RHBNCA

[Joey]

The "arty" students hangout has had a HUGE facelift, sadly some people are not best pleased:

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25682113934

The group also includes photos of the new look bar... your thoughts?

[SILV3R]

it's always been the other bar on campus. bring back the athlone hall dining room bar. that was always a nice start to an evening.

[Joey]

Really? Crosslands was always where I went for lunch for a decent baked tatty, 2nd was the Man and 3rd was T-Dubs (but the latter only if I was in need of a heart attack). I don't ever recall even considering the old Athlone bar as a decent alternative to pre-Union bar. I was in Kingswood so I guess I used that bar or the Man, then went onto the SU.

As for the new Crosslands. I kinda like it. It looks clean and a place I'd actually want to sit and have a drink in now... but then again, I'm the kind of drinker that enjoys an evening in "Ha Ha bar" and other commercial wine bar venues!

[OrbitalPete]

They've done a good job of it. Bearing in mind that it's used so widely for weddings, conferences etc it needed doing and I think they've done a good job. It was lookig pretty bloody shoddy a couple of months ago.

[Joey]

Wow! Didn't expect that from you OP. I thought you would have prefered a more "traditional" pub look.

[just_juice_it]

It definitely looks different (and almost completely unrecognisable). I like it - it does look nicer but then again i had no issues with the old Crosslands either.

Joey - the group is not just about hating the new crosslands - its about marking the end of the last "grubby" bar on campus (and all that it stood for).

[OrbitalPete]

Traditional pub look only works in traditional pubs joey. It's a listed building and a venue used for posh events. They'd be crazy to spit-and-sawdust it

[Merovingian]

Bearing in mind that it's used so widely for weddings, conferences etc it needed doing and I think they've done a good job. It was lookig pretty bloody shoddy a couple of months ago.

I worked silver service a bit 'shudder' and they used it a lot. I can see why they would update it. In those interests, I would say it was a good idea. From personal point of view, I loved the old, ugly Xlands of 2003. I have some great memories of that place. I guess it had to change and be updated.

[claire]

i kinda liked crosslands as it was, circa 2003-2006, bt considering all they did to it during that time was a fresh lick of paint ont he walls after the smoking ban, its probably about time it had a proper face lift. im sure if i still hung out round rhul i would get used to it pretty quickly.

by the looks of it quite a few of the people in the group are people that were at rhul when i was, so what with the newbies filtering through who never knew xlands as it was, i'm sure it will be a much used venue.

[Psymon]

I can see why they changed it (weddings and all that) but seems rather drastic and clinical for what is essentially a student bar most of the time.

[SILV3R]

i would probably have used it more if i were a founders resident. but i was an athlone boy. you started the night with a dubious lager in the athlone bar with dinner then ended the night in times square with a cheese toastie. i loved it.

and that was on an unsuccessful night.

[Merovingian]

I remember times square! It was always a great place to go after Holloways.

[OrbitalPete]

Replacing the counter with vending machines was the beginning of the end.

Hot dogs and cookies when you're spannered

[Felix]

Bimey, that's a big improvement. Facebook really is becoming the campaign management site for the pointlessly stupid isn't it?

[themadone]

Hmmm...not sure what to think TBH. Are those leather seats?

[Sarah Gutesjahr]

OK Crosslands needed a bit of a spruce up, but I don't think the trendy wine bar route was the best way to go.

[charleyangel2k]

well I like it

[Joey]

Ditto! The place needed more than just a splash of paint and from an out-of-term conference POV, Felix is right. Combine this with the other facilities on campus (Windsor Building) and maybe college can make some more money off companies that can afford it and less of students that can't.

[Psymon]

Ditto! The place needed more than just a splash of paint and from an out-of-term conference POV, Felix is right. Combine this with the other facilities on campus (Windsor Building) and maybe college can make some more money off companies that can afford it and less of students that can't.

Royal Holloway Conference Centre
(and university)

[themadone]

Actually it's Royal Holloway Banquets 'n' Conferences for those of us that remember pre-RHUL