing the opinion of its membership in order to act in a responsible manner towards the students whose fees, to a degree, pay for its existence.
Portsmouth is a highly competitive environment for any company whose primary income is based in the entertainments industry, and the Union is - and always has - done its best to strike a balance between spending its block grant, which comes from your tuition fees, against meeting its remit to provide quality, enjoyable entertainments in a safe and open environment.
Consider this scenario: if the Union had a one-off chance to hold a major event, for example if the Red Hot Chili Peppers wanted to come back to the Union (yup, they played the Lighthouse in 1996-ish, I think), but the only way they could break even on the night would be to open the doors to paying members of the public, would you say no?
The Union's entertainments provision - catering, bars, venues with giant sofas, big speakers, DJs, yadayadayada - is a key part of the University and is provided for the students attending Portsmouth Uni. The Union is one of the reasons students choose to come to Portsmouth over other Universities; if for no other reason than this, the Union will always be a student-orientated venue.
The Union is also an active member in several Safe Drinking campaigns, and while the venue has the potential to act as one of the best in Portsmouth in terms of sound, capacity, decor (when draped if not all the time), and quality, the fact remains that it is a student-orientated venue. There aren't many places in Portsmouth I feel totally comfortable going out in, but the Union is definitely one of them.
The entertainments survey is very definitely not a back-door attempt to turn the Union into Just Another Pompey Nightclub - the Union has always been, and always will be, a venue for students to socialise in a safe atmosphere.
Here's my point: the Union would be seriously remiss as an organisation if it didn't work hard to find ways to offer great entertainments, and to ensure that it gave due consideration to *ALL* the options when it comes to making sure the students of Portsmouth get the best value for money from their University and Union.
Of course, that's all just My Rambling Humble Opinion, and I'm happy to be shouted down from all sides about it.
Al
Message edited by: Alex Harries at: 23/11/2007 04:32
Message edited by: Alex Harries at: 23/11/2007 04:33 |
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thegumqueen 10 months ago
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 enigmatic do-gooderPosts: 56 Member rating: 3
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I guess this is always going to be a contentious one...
What people need to remember (or indeed know) is that the Waterhole/Lux/CO2 (i.e. the building that people refer to as the Union), is not the Union. It is a conveniently placed social area that is owned by UPEL, the University's trading company. Just to keep this place open costs a huge amount of money, and that money needs to come from somewhere...
The Students' Union itself is based next door in Gun House, and it's purpose is to serve the students: it's NOT obsessed with money making. In fact, the Students' Union has had to make the decision to contribute £30,000 just to keep this social area open for the students, so that they can have a place to go where they feel safe.
If the 'Union' were to be open to non-students, I am probably correct in saying that this would only be on specific nights during the year, and on those nights, we would be informed that the building will be open to non-students.
j0j0, it's alway great to hear about what people think about things that are going on, so well done for making a stand and voicing your concerns about what matters to you!! It seems like it takes a contentious issue to get students talking these days!! |
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limelou 10 months ago
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 Posts: 11 Member rating: 0 |
At my mates mates Union in Loughborough, they opened it to non-students for a few events.
And last year on a non-student specific night, 1 person (a doorman no less) got stabbed and 2 others injured!! By, u guessed it a non-student!! |
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skribla 10 months ago
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 Posts: 75 Member rating: 0 |
tl;dr
loads of uni's do it I don't see what the problem is?
Rather than paying to see an act somewhere else I'd rather have the opportunity get priority tickets in the union.
Anyways, presumably, if they are going to open it to the public, it would mean it would have to be competitive - what is the incentive to play at the union as opposed to Guildhall?
Hopefully some reinvestment will lead them to choose the union but I can't see why it's much of a problem if they did open it, it would relieve the union of having to be subsidised a lot every year by the uni (I'm not going to disclose how much) but it's a lot, and unless we want reduced opening hours it's the only way to go.
Besides, I'd imagine the door security would be tight if there are students there too, so I can't see there being many issues with safety? |
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skribla 10 months ago
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Posts: 75 Member rating: 0 |
limelou wrote:
At my mates mates Union in Loughborough, they opened it to non-students for a few events.
And last year on a non-student specific night, 1 person (a doorman no less) got stabbed and 2 others injured!! By, u guessed it a non-student!!
Perhaps that has nothing to do with them opening it up to the public. If the door staff were so incomplacent they let people in without searching them then it's their own fault.
The fact that a non-student did it over a student is irrelevant, ok, perhaps the chances are higher but if the door staff weren't doing their job then what's to stop a student taking a knife in there? |
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steph265 10 months ago
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 Little Miss ChatterboxPosts: 1 Member rating: 0
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I totally agree with you, so much more can be done to improve it. Maybe if they played more than one kind of music and catered for everyone the numbers would go up. Or how about makin the entrance fee lower or even free. |
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Elle Gray, UPSU Sabbatical Officer: President 10 months ago
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 Peace xPosts: 53 Member rating: 6
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Student Unions first started to have bars beacause the profits from them used to help pay for the welfare and representation costs. Now with the advent of Fees and the incresed competition for student nights, Student Union bars nationally have lost 40% of their bar take in the last 10 years. At the Time the Union was planned and Built there wasn't as much competition from all the clubs in Gun Wharf and Liquid in town.
The University now runs the Bars, Catering and Ents in the Union Building, with a massive subsidy - and the Union "proper" (the bit next door in Gun House with all the Clubs, Societies, Media, Volunteering and Course representation etc) also giving a large subsidy this year.
Obviously this is not a situation that cannot continue and we are looking at other options. If they ever do run nights that are open to the public - it would mean a greater range of entertainments, that students would get cheaper priority tickets for.
There are loads of Student Unions that open to the Public on special events - Leeds, Sheffield, Keele and Warwick to name just a few. This is how they get such good acts. Many run Battle of the Bands, Cultural events and top name bands and DJ's. ..... Leeds even had The Who last year!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/music/stories/2003/10/world-class-at-warwick.shtml
http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/press_releases/current/live_at_leeds.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/music/2005/03/bands_battle.shtml
Student Safety is the number one issue that needs to be addressed, however after the incident at Loughborough, they still chose after their investigations to continue to run open to the public nights.
Also - the Pyramids Centre is closing in December, which was a massive live music venue. All those bands need somewhere to go!
I believe the survey says - "would you be comfortable if we opened to the public, to provide a greater range of entertainments, on nights WHEN WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT OPEN" so student nights would be sacred and you may just have a wicked choice of stuff on the other nights.live the change you wish to see |
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Elle Gray, UPSU Sabbatical Officer: President 10 months ago
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Peace xPosts: 53 Member rating: 6
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Message edited by: Elle Gray at: 24/11/2007 19:22live the change you wish to see |
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Betz 10 months ago
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Elle Gray wrote:
Also - the Pyramids Centre is closing in December, which was a massive live music venue. All those bands need somewhere to go!
Not so sure about that, several bands have been booked there next year up until mid march.
j0j0 wrote:
What kind of student union even considers letting in non-students?
Erm this one I guess seeing that NUS cardholders can sign in up to three guests. |
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Rach_29 10 months ago
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ok Betz....fair point....but signing in a mate from home who you have known for a long time and take responsibility for taking them to the union....is slightly different to letting in some randoms.
I can see both sides of the arguements here definatly but i think the union need to get it right for the students first before they even begin to consider outsiders. |
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Existential 10 months ago
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The union is pretty much the only safe haven from some of the absolute scum that go out in portsmouth... please dont let in the randoms!
The union is losing the respect of the students which is why its not making enough money.. you can't offer deals such as flat rate fridays last year which was brilliant and popular and then just up the prices.. yes its all about money, our money, we dont have any, its that simple. |
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peachyraver 10 months ago
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Posts: 103 Member rating: 6 |
i think the union should defintely open it to non students. the range of nights and events will be so much better, which is what we want!
loads of other unis do it, eg leicester open their union and are able to hold big fat raves with world class djs! and anyway, why shouldt we let them in? people seem a bit confused- im sure purple wednesdays arent gona be overrun with local pikeys, its just saturdays where students dont WANT to use the union that we could open it up for concerts and raves which would be profitable for the union and a big improvement on what currently happens on a saturday night at the union (which is nothing!!!) |
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dr_budsac 10 months ago
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the union building has been badly run for years, i still have no faith in them what so ever.
Alot of Good local Promoters have been put off from doing anything at the union because of the non student rule ( which i think was introduced a few years back when Pompey was a little more violent , but things have calmed down loads recently.
I dont think the idiots from guidhall walk would go to the union just because its open to them.
The Union and management have certainly not made any friends in the local music scene with the current policy's, personally i cant wait for it to be closed down so i can say i told you so.. |
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skribla 10 months ago
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Posts: 75 Member rating: 0 |
dr_budsac wrote:
Alot of Good local Promoters have been put off from doing anything at the union because of the non student rule ( which i think was introduced a few years back when Pompey was a little more violent , but things have calmed down loads recently. .
As far as I can remember, Breakneck were trying to book the union last year for NYE and why the union said no I do not know. |
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addagrrr8 10 months ago
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 Posts: 46 Member rating: 0 |
cos its badly ran....
it just gets worse and worse every year.....
....remember when it was voted the uks best student union......
....so why change it!! |
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livethinme 10 months ago
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Posts: 16 Member rating: 0 |
I think it'll be good to let in non-students, but then if they can control who the non students are, it shouldnt be an issue?!..i mean, it has the potential to be a great idea, costly but ultimately, it would open new gateways if the right people come..right?
But really..we should be supporting the union!..come on!..
I think if people dont like what the union is doing, they should make clear suggestions? |
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addagrrr8 10 months ago
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Posts: 46 Member rating: 0 |
suggestions have been made for the last 4 years....
all they did was wrecked the union and make a nice new website.....
....all student suggestions were ignored |
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peachyraver 10 months ago
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Posts: 103 Member rating: 6 |
i totally agree with addagrr, the union gets worse every year! in terms of popularity and events. im sorry to say but its clear that its a shambles and is run very badly indeed. this is my 4th year here and have seen it decline dramatically in that time. 4 years ago it was amazing and packed every single wednesday, friday and saturday (yes can you belive it the union was actually open on a saturday!) now wednesdays are the only day its worth bothering opening for.
and yes student suggestions have been totally ignored- ive been suggesting ideas on this website for years but nothing ever comes of it. oh yeah you painted the walls purple- c'mon if thats the only improvement then you really are taking the p*ss.
the majority of students dont want to use the union, no one goes there so why not just let non students in and outside promoters in to give it a kcik up the arse it needs.
better still, sell the damn place to a nighclub company who can run it independently for profit. it may be a bit more expensive but it will be a lot lot better.
or no actually continue how it is and book bodger and badger again maybe........ |
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pete_williams 10 months ago
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 Loveable NerdPosts: 6 Member rating: 0
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Portsmouth is losing it's live music venues. The Pyramids is going to close in the near future (the council announced it in the summer so when exactly it happens isn't really important). It has also been confirmed that the Guildhall will no longer be holding gigs; I guess it is more popular as a conference centre.
The fact is that the Union building is going to become the largest music venue in Portsmouth and without opening it to the public (and as a supporter of this plan I only suggest this on nights that it's not already open) bands will go elsewhere - some of the great acts we've seen appear at the pyramids recently won't be able to come here (or anywhere near here) again.
It's alright if you just go to 'Toiga Toiga mush' or even normal Purple Wednesdays and listen to the same old cheese (this is my personal music opinion) but the student body just can't attract enough of a crowd to make it worthwhile to put on big gigs which the city needs if it doesn't want to turn into another cheese town (which the south coast is absolutely excellent at).
The University now owns the building and has done since 2005; it is a business, it needs money to survive and the Uni will cut it loose after a few more years of losses meaning we will lose it to a faceless nightclub company anyway. If it can prove profitable itself, by approving new plans like these to bring a bit of cash in then it's a positive thing. If not, Portsmouth stands to lose much more. |
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