The Red Gown pub will open on Friday 4 September 2026 at 8am.
During term time the pub will be open from 8am until 3am, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 8am to 1am from Sunday to Tuesday and Thursday. Food will be served throughout the day, from opening at 8am until 11pm every day.
Members of the public will be allowed in the pub up to 11pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, but will need to be signed in by a student to stay in after midnight on these event nights. Please note that during Freshers' Week (5th - 13th September) this applies every day of the week.
Members of the public will be allowed in the pub up to 11pm during, but will need to be signed in by a student to stay in after midnight on event nights when we are open past 1am.
The pub is a brand new partnership with JD Wetherspoon and will be open to students and university staff, as well as visitors and the local community, and offer Wetherspoon’s full all-day menu, with mobile app ordering and table service.
A full refurbishment has taken place over the summer, resulting in a rebrand, and a complete interior transformation featuring new carpeting, lighting, artwork, fixtures and fittings to the ground floor pub space.
Refurbishment work includes a new bar layout and drinks dispense system, allowing for an expanded product range, as well as a new kitchen, enabling the pub to offer the full Wetherspoon menu.
The new bespoke carpet design is inspired by the shield of the University of St Andrews, featuring crescent moons, representing Peter de Luna, the given name of Pope Benedict XIII who issued the bulls of foundation of the university in 1413, as well as open book pages to represent learning.
The bar will continue to be owned and operated by the Union, ensuring bar staff are employed and managed by the Union, ensuring we remain one of the largest student employers in St Andrews.
Through the partnership, we will gain access to Wetherspoon’s established business model, which is used successfully across its UK pubs.
Commenting on the partnership, Robert ‘RoMo’ Moran, President of Student Opportunities at the University of St Andrews Students’ Association, said: “A partnership with Wetherspoon is a positive step forward for students in St Andrews, bringing new opportunities, increased employment, and better value food and drink.
“It supports our ambition to make this space a true hub of student life — relevant, vibrant, and shaped by the needs of today’s students.
“We’re especially excited that students helped to decide what the pub is called, as we work together to create a welcoming, inclusive, and student led space for all.”
Wetherspoon’s chief executive, John Hutson, said: “We are delighted that a Wetherspoon pub is to open at the University of St Andrews and believe it will be a great asset for the students social life.”