South-west campus could be getting its own shop to match Central, to alleviate students’ journeys onto main campus, according to current plans.
The basis of the shop, according to LUSU president Robbie Pickles, is “not the Students’ Union trying to make more money, it is whether we can provide a small service for people living on south-west campus”. The service would include the basics such as bread and milk, but will most probably not be the same size as Central or offer as much variety.
“Exactly half of the students on campus live on south-west campus, so for there not be any provision on south-west campus is an absolutely travesty” Pickles later said. South-west campus was originally developed in 2002 as a separate mini campus to be a student village, which by nature, should have its own provisions.
At present the proposed shop is by no means definitely being built. LUSU and Joe Hardman, LUSU’s Business Developer who put the idea forward, has said that there is interest in looking into building a shop on south-west campus, whether it is a shop or kiosk. Pickles said that at the moment it is just a case of “looking into the possibilities”. However, it is promising that in a recent meeting Mark Swindlehurst has confirmed that the idea will be reviewed in the Retail Strategy plans, which are due to start in February and to be completed over the coming months.
It is unknown at the moment whether the shop will be built in a completely new building or placed in existing facilities. The founding idea behind Cartmel’s Barker House Farm building was to create a small complex of shops including a post office, which has never come into fruition. As such it is possible that the space will be nominated for the shop.
