King’s is set to close the Philosophy bar indefinitely after the licensing authority threatened to take the university’s license to serve and sell alcohol.
The Philosophy bar otherwise known as the Sports and Social Club Bar was shut down last year following an alleged brawl involving a violent attack on students and staff working behind the bar.
A review conducted by the College’s audit department recommended that it does not continue running as an alcohol-serving premise.
Some students have expressed their frustration at being left out of the decision making process.
Natty Kasambala, Social Secretary for the Philosophy Society, said “the main resistance to the action from the student body has been that they feel  overlooked entirely in the consultation process.”
KCLSU Vice President Ben Hunt said “The placing of a notice without any warning to the Union, the bar, or students, is unacceptable. College cannot state that it wishes to collaborate with students, and then on such a sensitive decision, not bother to tell anyone before proceeding to close a bar which has been a centre of student activity for decades.”
Photo taken by Jack Allen
An open meeting, arranged by Nick O’Donnell, the Director of Estate Management for the College, will be held to discuss how to respond best to the proposals.
Bill Brewer, the Head of the Philosophy Department, said: “My impression is that the decision to suspend alcohol sales in the ‘Bar’ is pretty irrevocable; but we may be able to contribute significantly together to ensuring that the space still serves many important roles”.
An official statement from the College states that “as part of the process of deciding on the best use of this space, we want to start the engagement process by inviting students, staff and KCLSU representatives to an open forum”.
Talks will be held on Wednesday February 17, from 15.30-17.30 in S-3.20 of Strand Building.
Correction: This article previously stated that the College’s alcohol license covered alcohol served in the Waterfront Bar, when in fact the Waterfront has a separate license.
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