Many staff at Teviot were not addressed by EUSA about the building’s impending closure until 2 May, a day after the University of Edinburgh informed the student body.
The email to all students on 1 May blindsided some Teviot staff, who were left with questions about the state of their future employment.
A portion of the building’s staff had already heard about the upcoming renovation through rumours spreading in the building in recent weeks.
Students’ Association management addressed staff about the building’s impending closure on 2 May in an internal staff newsletter seen by The Student.
In the newsletter, EUSA CEO Stephen Hubbard apologised for the lack of communication, saying “we are sorry we didn’t” share the news with staff at the same time as the university.
Hubbard went on to say that “we will need all staff to be able to provide services in alternative spaces as part of the plan to minimise impact of the closure.”
According to the newsletter, staff will learn more about the closure through various updates and meetings in the coming weeks.
The newsletter also stated that May 2025 was the expected end date of the renovation works at the building.
Further, it said that the university was funding the entirety of the renovation, and that it was providing extra funding to the Association during the disruption caused by it.
In a statement to The Student, Natalia Ellingham, VP Activities & Services said that the Association had apologised to staff for delayed communication regarding the Teviot closure.
Ellingham also said: “We are happy to assure current staff that we anticipate needing the same numbers of staff working with us across our Students’ Association venues.”
It remains unclear whether the same number of hours will be available to staff working in the Teviot replacement venues as are currently available at the building.
Ellingham’s full statement to The Student is available at the end of this article.
Teviot staff spoken to by The Student expressed discontent at the Students’ Association’s lack of communication, with one saying: “The follow up to the staff was really weak.
“I’m not sure if they thought everyone would hear by word of mouth, but the majority of staff only do around one or two shifts a week so that would be a bit of a reach.”
Another staff member shared their opinion of the closure in general, saying: “It’s a bit shit.”
They expressed concern for staff members who had started working at Teviot at the start of their undergraduate degrees in hopes of having a regular job through their whole course of study.
Other staff members expressed concern about being able to continue working with EUSA next year, despite the reassurances given by CEO Stephen Hubbard in the 2 May newsletter.
Many speculated that less hours would be available next year, and some said they were not expecting to continue working for the Association next semester due to the uncertainty.
Some staff members shared with The Student that they felt the renovations were necessary, with one saying:
“As somebody who knows the building well, it is in dire need of renovation in a lot of places and accessibility is truly awful.”
Most student staff members spoken to by The Student shared that, as students, they were frustrated by the renovations for many of the same reasons the wider student body is.
One said: “I think it is a slap in the face that the university is willing to spend millions on an over-the-top renovation when its students are not receiving the education they are paying for.
“We shouldn’t forget that there was an attempted renovation before Covid, which was then scrapped after consultations with the student body.
“Why they think it is appropriate to restart this rejected plan without consultation, at a far more sensitive time to students, is beyond me.”
Ellingham, in her statement to The Student, shared further details about the Association’s plans for replacing the offerings at Teviot.
“Whilst Teviot is upgraded, Potterrow would move to operating 7 days a week, utilising all of its spaces from 8:30am to late night.”
She said that Big Cheese would continue as normal, and that a food outlet in Potterrow would open with ‘Teviot menu favourites’.
Further, the Dome Bar will continue operating, with an additional evening bar constructed in the Dome Garden area.
Ellingham stated that the Pleasance complex is expected to see more use during the renovation, with the Cabaret Bar re-established as a ‘key venue’.
“Potterrow at night 01” by byronv2 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
Statement to The Student by Natalia Ellingham, Vice President Activities & Services in full:
“Thank you for the opportunity to clear up any concerns that staff have. We appreciate that, particularly in the cost of living crisis, it’s important that staff receive clear communication about any projects that may impact their roles, and so the Students’ Association has apologised to those staff that they didn’t get their own update when the news stories were issued.
“We are happy to assure current staff that we anticipate needing the same numbers of staff working with us across our Students’ Association venues. Whilst Teviot is upgraded, Potterrow would move to operating 7 days a week, utilising all of its spaces from 8.30am to late night. This is substantially more than the current single night operation of Big Cheese (which continues next semester) and it gives us more opportunity to programme events and entertainment in the Venue for the other six days/nights. The Venue is an award-winning 1,200 capacity space with bars which can also be divided to create 2 multi-purpose entertainment spaces.
“The Association intends to operate a food outlet in Potterrow that has Teviot menu favourites and we will also be running the Dome Bar as well as installing an additional evening bar option for the Dome Garden area. Plans are also in progress to create some additional meeting rooms and social spaces within Potterrow. Key services such as the Advice Place, Student Voice hub, Student Opportunities team and the Welcome Desk remain in place.
“It’s important to note for students that the Pleasance complex will also have increased footfall and usage during this period as we re-establish the Cabaret Bar as a key venue, alongside the 300 seat Theatre, Quaker Hall and Upper Hall.
“We will also need additional staff to help us manage busy event and meetings spaces, resetting and re-purposing spaces for clubs and societies.”
Natalia Ellingham
VP Activities & Services, the Students’ Association