We’ve got news… 

We’re delighted to share that our loan agreement with the University has now been successfully finalised and our Board has officially approved the signing of a partnership with JD Wetherspoon.

This partnership will bring new opportunities, increased employment, and better-value food and drink. It supports our ambition to develop this space into a vibrant, relevant hub of student life—one that is welcoming, inclusive and shaped by the needs of our students. 

We want to reaffirm that we will retain ownership and operational control of the space. All bar staff will continue to be employed and managed by the Association. This partnership gives us access to JD Wetherspoon’s operating model, while ensuring we remain one of the largest student employers in St Andrews. 

Every penny spent in the Union will stay in the Union - any profits we make will continue to be reinvested into student activities, representation and events. 

From June onwards, the space will undergo a full refurbishment and rebrand. This will include a complete interior transformation, with new carpeting, lighting, artwork, fixtures, and fittings, alongside a redesigned bar layout, updated systems, and new kitchen equipment. The pub will occupy the existing ground-floor bar space and will have its own dedicated entrance via the piazza. 

The new pub is scheduled to open on Friday 4 September 2026. 

These improvements will enable us to offer the full JD Wetherspoon food and drink menu at affordable prices. The pub will be open as normal to both students and the wider public, with sign-ins continuing as usual for our late-night events. 

How students can get involved: 

We’ll share further updates in the next few days and weeks about the project, including: 

• More detail on the project timeline 
• Opportunities for students to submit name suggestions for the new pub 
• Information about the additional job roles that will become available

Please also attend our final All Student Forum of the year which will be held on Monday 8th June - this is your opportunity to ask any questions and find out more. 

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.

Find out more here: https://www.yourunion.net/about/main-bar-consultation/