Strathclyde Union has today unveiled its brand new home in a £60m building at 51 Richmond Street.
The state-of-the-art Union is based in the University’s new Learning and Teaching building and has been under development for five years. It forms the centrepiece of the building’s Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell Wing – a name chosen by students – and will open its doors tomorrow (September 10).
The new Strath Union replaces the much-loved John Street location, which closed in August this year prompting an outpouring of love across social media from past students and fans.
The new, repurposed building, formerly the Colville Building, is ready to welcome students and provides a more accessible, student-friendly experience with brand new facilities. The design brings the outside in, enabling students to socialise among trees and plants whatever the weather. Inside their Union, students can enjoy a pint and pizza on picnic tables laid across AstroTurf, oblivious to the wind and rain outdoors.
Strath Union boasts a food, drink and entertainment offering that includes bao buns, flatbreads and noodle dishes as well as classics like pizza, fish and chips and burgers. Beer fans can sample everything from from Tennent’s, Innis & Gunn and Drygate.
The building also includes pool, smart darts, Bluetooth headphone powered movie nights, live football and a programme of music in the works that will continue Strath Union’s tradition of booking major names like Elton John, Calvin Harris and Frightened Rabbit.
The building utilises recycled materials around existing structures and repurposing materials, Strath Union will also host a Zero Waste Shop where students can purchase environmentally friendly items, and even collect some for free. The shop will include reusable sanitary products, cleaning products and a rotational showcase of sustainable brands from Scotland and beyond.
Benn Rapson, Student Exec President at Strath Union, said: “Strath Union is where everything happens on campus, and we can’t wait for our students to experience the new union building in all its glory. It looks amazing and is brimming with things to see, do, eat, drink and more. We’ve been developing the spaces for five years now, and we know our students are going to love it.
“The old building at John Street holds a special place in the hearts of many, which was evident from all of the amazing memories posted on social media when we announced its closure last month! Richmond Street has big shoes to fill, but we’re absolutely certain it’s up to the task. We’re so looking forward to opening the doors this weekend.
“We’re also aware that COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, and we’ve put a number of measures in place to ensure we’re returning to campus responsibly. We want our students to get the best out of the new Union without having to worry, so we’ve taken all the necessary steps to ensure we’re going above and beyond current guidance.”
Strath Union is committed to a COVID-19 responsible return to campus, and will have a number of measures in place to ensure the safety of students across Freshers’ Week and beyond including operating at a reduced capacity, cashless ordering, Track and Trace, mandatory face masks when moving around the building, QR code ordering and multiple lateral flow tests per week for staff. For a full list of measures in place, visit their website.
Additionally, the Union is running a campaign, fronted by the Student Executive, promoting “ Immunity for the Community” aimed at encouraging students to get double vaccinated to protect themselves and those around them.
