Open Reynolds Bar Development Meeting 13/05/2015
Notes from meeting from 13/05/2015. A summary of the points made is below; I apologise if I’ve missed anything, and please let me know if anything important isn’t here so I can still look into it.
What do you think would improve the Ambience/popularity of the Bar to encourage walk in trade?
-More, better, furniture, particularly in bar/dancefloor side.
The costs of this are currently being looked into and we will get back to you with suggestions and to consult on what kind of thing we go for (type of furniture etc.) This is something I am prioritising as I feel like a mini refurbishment of the bar is really important. It’s also important we get it right though and involved interested students in the process.
-Get a new projector screen.
Has been budgeted for and will be installed before October.
-Make projector set up easier
Have looked at this and costs might be too expensive, but will see if we can come up with an alternative solution so a laptop or games console can be easily plugged in.
-Ambience
-The space does not naturally have a good ambience – more clinical, or like a waiting room rather than a bar you would like to come for a drink.
-Suggested that cocktail nights were good when we put out the ‘fake’ candles, dimmed the lights etc.
The venue now has a lighting plan and we should be playing ambient music, dimming lights etc. every night. There is still more work to be done here and we are looking at investing money in improving lighting, sorting out the sound system etc.
-Biggest issue for venue is possibly advertising
Ideas to improve included:
-Better use of Facebook
-Posters outside of the Reynolds Building
-Use of ICSMSU APP
-Pictures of venue itself – people enjoying events - to go up somewhere in venue.
-Leaflets about upcoming events in lobby
-Screensavers on computers and lecture theatres – info about events.
Need to see what is feasible and allowed in our licence for flyering and posters outside the Reynolds Building.
Dariush agreed to talk to ICT about getting Reynolds info on computer screens. – Carl to liaise with Dariush.
-Focus on Reynolds Brand
-Important to make the venue attractive to students, and students to feel ownership of the venue.
Suggestions included:
-Phoenixes transfer on different windows/ wall or other relevant artwork.
-Phoenix stickers or similar on tables.
Ideas for Events:
-Show all Wimbledon Games
-Have Wimbledon running all day.
Happy to do this, but have spoken to café and they will not be open in that period and therefore will not be able to turn on in the day, will see if we can get some volunteers to do so and then will continue to play into the evenings when the bar is open. Pimms Pitchers now on sale and will be looking at getting some strawberries and cream in + Decorations closer to the time.
-Rugby world cup
All games happening Monday to Friday when bar is open will be played where possible.
Will work on advanced publicity through ICSMSU APP, Facebook and Standard posters etc.
For weekend game opening we will have to judge the interest as we can only open if we can break even.
Will also look at running bigger event for final.
-Pool Table
We are looking at contacts for this now and if at all possible we will be moving forward with this. I don’t want to promise until we’ve signed on the dotted line, but I think its looks likely we will have this before September.
-Cocktail competition: - advertise during October, end of October, November, December.
Something we will do, with competition winners having their cocktail permanently on the bar menu and named something like ‘The Phoenix’.
It was noted that people need a reason to come here beyond it just being a bar.
Suggestions to mitigate this issue included:
-Having a Wii able to be hired out
-Arcade machines of some kind
-Quiz Machines
-More board games
-Better advertising for pub quiz
I have now budgeted for games for a Wii and will donate my old one to the Bar. Looking at hiring Quiz machines currently. Have also budgeted to buy more board games, any suggestions welcome.
Other one of event suggestions included a Fifatornament which is a great idea and we will look at arranging in first term of 2015/16.
General Communications about changes in the Bar
-I’m (Carl) really keen to be more accessible and for people to feel comfortable coming and chatting to me about ideas, asking for help with events or raising any concerns or issues.
-It was suggested that it important to communicate regularly and update where possible about new things happening. It was also highlighted that things like getting the sings up were not credited to the bar and ICSMSU equally enough as Bar did not talk about their role in getting them up. When ICSMSU posted on facebook it created one of the biggest surge of likes ever.
Ideas included:
-Facebook use of Bar group – updating about anything in the pipeline where possible.
-We Said, You did boards
-Comment Cards – so people can leave suggestions in box and then bar will look and response, or act, as appropriate.
-Monthly event updates
-More meetings like this
-Using Sites and Services officer as a point of contact.
-Firm up booking systems for using the bar space.
-Carl on ICSMSU APP in Bar section with contact details
-Bar steering committee started again?
Will certainly hold these meetings more regularly; and hopefully will be back using the facebook account to update by next academic year. Will get We Said You did boards up and comment cards sorted also before new academic year.
Other suggestions we will look into and discus with ICSMSU, please don’t hesitate to get in contact if you have any other thoughts.