Main Bar Consultation

What will operating with a franchise / external partner mean? 

• A franchise / external partner is essentially about a brand, its products, and its systems. To clarify: the bar would be wholly owned and operated by the Students’ Association. It would be our staff, employed by the union just as they are now. We would still be able to run events, show sports, and the space would remain ours.

What will happen to staff ? 

• All bar staff will continue to be employed and managed by the Association and we’ll be able to employ more staff with a bigger variety of shifts.

Will student activities be affected? 

• No student activity in the Union will be stopped because of this new partnership. Alongside this, we’re running a separate project to explore how we can make the very best use of all our spaces across the building to support student life.

• With such a large building, we have the capacity to host a wide range of initiatives in different areas — whether that’s in a Bar, Rector’s, or a society room. This flexibility means we can cater to diverse student activities while ensuring the Union remains a hub for the whole student community.

• The Change Programme we have undergone recently was about modernising our Union to ensure we are accessible and empowering for all students – any changes we make going forward will ensure student voice and activities are at the centre of these and will be an enabler not a barrier for activity.

What about student society funds? 

• Every penny you spend in the building goes straight back into funding student activity and representation. Which is the reason we exist. Our aim is to make our Bars profitable which would enable us to reinvest more money back into student activity.

Would dietary requirements be catered for? 

• Whatever direction we take, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten‑free options will always be available.

Would food and drinks be more expensive? 

• We will remain competitive and keep cost to our members as low as they possibly can be, our aim would be to have prices even lower than we’re currently offering.

Would it affect how safe we feel? 

• We will still have ownership of the space, staffing it accordingly with our student and permanent members from Customers Safety and Bars Team. Safety would remain our top priority.

• Our entry policy will not change - members of the public are already allowed into the Union and we would keep our safeguarding policies in place.

Would it still feel like a student bar? 

• Yes, we will get to pick the name, the branding, the colour scheme, the signage and posters we put up etc.

Will this cost the Union money? 

• There will be an investment from us to ensure our services are financially viable and relevant. We are confident it will generate money to reinvest in student activity. Nothing would be deducted from the student spend as a result of this investment.

What about Pablos? 

• Don't worry, we'll still serving Pablos 🍹.

Are your toilets moving?

• Our toilets will still be in their same convenient location.

Got more questions? 

• We urge anyone who has any questions to reach out to us directly via [email protected] if you’d like to speak to an Exec member, or [email protected] if you’d like to speak to a staff member.

• We want every student to have the best possible experience at university and in St Andrews. Your feedback is vital in helping us improve, grow, and ensure we’re always here to support you.

Why did the Union do a Main Bar survey? 

For a number of years the Association has not been financially stable. Main Bar has not been developed for over a decade, and we need to find out what you want from this space to ensure we plan correctly.

We analysed an amazing 1,602 responses, and the message from students was clear: affordability, atmosphere, community, and safety are what matter most. We also heard understandable worries about franchising and what any potential changes might mean for our student community, impact on jobs and use of space.

As an Association, we must make changes. Main Bar has not been developed for over a decade, and we need to find out what you want from this space to ensure we plan correctly. Our current financial position simply isn’t sustainable. But the exciting thing is that every step we now take will be to protect and strengthen the student experience, from societies and events to representation, belonging, and job security.

Key Takeaways from the Survey:

• Affordability is number one — it’s the biggest driver for students choosing Main Bar.
• Students want a lively social environment at night and a calmer, study-friendly atmosphere during the day.
• Safety matters and plays a big role in where students choose to spend time.
• There is opposition to franchising.
• Among those who are open to franchising, Wetherspoons was the preferred option, mainly due to affordability and atmosphere.

See a breakdown of results here.