The real effects of the new Bar Night policy

In response to the comments made by Michael Foster last week, on the new responsible retailing of alcohol policies and how they have affected the way in which bar nights are run, I would like to clear a few things up.

Yes, the RSMU did run a bar night during Freshers’ Week, though to say that this event was so successful and highly attended that it made us want to hold another is misleading, and only forms half of the story. The RSMU Halloween Bar Night (27/10/11) is an annual event, and was planned before the start of term. The high involvement that we have seen this year is a culmination of several efforts, and cannot solely be attributed to one of our Freshers’ events.

The new system introduces a shift in the way that clubs use bar nights since they do not allow clubs, and their students, to reap the previous benefits of cheap drinks alongside profitability. Having run a capacity event under the new system, I can tell you that, even with the highest ticket prices ever charged for this particular event, subsidies were still required in order to break even.

To say that our event was a success is true, since it provided a great night out for those attending, but to say that this is a result of the new system is false. There is no way for clubs to take any profit from a bar night without charging more that the standard price for drinks, and in total the takings from the event did not match its expenditure.

The sad fact is that these regulations also seem to be set in stone from here on out. Having spoken to Michael (DPFS) and Monya (DPCS) on several occasions about this issue, we eventually saw the financial basis behind these decisions. In short, the previous system cannot be maintained into the coming year without the Union taking on a loss, which it cannot sustain. Changes had to be made. R.I.P. bar nights - you will be sorely missed.