First university-owned Wetherspoon pub to launch in May

The University of Surrey has announced it will open the new Sir Ronald Wates on its Stag Hill campus in May, the first university-owned Wetherspoon’s in the country.

The pub, which will be placed in the university’s refurbished Wates House building, and will be open to students, staff, visitors as well as the local community.

The venue is named after Sir Ronald Wates, whose family funded the original building. The Wates family has given the go-ahead for the pub to bear his name, continuing their long association with the University. 

It will offer the chain’s full all-day menu through mobile app ordering and table service. The collaboration allows the University to leverage Wetherspoon’s supply chain and operational systems while retaining complete control over staffing, licensing, and management of the premises.

Wetherspoon pubs are already operated by student unions at the University of Hull and Newcastle University, but Surrey will be the first to own and operate a franchise under this model. 

The previous Wates House bar closed for renovation in December. Staff who worked in the building have been kept on and will receive full training on Wetherspoon’s operational procedures prior to reopening.

Will Davies, chief operating officer at the university, said: “We wanted to give our community a pub-style venue that could offer genuine value for money alongside quality. Wetherspoon’s model means students can get a full breakfast for less than five pounds.

“The Wetherspoon franchise gives us their pricing power and supply chain efficiency whilst allowing us to offer a great experience for our students and staff.”

John Hutson, Wetherspoon’s chief executive, added: “We are delighted that a Wetherspoon pub is to open at the University of Surrey. We are confident that it will prove popular with students as well as members of the public and be a great addition for the university.”