Students call for arts shop to be spared from cuts

The proposed closure of a university art shop would be "incredibly detrimental", students have said.

The University of Staffordshire revealed its plans to shut the outlet on its Stoke-on-Trent campus as part of its recently announced cost-cutting measures.

A petition objecting to the proposed closure has since been signed by more than 850 people, some of whom described it as a vital and affordable source of supplies.

The university said the shop had operated at a financial loss for several years but added that a final decision had yet to be made.

Amber Gadsden, a second-year game art student at the university who uses the shop regularly, said many people relied on it due to its low prices and convenient location.

She said students were "barely scraping by", referring to this year's rise in tuition fees, and often struggled to fund their own supplies.

"The least the university could do is give us our own physical art shop so that we can buy these supplies," she said.

"The closing of this shop would be incredibly detrimental to not only the students but also the environment, as the university wants to open an online store instead."

Ms Gadsden also described claims the store was not making a profit as "blatantly untrue".

"Almost everyone on an art-based course buys from the shop regularly," she said.

One of the students behind the Save Our Art Shop petition, who did not wish to be named, said it was "more than just a retail outlet" and had been an "integral part of the creative community" for more than 20 years.

"It provides access to specialist materials not found at other nearby shops, allowing those with a creative vision to learn industry standard skills that you can't access with hobbyist supplies from other stores," he added.

The student said the reaction to the proposed closure was "outrage" and he was "disgusted" when he found out.

"Many students have stated that a dedicated shop for arts and craft supplies was one of the reasons they decided to study here," he said.

A university spokesperson said: "The university is currently consulting on the future of its on-campus Art Shop, which has operated at a financial loss for several years despite changes to its offer and opening hours.

"Like many universities, we've seen a significant shift in how students purchase materials, with most now choosing to buy online."

They confirmed a review would be carried out to find out "how best to continue providing access to essential supplies" in a way that "remained sustainable".

"No final decisions have been made and we understand this consultation may cause concern. We are committed to keeping staff and students informed throughout the process," they added.

Earlier this week, the university confirmed it was looking at cutting nearly 70 jobs in a bid to save about £6.4m.

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