UCD Bar to close?

mloc · 09-09-2012 09:36PM

As ****ty as the bar was, at least there was one on campus.

I guess the price had to paid at some stage for years of SU embezzlement and mismanagement.

The Corinthian · 10-09-2012 10:45AM

When I entered UCD in 1989 (before many here I suspect were even born) things were a little different; the Bar and the Montrose Hotel bar (before Lonnegans) were the only drinking spots around, unless you ventured further outside compass, and the Montrose was largely for post debate drinks, whenever there was no reception organized in B107 in the Arts block.

A coffee in the restaurant was about 25p, and no doubt the quality has not improved to this day, and you could still smoke in the Arts, Ag or Science buildings (the others had not yet been built) and even in the lecture theatres during student events and debates. The first residencies appeared around then, if I remember correctly.

We had Michaelmas, Hillary and Trinity terms, rather than semesters. We also used to use a technology call 'handwriting' back then, when taking lecture notes, BTW.

But despite it's refurbishments over the years, the Bar was an immutable icon of UCD campus life. A place to hide when skipping a class or lecture, or have a toasted cheese sandwich wrapped and toasted in that orange plastic that never quite came fully off when you were trying to eat it.

Being friendly with the Bar staff was important; it meant you could open a tab, but importantly also that you'd not be served slops, like the rest of the students that they generally despised - this was always fun to watch, if you took residence at the end of the Bar (with the alcoholic lecturers who lived there) and had a clear view of it being done.

And sex. The Bar was an excellent place to hook up, especially if you had any kind of public profile in college. All you'd have to do is wander around and some groupie would inevitably 'bump into you'.

I can't say what ultimately caused the demise of the bar; corruption (there was plenty in my day), incompetence (ditto) or that students have become dull in the face of semesterization.

Whatever the reason, and despite the fact that it was objectively a complete dump, I'm sorry to hear of it's demise.

RandolphEsq · 10-09-2012 11:09AM

The Corinthian wrote: »

Being friendly with the Bar staff was important; it meant you could open a tab, but importantly also that you'd not be served slops, like the rest of the students that they generally despised - this was always fun to watch, if you took residence at the end of the Bar (with the alcoholic lecturers who lived there) and had a clear view of it being done.

And sex. The Bar was an excellent place to hook up, especially if you had any kind of public profile in college. All you'd have to do is wander around and some groupie would inevitably 'bump into you'.

I can't say what ultimately caused the demise of the bar; corruption (there was plenty in my day), incompetence (ditto) or that students have become dull in the face of semesterization.

Whatever the reason, and despite the fact that it was objectively a complete dump, I'm sorry to hear of it's demise.

I think you pointed to the reason further back in your post; the bar staff were terribly unfriendly and begrudging. Never a "Hi, how are you? What can I get you?" Never a "Cheers" or "thank you" when giving your change back, never even a smile. In a pub/bar (as opposed to a club) the staff have a huge part to play in the atmosphere of the venue, and the lads behind the bar they had in the Student bar acted as if they were being forced to work there.

The Corinthian · 10-09-2012 11:18AM

RandolphEsq wrote: »

I think you pointed to the reason further back in your post; the bar staff were terribly unfriendly and begrudging. Never a "Hi, how are you? What can I get you?" Never a "Cheers" or "thank you" when giving your change back, never even a smile. In a pub/bar (as opposed to a club) the staff have a huge part to play in the atmosphere of the venue, and the lads behind the bar they had in the Student bar acted as if they were being forced to work there.

They were always friendly to me. Then again, I'd generally behave myself, pay my tab on time and chat with them on a regular basis.

I think the reason they didn't much like the customer base was because they saw it as a bunch of over-privileged and largely immature kids, who would drink too much, smoke joints, vomit and otherwise behave in a manner that would have had them barred from any pub in the Real World.

And in fairness, I could see their point.

Did the bar close down because students stopped going as a result of their rudeness? TBH, I'd find that hard to believe.

Sierra Oscar · 10-09-2012 12:27PM

stop wrote: »

Just passed by the Forum/Clubhouse bar there. Construction work seems to have stopped

Make of that what you will, plenty of rumours abound that the firm has gone bust.

10-09-2012 04:52PM

Where am I going to pull now?

And by pull I mean play pool by myself.

But seriously on that note, is there now no pool tables in UCD either? First they got rid of the trap now this?! Are we not allowed have fun anymore?

RandolphEsq · 10-09-2012 08:17PM

The Corinthian wrote: »

They were always friendly to me. Then again, I'd generally behave myself, pay my tab on time and chat with them on a regular basis.

I think the reason they didn't much like the customer base was because they saw it as a bunch of over-privileged and largely immature kids, who would drink too much, smoke joints, vomit and otherwise behave in a manner that would have had them barred from any pub in the Real World.

And in fairness, I could see their point.

Did the bar close down because students stopped going as a result of their rudeness? TBH, I'd find that hard to believe.

Again I feel that is their problem, not the students and that is the large contribution to them creating a terrible atmosphere in the bar which lead to most students not bothering to make the bar a part of their night out.

UCD Gal · 11-09-2012 09:01PM

Miss the place already.

Facebook Link

machiavellianme · 14-09-2012 04:46PM

Two words to set the campus bar nostalgia off for anyone of a certain vintage:

Fosters Dollars.

I cant understand the attitudes some people have towards losing an iconic campus amenity. Sure it wasnt the fanciest but it certainly was as good as many of the "hip" bars in town. The forum bar (when I was last in it) was one of the most ignorant establishments I have ever frequented. Although I might be still resentful of it since they effectively forced the closure of the Sports bar to try and tempt patrons into their garish setup.

WoollyRedHat · 14-09-2012 05:58PM

We need a speakeasy in UCD set up along with a few pool tables and a music system smuggled in. Then we just hope no Rex Banner finds out. It'll be grand. And cans will be sold.

mloc · 16-09-2012 05:39PM

Old sports bar ftw, tbh.

SlyBacon93 · 16-09-2012 07:46PM

I'm slightly jealous of trinity's student bar especially during freshers week

Gary The Gamer · 16-09-2012 08:00PM

The Corinthian wrote: »

They were always friendly to me. Then again, I'd generally behave myself, pay my tab on time and chat with them on a regular basis.

I think the reason they didn't much like the customer base was because they saw it as a bunch of over-privileged and largely immature kids, who would drink too much, smoke joints, vomit and otherwise behave in a manner that would have had them barred from any pub in the Real World.

And in fairness, I could see their point.

Did the bar close down because students stopped going as a result of their rudeness? TBH, I'd find that hard to believe.

Were you Van Wilder or something? Big man on campus?

The Corinthian · 17-09-2012 08:32AM

Gary The Gamer wrote: »

Were you Van Wilder or something? Big man on campus?

How did you deduce that from what you quoted?

I cited what the bar staff used to think of students in general, back in my day. You hardly need to be a big man on campus to figure that out - anyone with some cop on could figure that out.

17-09-2012 10:24AM

The Corinthian wrote: »

How did you deduce that from what you quoted?

I cited what the bar staff used to think of students in general, back in my day. You hardly need to be a big man on campus to figure that out - anyone with some cop on could figure that out.

The Corinthian wrote: »

When I entered UCD in 1989 (before many here I suspect were even born) things were a little different; the Bar and the Montrose Hotel bar (before Lonnegans) were the only drinking spots around, unless you ventured further outside compass, and the Montrose was largely for post debate drinks, whenever there was no reception organized in B107 in the Arts block.

A coffee in the restaurant was about 25p, and no doubt the quality has not improved to this day, and you could still smoke in the Arts, Ag or Science buildings (the others had not yet been built) and even in the lecture theatres during student events and debates. The first residencies appeared around then, if I remember correctly.

We had Michaelmas, Hillary and Trinity terms, rather than semesters. We also used to use a technology call 'handwriting' back then, when taking lecture notes, BTW.

But despite it's refurbishments over the years, the Bar was an immutable icon of UCD campus life. A place to hide when skipping a class or lecture, or have a toasted cheese sandwich wrapped and toasted in that orange plastic that never quite came fully off when you were trying to eat it.

Being friendly with the Bar staff was important; it meant you could open a tab, but importantly also that you'd not be served slops, like the rest of the students that they generally despised - this was always fun to watch, if you took residence at the end of the Bar (with the alcoholic lecturers who lived there) and had a clear view of it being done.

And sex. The Bar was an excellent place to hook up, especially if you had any kind of public profile in college. All you'd have to do is wander around and some groupie would inevitably 'bump into you'.

I can't say what ultimately caused the demise of the bar; corruption (there was plenty in my day), incompetence (ditto) or that students have become dull in the face of semesterization.

Whatever the reason, and despite the fact that it was objectively a complete dump, I'm sorry to hear of it's demise.

Guessing it was more to do with this :rolleyes:

The Corinthian · 17-09-2012 10:43AM

AdamD wrote: »

Guessing it was more to do with this :rolleyes:

And of all I wrote that's all they took away from it? Talk about issues :rolleyes:

UCD Gal · 26-09-2012 11:59AM

Feel sorry for the staff. Forced redundancy and now they can't even get paid. :eek:

Link

beglee · 26-11-2012 01:01PM

Any UCD heads know if the forum/centre/student-centre bar is reopen yet? Or when it reopens?

Long time since I was a student, but its handy for a pint after 5-a-side if theres footy on the telly

Fuzzy_Dunlop · 26-11-2012 04:18PM

beglee wrote: »

Any UCD heads know if the forum/centre/student-centre bar is reopen yet? Or when it reopens?

Long time since I was a student, but its handy for a pint after 5-a-side if theres footy on the telly

Nah it's not. Construction stopped on it a while back. Was meant to end up being a top quality sports bar too.

Tayto2000 · 27-11-2012 09:33PM

The contractor doing the refurb went bust and presumably took any monies paid down with him as well. It'll get finished off eventually but with the SU bailout and general shortage of funds all round I wouldn't hold my breath...

Fad · 28-11-2012 12:21AM

beglee wrote: »

Any UCD heads know if the forum/centre/student-centre bar is reopen yet? Or when it reopens?

Long time since I was a student, but its handy for a pint after 5-a-side if theres footy on the telly

There's a new contractor who's starting in January.

beardedmaster · 28-11-2012 12:34AM

When the old contractor upped-and-left in orientation week in the beginning of September, and they've been gone since, having the new contractor only start in January is a bit much, in my opinion.

Fad · 28-11-2012 01:07AM

beardedmaster wrote: »

When the old contractor upped-and-left in orientation week in the beginning of September, and they've been gone since, having the new contractor only start in January is a bit much, in my opinion.

Situation only got finalised later in the semester, then they had to find a new contractor, starting late in the semester made no sense because they'd have to start building and stop for xmas which would cost a weeks holidays for x builders...

Makes sense.

beardedmaster · 28-11-2012 01:21AM

Oh, I've no doubt it makes sense.... still doesn't make me happy about it though!

[Jackass] · 28-11-2012 06:17PM

They'll be lamenting about this in 50 years.... the dry year, the poor souls.

TW Mr Tayto · 28-11-2012 11:46PM

Us first years have never experienced the wonders of a bar on campus.

Mycroft H · 29-11-2012 12:03AM

TW Mr Tayto wrote: »

Us first years have never experienced the wonders of a bar on campus.

It's also been a long time since there was a decent bar on campus

*fondly remembers the forum*

kingcobra · 29-11-2012 12:17AM

So is it likely that there will there be a bar around for incoming first years next year?

beardedmaster · 29-11-2012 12:31AM

At that stage? I'd feckin' well hope so!
But yeah, more than likely.

Tayto2000 · 30-11-2012 11:45PM

BX 19 wrote: »

It's also been a long time since there was a decent bar on campus

*fondly remembers the forum*

Bah humbug last decent bar was the sports bar, basically got closed because the Forum bar couldn't compete!

UCD Bar to close?

Comments