http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3484.htm "Is the Portsmouth Union is a Money Grabbing Farce? Found this on Facebook http://port.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2263672269 "Last night (Wednesday 28th March) the queue for the Union was 2 hours+ long!! It turns out the reason why is that the Union (now owned not by the students, but bought by the University of Portsmouth last year) were pushing sales of their 'Queue Jump' tickets. These 'Queue Jump' tickets cost £7.50 and got you straight to the front of the line at the entrance. Once inside" ... (Click here to read the rest of this message) (by davidhandsclarke)

Visit upsu.net/forums to get chatting with the rest of the student community.]]> en-gb Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:12:46 GMT Copyright: (C) 2008 UPSU.net - Portsmouth Students' Union online. Please visit www.upsu.net/conditions for conditions of use. admin [at] upsu.net http://www.upsu.net/rss/about 60 http://www.upsu.net/templates/forums/images/forumimages/forums.jpg http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3484.htm http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3510.htm#3510
If I could explain, over the last term we have been offering people the opportunity to buy tickets for other events at the union with the incentive being a queue jump on a busy nights, if you buy your ticket there and then.

By and large this has been successful in its aim to increase attendance at special events. However it appears that many of you are not happy with this. Therefore we will review this practice and in the meantime return to normal door policy (see http://www.upsu.net/sociallife/info for more info)

We will also take steps to better inform our front door team, so that the message is clear.

Finally, although trading activity at the union is being run by UPEL, we are still dedicated and required to run the union for all users of the building, we are working hard to bring you a wide range of quality entertainment and social activity.

If any of you have ideas, comments or want to be more involved in what we do then please, continue to use the forums or E mail us at sociallife@upsu.net

Please also note that for any night you can ask for a guest list, by E mailing sociallife@upsu.net. Providing the names of your guests 24 hrs in advance. This will allow you priority entry. Normal conditions of entry do apply. ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3510.htm#3510 peterhooley Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:12:46 GMT General discussion > General student chat http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3509.htm#3509
In the absence of anyone else from UPSU or UPEL commenting on this forum post, can I just jump in with a couple of points (spoken only on my behalf of course - none of what I say is ever UPSU policy, or officially approved, and I may well change it if what I say is codswallop - entirely possible!).

I can't speak about queue management issues here, as I'm not involved at all in that side of trading.

However, and this is VERY important; I'm really concerned that a couple of students have decided to vent their spleen at the Union without getting in touch with the Union directly - please correct me if I'm wrong - to resolve their concerns. This is a shame as I know there are a wealth of staff here who will bend over backwards to look after students who don't feel they've been treated fairly.

This is also the first I've heard of queue jump tickets being sold in as long as I've been here (5 years?). That's not to say it's not true, but I'm intrigued to know more about this.

It's also important to remember that UPEL, a subsidiary company of the UoP and a company which IS NOT controlled by the Sabbatical team - and hence by the students - runs the trading side of the Union, and they have a duty to make money. Conversely, UPSU - the charitable organisation which runs clubs and societies, and which is run by the Union's six sabbatical officers - doesn't control UPEL.

(Nb: Steve's mentioned that UPSU do have regular meetings and discussions with UPEL and can influence the decision making process, though - this is important because you can get your elected student officers to lobby on your behalf for changes to be made).

The upshot of this, right now, is that I don't know anything, can't comment on anything, and really have nothing useful to say at all (nothing unusual there then!). BUT, that said, I'd like to encourage people to take a deep breath and hold on for a couple of days before you make any negative decisions about the Union - I'm sure it won't be long before an official answer is forthcoming which will hopefully at least lay some of the speculation to rest here.

For now, please everyone chill and enjoy your Easter hols (or do what I'm doing and spend all your time worrying about your dissertation/final year project ;o).

Thanks for reading my ramblings :) Peace out /al

Message edited by: alexh at: 03/04/2007 09:07 ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3509.htm#3509 AlexH Mon, 02 Apr 2007 23:13:08 GMT General discussion > General student chat http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3508.htm#3508
This would indicate a lack of effective management when they are busy. (surely if you know yr goin to be busy you will prepare lux to open earlier...)

Despite this rant i would have to say things are gettin better, on my last few visits i have noticed some tenetative steps towards improvement, I was served much quicker than i can ever remember being served in the union and the music even appeared much better with less focus on the commercial cheese.

To get more people through the door on quiet nights then perhaps some investment in promotions is needed. A sandwich board out front maybe cheap but its hardly the most effective and exciting way to advertise various nights! ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3508.htm#3508 groovytommy Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:59:54 GMT General discussion > General student chat http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3506.htm#3506Therefore because of this the motives of either trading company (in their time) will differ. UPEL's priority is about making a profit/breaking even over student welfare and accessibility issues.

UPEL have a responsibility to their stakeholders, in this case primarily the university, to make a profit. BEFORE it "took on" the responsibility of managing the catering etc of the union it was, but the union was on a downward spiral so what happened was nothing different that takes place in, for example, NHS trusts, where a new manager is brought in to turn things around. Not UPEL's fault, they're just doing what they've always done.

This alone disengages students and the current arrangement, on paper, cuts out the charity from much involvement with the decision making for our student union building.

I wouldnt say this is true, as their are still many issues on which the 2 sides have to work together on. For example, I've not heard of any problems with clubs/societies having trouble with room bookings (as far as i know - if there have been, please let me know) and i believe that the rooms are managed by the UPEL side and the clubs/societies by the UPSU side.


skribla wrote:
The union is owned by the uni (one of its subsidaries) because it went into administration because of poor management.

Got it in one my friend.

groovytommy wrote:
Unfortunatly it is schemes such as queue jump tickets that could well be the end for the union.
People have taken a real dislike to the way its run, promoted and used meaning it surely is only a matter of time before the queues walk away for good.

The trouble is that to make it better we need to get more students to go there - at the moment there simply isnt the patronage to make radical changes as they cant be funded.

it goes back to the "Union's Vicious Circle" as i've called it:

No money = no improvements, but students wont go in big numbers until there are improvements

unfortunately one of there 2 things (more students before improvements or improvements before more students) is the more defining thing, and in this case the union, and now the university, cannot take the risk, given the union's past financial history to take gambles without having the funding, so if people want improvements, they they need to keep coming to the union and getting all the people they know to do so to.


Seriously tho, I've asked certain people and the answers I've got indicate that they are trying to do something about it but if people dont come the union then there is no money to do anything with. As has been mentioned before the university is not an endless pit of cash, and so the union has to come up with different income sources. My contacts at other universities indicated that they are similar schemes that are used at times, so I wouldnt say that our union is any different.

If you have any major complaints, you could always talk to Yorkie or Matt Skelding, whos the University's Student Governor. Everyone knows where Yorkie Resides, but you can contact matt on matt.skelding(at)port.ac.uk


As for the queue jump cards, its much easier to work for a certain University department and get a queue jump card for free that way!!!

Message edited by: dogsbody at: 02/04/2007 20:44 ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3506.htm#3506 dogsbody Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:44:20 GMT General discussion > General student chat http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3505.htm#3505
as the union entrance fee is more expensive after 11, i have noticed the bouncers deliberatly making the queue go as slowly as possible before 11, then once it reaches 11, the floodgates open and the queue goes down very quickly. coincidence? of course not!

this is common practice at many nightclubs, the more dodgy ones in particular. but for our student union to do this is out of order.

i dont know if its the bouncers doing this, but i reckon its the management who are instructing them to (maybe to stop another bankruptcy this summer???)

they have also got rid of the NUS seperate queue line this year (which provided quicker entry for NUS card holders) which is probably another tactic to make people pay more on the door. oh and dont forget last year entry was free to NUS card holders before 11, so thats a 200% price increase in one year. what a p_ss take

shame on the union ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3505.htm#3505 peachyraver Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:52:28 GMT General discussion > General student chat http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3503.htm#3503People have taken a real dislike to the way its run, promoted and used meaning it surely is only a matter of time before the queues walk away for good.

The union 'run by the students for the students' simply no longer applies in nearly every aspect you can consider and it represents a real shame as to what the union could achieve if it is run correctly.

:( ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3503.htm#3503 groovytommy Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:53:15 GMT General discussion > General student chat http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3496.htm#3496
And the bouncer did actually say that (because he could see how unfair it was as he is also a student himself)...I also don't think ten ppl could hear the bouncer incorrectly. He then let lots of the normal queue in saying "I'm gonna get in so much trouble for this but I don't care."

My mates and I got there at 8:30 and the queue was already at the cash points. And when Lux opened at 9-9:30 we were still waiting in the queue till 10:30 so I don't think opening Lux was the solution. Also I have been on other nights, in particular in Fresher's Week, when they did not have queue jump tickets and I only had to wait 45 minutes and that was arriving at the union at 10, so getting there early is also not the greatest solution.

I really enjoy going to the union and I agree with ur other post that it is what u make it...having a laugh with mates, dancing and drinking, but when ur stuck outside in a queue for 2 hours watching ppl with queue jump tickets walk straight in whilst ur queue is not moving, it puts a downer on the whole nite. Maybe you should try queueing in the normal queue next time (on an event where they are selling queue jump tickets) and experience it 4 urself.

Message edited by: mheavenlyangels at: 31/03/2007 11:48 ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3496.htm#3496 mheavenlyangels Sat, 31 Mar 2007 10:47:37 GMT General discussion > General student chat http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3486.htm#3486
As for the whole thing about people being prevented access so que jumpers could get in first, well, I thought that was the idea, if you've paid to miss the cue, why do you need to wait whilst all of the normal cue line moves in before you do?

Whilst I'm not saying that your lying, are you sure you didn't hear the bouncer incorrectly, I hardly doubt he is going to start slagging off his management to customers, just like if you go into a shop and complain, a advisor doesn't agree with you and then start telling you how useless their boss is - it just doesn't happen.

What time did you get there? The cue for the union was bigger because there were people in to watch the football and the Waterhole was packed. Until they got Lux open they probably couldn't really let anymore people in. If you got there after this, well, the union is pretty much the only place to go on a Weds and is very popular, if you get there late then the cue will be massive. ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3486.htm#3486 skribla Fri, 30 Mar 2007 10:44:06 GMT General discussion > General student chat http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3485.htm#3485
Therefore because of this the motives of either trading company (in their time) will differ. UPEL's priority is about making a profit/breaking even over student welfare and accessibility issues.
Although the UPSU trading company couldn't be sustained I think that most people would agree their priorities lay firmly with the students, the current situation also means that UPEL is trying to increase revenue without adding many additional costs to meet University targets. (Although to be fair recently they have splashed out abit adopting some new ideas).

This alone disengages students and the current arrangement, on paper, cuts out the charity from much involvement with the decision making for our student union building.

The union building can never exist as a blackhole for money, agreed, but I think short-term profiting from key student nights is the wrong way to go about any current financial targets. Surely attracting more students to get involved and go to the union would be a better long-term strategy than ‘taxing’ people more because of the current success of a particular night?

Message edited by: mattkirk at: 30/03/2007 11:24 ]]> http://www.upsu.net/go/int/rss/-/forums/v/message,27,3485.htm#3485 mattkirk Fri, 30 Mar 2007 10:23:36 GMT General discussion > General student chat