The refurbishment of the Union's main club has drawn a mixed response from you - some love it, some hate it. So why did it happen and what else is being done to improve?

What changed?

Over the course of the summer LUX nightclub underwent a huge re-vamp and refurbishment to take the venue to a new level. It can now sustain several functions from live band gigs, intimate comedy nights and nightclub music events, through to lecture or exam space.

So how did we do it? A new bar was built, intimate computerised lighting controls were put in, brand new furniture was purchased and a huge projector screen was installed.

'Multi-purpose venue'

See the changes in pictures Opening day at the Union, Sept 05

Karl Kennedy: then and now In the old-style Lux (gallery will open in a new window) In the refurbished Lux

So what have we got now?  A brand new club for all the different functions that we have listed; since opening we can boast the following:

• A relaxed, raised seating area.
• The longest bar in the union, meaning more staff can serve more customers than ever before.
• A new glycol beer system, which delivers draught products colder than ever before.
• A fantastic live event venue, allowing more people to see bands, comedy and guest appearances (all 1400 of you that came to see Karl Kennedy recently wouldn’t have been able to last year).
• A great new lighting system which allows us to raise the mood in lux slowly at the end of the night, the days of instant glare are over.
• CO2 furniture has been increased to allow for a real chillout area, products have changed in this venue to allow for a more relaxed atmosphere.

What's still to come?

That said there is still a lot to do, so what are we looking at so that you can continue to enjoy your experience at the union?

Have your sayWhat do you think of the planned improvements? What else would you change? Add your comments below

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We are walking the venue as it is open and making note of the areas that can be improved. Currently in the pipeline are:

• More seating for the back end of the venue.
• A clearer definition of the dance floor.
• More lights for the DJ/stage performance end.
• Coloured lighting down the venue to create atmosphere and so you can identify to friends where you are (e.g. "I'm in the blue area of Lux").
• A reduction of the back bar lights.
• More places for you to put your drinks and empty glasses or bottles when you have finished with them.
• Feasibility of draping to reduce lighting levels and create atmosphere.

Vote: what do you think?

We know that this is not an exhaustive list and that other people will have had ideas we haven’t. We are continuing to work on a jam packed programme for Refreshers’ Week at the beginning of semester two.

Feedback welcome!

We hope that this goes some way to alleviating any concerns you may have. If you’re not happy with your Union, why not positively engage with us and suggest improvements yourself? We’ll look at them and see if they are possible.

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