Pay for PT
The Oxford Union is to reintroduce charging guests entry to the Purple Turtle on Thursday evenings, it was decided on Tuesday. The decision was reached during a specially-convened meeting of the Cellars Management Committee, which runs the Union's nightclub.
However, Matthew Richardson, the former Chair of the Union's Consultative Committee alleged that the decision had been part of a larger contractual problem with the PT. He told the OxStu that a dispute had arisen with regard to the system of door charges that the nightclub operates, and that disagreements between the Union and Purple Turtle Ltd were of such a serious nature as to threaten the future of the PT in its current incarnation.
The contract between PT Ltd and The Union is due for renewal in 2003 and the new terms of the contract are understood to have been under discussion between the two parties.
Union President Charlotte Keenan has strongly denied any claims that the future of the nightclub was ever in doubt. She admitted that there were "animated" discussions at the meeting, but said that a very clear resolution was reached over the issue of charging non-members for entry on Thursday evenings. The Union sought to re-introduce the charges against the wishes of the Purple Turtle management; eventually they compromised on £3, as opposed to original £5 fee.
Keenan said that PT Ltd did initially raise the question of whether it would be "viable for them to open the nightclub" on Thursdays with the re-introduction of the charge, but that these concerns were all dealt with and that all parties were satisfied with the conclusion.
7th Feb 2002