DKIT College Bar

focus_mad

So folks how did you find the college bar these past two weeks?

Is there any suggestions or ideas you'd like to see implimented?

(Lets be realistic here so while I'd love a brand new building for the bar, its not going to happen in this day and age)

I work there so ill try push a few ideas on to the "Establishment"..:D

Atomic Pineapple

I haven't been up there recently so I'm going on what it was like last year so I apologize if some of my concerns/ideas have been taken care over over the summer.

Firstly the place needs a serious clean and a serious lick of paint, the place was always filthy when I was in it with chewing gum stuck to the walls among other things, a condom was stuck to the wall one time too.

The place is devoid of atmosphere even when its full, its basically a room with a bar there and a few tables and chairs, how about actually making it feel like a bar with better tables, more comfortable seating, maybe even get some seating built into the place and get rid of the garish colour scheme.

Get plastic cups to allow people bring there drinks out onto the balcony, its sometimes the best place to stand and sip away at your pint, not being able to bring my drink out there despite not being a smoker has made my experiences of the bar worse.

Why is there a crisps and bar machine in there too? surely it makes sense to just keep the snacks behind the bar and sell them or at least move the machine to the top of the stairs at the alternative entrance so its out of the way and you can at another table and seats.

The bar always closed early too, not sure if this has changed? Its probably not practical to keep it open every evening till 8 or 9 but on the main nights of thursdays or college balls surely an effort could be made to keep it open and have a promotion or event on to get students to go/stay there. You have to remember that a lot of students will find drinking in there houses cheaper and more craic unless the bar can offer some form of entertainment or cheap drink.

I'll probably think of more things but what do you think about them so far?

focus_mad

I haven't been up there recently so I'm going on what it was like last year so I apologize if some of my concerns/ideas have been taken care over over the summer.

Firstly the place needs a serious clean and a serious lick of paint, the place was always filthy when I was in it with chewing gum stuck to the walls among other things, a condom was stuck to the wall one time too.

It got a good clean during the summer and the floor is sh*te i'll be honest, it needs to be sanded and re-varnished completely. We spent 20 mins mopping the floor on Thurs and it was still sticky.

The place is devoid of atmosphere even when its full, its basically a room with a bar there and a few tables and chairs, how about actually making it feel like a bar with better tables, more comfortable seating, maybe even get some seating built into the place and get rid of the garish colour scheme.

Yeah you have a valid point, if i had my way i'd redesign the bar completely. there's no use having a serving point right beside the entrance. the seats are ****e but from a management point, if sofas or the like were put in, how long would they last?

Get plastic cups to allow people bring there drinks out onto the balcony, its sometimes the best place to stand and sip away at your pint, not being able to bring my drink out there despite not being a smoker has made my experiences of the bar worse.

We had plastic cups for RAG Week last year however we had a large number of complaints about "no head" on the pints which is a pain in the ass.I had a chat with few the lads who were smoking and if the bar was on the ground floor you could have a properly controlled smoking area thus allowing people to bring out their drinks because I am a big beer garden fan.

Why is there a crisps and bar machine in there too? surely it makes sense to just keep the snacks behind the bar and sell them or at least move the machine to the top of the stairs at the alternative entrance so its out of the way and you can at another table and seats.

To be honest the space where the sweet machine is quite small but I see where your coming from. I think a Pringles machine and a Saharas hot nuts machine is in the pipeline.

The bar always closed early too, not sure if this has changed? Its probably not practical to keep it open every evening till 8 or 9 but on the main nights of thursdays or college balls surely an effort could be made to keep it open and have a promotion or event on to get students to go/stay there. You have to remember that a lot of students will find drinking in there houses cheaper and more craic unless the bar can offer some form of entertainment or cheap drink.

Yeah it closed early last year and I used to close early on Champions League nights just because noone ever came up ya no? There is later opening times in the pipeline too. I have mentioned promotions on Thursdays (the financial rewards would be worth it) especially next Thurs with the refreshers ball. yeah I know what you mean from a craic point of view and I'm seeing whats on ya know? Even with the cheapest drink at 3.40 its quite expensive for a whole day to drink.


If i had my way and had the finances, I 'd build a new self enclosed bar near to the wind turbine or opposite the nurses building.

From a alcohol serving point of view we have to keep toeing the line with the college in relation to "drunk students".

Any more ideas or suggestions are more than welcome.

That_Guy

I've not been in the bar for a long time so forgive me if certain areas I mention have been addressed.

Anyway, I think you need to stay open later. As draffodx mentioned before, it is cheaper and perhaps more fun to drink in a house with people with no closing time limits and also seeing as it's a student bar, drink promotions are essential. Not all the time mind or students would never leave.
Maybe do a happy hour or something from 5-6pm. Perfect time too as everyone will be finished college for the day.

Champions League nights might prove to be a big money maker. I know the malt house do promotions on Champions League nights so it might prove worth your while to match their prices on these particular days especially since the majority of people are living nearer the college than the malt house. People would most likely choose the student bar over the malt house for Champions League nights as it's closer and still the same price drink.

The last time I was there in the bar the speakers for the music were terrible. One speaker is over the jukebox and the other is at the pool table in the opposite end of the bar IIRC. So that meant that in order to hear a song properly I'd have to sit in the middle of the two speakers because if I sit under the pool table speaker I only got the right speaker sound instead of both at the same time.

Might also be a good idea get some condoms from the SU and have them at the bar cos ya never know.

focus_mad

Anyway, I think you need to stay open later. As draffodx mentioned before, it is cheaper and perhaps more fun to drink in a house with people with no closing time limits and also seeing as it's a student bar, drink promotions are essential. Not all the time mind or students would never leave.
Maybe do a happy hour or something from 5-6pm. Perfect time too as everyone will be finished college for the day.

I understand your points but the thing with a "happy hour" as shown with that case with the pub in Dublin it promotes a form of "binge drinking"

Champions League nights might prove to be a big money maker. I know the malt house do promotions on Champions League nights so it might prove worth your while to match their prices on these particular days especially since the majority of people are living nearer the college than the malt house. People would most likely choose the student bar over the malt house for Champions League nights as it's closer and still the same price drink.

Even still, CL Nights were a disapointment last year with poor turn outs even with advertising, promotions would be a good idea, I might drop down the malthouse and see how much they are charging. Thanks for that idea.:D

The last time I was there in the bar the speakers for the music were terrible. One speaker is over the jukebox and the other is at the pool table in the opposite end of the bar IIRC. So that meant that in order to hear a song properly I'd have to sit in the middle of the two speakers because if I sit under the pool table speaker I only got the right speaker sound instead of both at the same time.

Yeah speaker positions arent the best, to be honest imo the whole bar isnt designed properly.

Might also be a good idea get some condoms from the SU and have them at the bar cos ya never know

Yeah I know, sounds like a plan, Subhash and Luke were up during the week giving some out..

Atomic Pineapple

focus_mad wrote: »

Yeah you have a valid point, if i had my way i'd redesign the bar completely. there's no use having a serving point right beside the entrance. the seats are ****e but from a management point, if sofas or the like were put in, how long would they last?

Yeh very true, I suppose you'd have to look into some sort of hard wearing but comfortable seating but the cost would just be too significant I would imagine.

focus_mad wrote: »

We had plastic cups for RAG Week last year however we had a large number of complaints about "no head" on the pints which is a pain in the ass.I had a chat with few the lads who were smoking and if the bar was on the ground floor you could have a properly controlled smoking area thus allowing people to bring out their drinks because I am a big beer garden fan.

I meant give people the option to get a plastic cup and pour there drink from the glass into it themselves if they wish to bring a drink outside, would that be something that would be possible?

A beer garden would be a great addition, but I'd imagine its impossible unless the bar relocates.

focus_mad wrote: »

To be honest the space where the sweet machine is quite small but I see where your coming from. I think a Pringles machine and a Saharas hot nuts machine is in the pipeline.

Yeh it is small i suppose my point was more to do with it not really helping with the look and feel of the place.

focus_mad wrote: »

Yeah it closed early last year and I used to close early on Champions League nights just because noone ever came up ya no? There is later opening times in the pipeline too. I have mentioned promotions on Thursdays (the financial rewards would be worth it) especially next Thurs with the refreshers ball. yeah I know what you mean from a craic point of view and I'm seeing whats on ya know? Even with the cheapest drink at 3.40 its quite expensive for a whole day to drink.

Yep, its hard to attract students to stay late at night even with champions league on, what do you use to show the games? it would have to be a decent sized big screen. decent food and snacks would help too

focus_mad wrote: »

I understand your points but the thing with a "happy hour" as shown with that case with the pub in Dublin it promotes a form of "binge drinking"

Yeh haven't drinks promotions been squeezed out of colleges because they promote anti social behaviour?

A major disappointment I used to have with the bar was its pricing, nearly all the drink there could be had cheaper in a pub with a better atmosphere and more people in the town

That_Guy

draffodx wrote: »

Y
I meant give people the option to get a plastic cup and pour there drink from the glass into it themselves if they wish to bring a drink outside, would that be something that would be possible?

The only problem with this is that some people may decide to pour their drink on passers by below.
The only way to counteract this type of potential behaviour would be to have someone standing outside to make sure none of this carry on takes place.

Atomic Pineapple

That_Guy wrote: »

The only problem with this is that some people may decide to pour their drink on passers by below.
The only way to counteract this type of potential behaviour would be to have someone standing outside to make sure none of this carry on takes place.

Drink is so expensive there that no one will want to spill it

That_Guy

draffodx wrote: »

Drink is so expensive there that no one will want to spill it

This is true. And it's not like we go to

Trinity

and have money to burn on daddy's credit card.

*waits for beatings from

Trinity

students with expensive baseball bats*

Panthro

id be happy if there were maybe 2 taps that sold 3euro pints.and maybe 3euro for a selection of bottles.
went in for a champions league game there last year.by chance i heard the bar would be open,the place was dead.it needs to stick up a few posters round the college advertising what games are on, maybe sell cheaper pints during the game, drop the price of a pint for every goal scored etc that kind of thing. its got a massive market base right around the area, they need to make the most of it.
"you gotta spend money to make money lou"!!:D

That_Guy

Out of curiosity actually, what do you have on tap in the bar?

Panthro

me personally, anytime i walk into any given pub my eye get drawn down the taps until i see either a baveria or a fosters tap,those failing im looking for a carlsberg!

studiorat

strange that there's two nights on in the town run by music students, and a few others looking around for dj'ing gigs at the minute.

That_Guy

Would a DJ on some nights be good for the bar instead of the jukebox?
Might well be worth a try methinks.

An event for students run by students.

Panthro

studiorat wrote: »

strange that there's two nights on in the town run by music students, and a few others looking around for dj'ing gigs at the minute.

havent heard of this-what kind of tunes get played and where?
(sorry for veering slightly off topic)

studiorat

trad. gig on monday, open mic on wed. can't remember the name of the places and one or two guys going the rounds on looking for gigs. I passed the campus bar on the way to the library yesterday, with some terrible band lashing it out in the saw doctors style. Pure sh1te, which was ironic considering there's a concert in the black box every thursday afternoon probably 2 hours beforehand.

personally I'd rather drink the anti-swine flu hand rub that darken the door of the campus bar.

Panthro

studiorat wrote: »

personally I'd rather drink the anti-swine flu hand rub that darken the door of the campus bar.

(Laughs the ass off mesel reading that one!)

now theres a line i intend on using more than once in the near future!
good job studiorat..good job!

focus_mad

That_Guy wrote: »

Out of curiosity actually, what do you have on tap in the bar?

Sorry abouth the delay, Iv no internet during the week

We have:

1 Whores Delight
2 Bud Ice Cold
1 Guinness
2 Bulmers
2 Bavaria
2 Heno
1 Smithwicks
1 Carlsberg
1 Harp

I was pushing for lower drink prices for yesterday a agood bit but I got nowhere (Sorry!!!)

Yep, its hard to attract students to stay late at night even with champions league on, what do you use to show the games? it would have to be a decent sized big screen. decent food and snacks would help too

We have a large Samsung plazma screen which is quite good. Dunno about the snacks but its an idea!!

id be happy if there were maybe 2 taps that sold 3euro pints.and maybe 3euro for a selection of bottles.
went in for a champions league game there last year.by chance i heard the bar would be open,the place was dead.it needs to stick up a few posters round the college advertising what games are on, maybe sell cheaper pints during the game, drop the price of a pint for every goal scored etc that kind of thing. its got a massive market base right around the area, they need to make the most of it.
"you gotta spend money to make money lou"!![IMG][/img]

Myself and Chris are planning on sitting down and properly planning an advertising campaign for the college, Chris will try the Business classes while I try the engineering block.

There is something in the pipeline!!

focus_mad

studiorat wrote: »

trad. gig on monday, open mic on wed. can't remember the name of the places and one or two guys going the rounds on looking for gigs. I passed the campus bar on the way to the library yesterday, with some terrible band lashing it out in the saw doctors style. Pure sh1te, which was ironic considering there's a concert in the black box every thursday afternoon probably 2 hours beforehand.

personally I'd rather drink the anti-swine flu hand rub that darken the door of the campus bar.

To be honest with ya, the band yesterday was actually quite good!!But each to their own ya know?:D

focus_mad

Just in the aftermath of the Re-freshers Ball,

Any drug dealing in the bar is not allowed especially when you ask a member of staff and an ex member of staff if they want anything....

Not the brightest bunny in the world!!

Also the "hard man" that said a certain bar man's throat would be cut from ear to ear is now barred..and will be told next week.

Note to any people thinking of being stupid, I can kick a ball at 70 kmph barefooted, add steel toes to that and well u do the maths.

Sorry for the rant but I had to get that off my chest.

Thanks for reading.:D

Atomic Pineapple

reported to the college authorities?

studiorat

focus_mad wrote: »

To be honest with ya, the band yesterday was actually quite good!!But each to their own ya know?:D

'solutely...

It did look as though a good time was being had by one and all.

focus_mad

studiorat wrote: »

'solutely...

It did look as though a good time was being had by one and all.

yup yup and then we had a Guiness drinkin competition between two lads who were downing pints!!:D

focus_mad

draffodx wrote: »

reported to the college authorities?

Yup, We sorted the wanna be drug dealer out and the Bouncers at the ball were forwarned. And the VP of the student union was informed.

Myself, the bar manager and the bouncer know the "hard man" and i'll have a quiet word with Luke about him..

Sorry about the rant I just had to get it off my chest!!!:D

Atomic Pineapple

theres a bouncer on the door again? do you need to have a student card to avail of the bars services?

focus_mad

draffodx wrote: »

theres a bouncer on the door again? do you need to have a student card to avail of the bars services?

Yeah there was a bouncer for the Freshers week but other wise its "little" me in work that'll throw ya out.. but of course Draffodx you wouldn't be causing trouble!!!:P

Your meant to have a student card as a form of id in the bar just for age discrepencies and so the locals don't come in!!

20 Times 20 Times

Al , Dont start up another thread for the college bar please. Just use this one buddy. Again i have no problem with the college bar advertising here ONCE it provides value for the students.

Don't advertise silly offers etc ......

Thanks Al.

focus_mad

Sarge wrote: »

Al , Dont start up another thread for the college bar please. Just use this one buddy. Again i have no problem with the college bar advertising here ONCE it provides value for the students.

Don't advertise silly offers etc ......

Thanks Al.

No bother pal...:D

20 Times 20 Times

Just while were on topic , I hope that every student knows that the malt house and Crowne plaza are both cheaper for pints then the college bar.

injured365

Sarge wrote: »

Just while were on topic , I hope that every student knows that the malt house and Crowne plaza are both cheaper for pints then the college bar.

I thought the crowne plaza has problems with a group of students heading into the place......I know last year a few lads tried going in there and were turned away although they might not have told the real story

20 Times 20 Times

injured365 wrote: »

I thought the crowne plaza has problems with a group of students heading into the place......I know last year a few lads tried going in there and were turned away although they might not have told the real story

I've been over there a few times and not a problem.