If It's Pem-broke Don't Build It!
STUDENTS AT PEMBROKE College are in outrage, after building work began on the site of their 'pantry' snack bar last Friday, without their consultation. The students took immediate action, organising a 3-day sit-in on the building site.
The sit in was decided after an emergency JCR meeting. Approximately 50 students marched round the old quad and - equipped with hard hats and a sledgehammer (for effect only) - they proceeded to drive the builders away. The building site was occupied for 7 hours, during which time JCR members demolished the site door's padlock and replaced it with their own. Six students also slept over in the building site on the Sunday night to make sure builders couldn't return on Monday morning.
Earlier this term Pembroke students had returned from the Summer vacation to find that their pantry had been moved from its position by the JCR to a temporary room in a staircase, after claims by the bursar that its previous location restricted deliveries and breached health and safety regulations. It was assumed that the pantry would be restored back in its original position with modifications.
The pantry and its manager, Jan, are much loved by the college's students. It was at the heart of the JCR, providing seating and an alternative to college lunch. The pantry also doesn't threaten college revenue, as it is a part of the college catering system. One student said: "it's a matter of pride for the catering manager, who is an evil bastard, as it is taking too much business away from hall". Another commented: "Very few people eat in hall, as the food's bad and always the same".
Students were angriest at the "high-handedness" of the bursar and catering manager for not going through the proper channels and getting permission from the senior members of the college. Pembroke's Bursar declined to comment on the issue. JCR President Gemma Stevenson says, "The catering manager has an imaginative streak, which is occasionally a little frightening and the problems he saw with having Jan's pantry in staircase two are dubious, if not utterly fabricated."
Building was officially called to a halt last Monday, after a meeting of college representatives. It was decided that the final decision concerning the location of Jan's pantry would be undertaken at the next governing body meeting, in eighth week.
23rd Nov 2000