The Students' Union can reveal that the Stoke campus's main student venue will undergo a major refurbishment over the summer.
With an investment of approximately £800,000, LRV and Verve will see the inside and out completely redeveloped to make it lighter, more spacious and offer much more to its student customers.
Developments include:
• glass screen doors across the front of the venue to bring more light into the building
• cedar cladding covering the remaining walls and new paving at the front to bring it more in line with the University's redevelopment of the Leek Road campus
• existing skylights will be exposed to bring more light in during the day
• brand new furniture, featuring big, comfy chairs for you to sink into
• eight new HD televisions, including three 60 inch screens, for Verve to show music and sport throughout the day and night
• the on-stage screen and projector will be connected to the main TVs, allowing for sport to be broadcast on the big screen
• entry capabilities on club nights will be doubled with an additional box office being created
• re-landscaping the external seating to make it more green and making it into an entry point for customers during the day
• creating more space in the dance area to enable student groups to use it as a space for participating in activities or holding gatherings throughout the day.
The £800,000 project costs are split, with a £450,000 investment from the University, with the remainder being taken up by part of the Union's reserves. LRV and Verve have committed to pay back the Union the £350,000 over a four year period.
The Students' Union shop on the Leek Rd campus will be completely transformed before September, offering a greater range of products and having undergone an extensive refurbishment.
In partnership with The Cooperative, the shop will be able to expand what is on offer, including fresh fruit and veg, ready meals, fresh meat and chilled wines and beers. The Union will also be able to offer vastly improved special offers that mirror those offers found in Coops up and down the country plus a few exclusive offers through our partnership with the NUS.
It is hoped if the partnership is a success, the remaining two shops on the College Rd campus in Stoke and in the Beacon Building on the Stafford campus will follow suit.
Leek Rd shop
Leek Rd shop will also have a brand new look, with new shelving units, new refrigeration units, the tills being moved to a new space and lots of green and white to brighten it up. The lighting issues have also been addressed with new energy efficient LED lighting panels being installed to lighten the building up much more.
With an investment of £50,000 the Union hopes the shop will become a key attraction to students on the Leek Rd campus, especially halls, the neighbouring Sixth Form College and the local community.
Students' Union President Rochelle Owusu-Antwi said: "This latest investment is once again showing our commitment to enhancing the student experience and giving you another reason to be proud to be part of Staffs.
"Students arriving in September will be greeted by a completely transformed Leek Rd campus and I hope both LRV and the shop play a big part in that."