Post world war 2
Following the end of the war, large numbers of ex-service men returned to
the University to complete their studies, and the University agreed to the
Students' Union opening a bar in 1948. For the first time students
had a place of their own to socialise in the evenings.
During the 1950s, with a large increase of students, the Students'
Union lobbied the University for more resources, which was eventually
realised as shared space in University House.
The 1960s brought huge changes to the Students' Union. It went from a
cosy, overcrowded but friendly environment to a new era with more space
and better facilities. The rapidly changing culture, values and behaviours
of young people in the 1960s also impacted the Students' Union.
Formal dances were replaced with concerts by bands including The Who,
which led to the SU hosting legendary acts such as David Bowie, Talking
Heads, Coldplay and Florence and the Machine.
Listen to interviews and travel through 50 years of music
on an interactive tour of the SU's Foundry, Studio and Fusion venues.
The Students' Union became more political, with protests against the
Vietnam War and high profile speakers such as Malcolm X drawing large
audiences. The building also changed, with the new University House and
Link buildings as well as a the opening of a new bar, said to be the
longest student bar in the country, which today is known as Bar One.
The 1970s saw a more militant Students' Union focused on battling the
University and wider political issues including the Vietnam War and
Apartheid. The Students' Union provided food, drink and nightlife for
students at subsidised prices but it was losing money. Due to the
increasing numbers of students overcrowding was also an issue, with long
queues for meals. This politically vibrant period also saw a large range
of active and engaged societies and committees as well as the creation of
Nightline, one of the first in the country in 1971.
As the huge changes of the 1980s swept the country, the Students'
Union became increasingly professional and more 'commercial' to
survive in the face of severe threats to higher education funding. This
played a huge part in the development of the Students' Union,
including the acquisition of the Fox and Duck pub in 1987. The Octagon was
constructed allowing the Students' Union to put on large gigs and
performances. The threat to the University nursery was ended after
protests resulted in the nursery being subsidised by the Students'
Union and becoming the first private nursery in the city. This period saw
the University and the Students' Union joining forces in the face of
the threats after several decades of confrontation.
By the 1990s the Students' Union was a very different place. Fears of
unemployment led students to focus on their studies, changing the culture
of the Students' Union. Union General meetings continued to decline
and were eventually abolished, but voter turnout increased in officer
elections as political factions gave way to independent candidates. Once
again a huge increase in student numbers led to a large scale rebuild
which lasted from 1993-1996. This added the Auditorium, the coffee shop
now known as Coffee Revolution and the Gallery area. The old cinema was
converted into what is now the Interval Kitchen + Bar. Increasingly
complex welfare issues affecting students led to the creation of the
professional Student Advice Centre. The issues of higher education funding
did not go away and were regularly opposed but culminated in the
introduction of tuition fees by the government.