Against the Permanent Closure of Brookes Restaurant

I was dismayed to hear about the possible future closure of this excellent institution; the message being sent is that profits are valued over the welfare of students. Brookes, please behave morally and decently, and let your students (and the public) continue to enjoy and benefit from this fantastic arrangement.

I've had some excellent meals in the restaurant. Keep it open. It is a selling point when recruiting students in Hospitality Management.

May I offer my full support to the petition in favour of retaining this marvellous enterprise. I became acquainted with Brookes Restaurant a few years ago, and was immediately struck by its unique characteristics. Compared with a "standard" restaurant, the management at Brookes oversees the very smoothest routines of catering and service. Staff on duty in the restaurant are quite obviously being trained and motivated to treat customers with politeness, discretion and courtesy. Their attention to detail and their personal discipline is outstanding. The supervision of all routines, the orderliness of the dining room, and the constant attention given to the customers, are due in my opinion to Brookes insisting on only the highest expectations of their students. The experienced leadership of the manageress ensures that these exemplary standards are maintained. I cannot imagine a better environment in which to train students in hospitality management. Brookes Restaurant has earned, and now enjoys, the very highest reputation. It deserves to thrive!

I have had many delicious meals in this unique restaurant, which provided such excellent opportunities for the students. From the point of view of students and diners this potential closure is sad news.

Over a period of thirty or more years Oxford Polytechnic and then Oxford Brookes University developed one of the most renowned degrees in Hospitality Management in the the UK. National and International companies recognised the value of this education, a combination of practical and theoretical learning and work experience, by recruiting extensively from amongst the graduates. The proposal to close the highly regarded restaurant suggests a devaluing of the degree.

Brookes restaurant serves great food at good prices and is probably the best non-eastern food in Oxford. Removing this practical element for the students education seems very detrimental to their studies and future career prospects.

No you cannot close the restaurant. It is the best place around to come for wonderful food with excellent Service. A great place for students to learn. We try to come for lunch every month which is always a delight. Always a pleasure to talk to the different students and to hear what their aims are in life. Just think again please. Why stop something which is so good.

This is a tragedy. I loved my time in brookes restaurant, and my event night was one of the best moments of my degree. I chose Brooke’s purely on it having the restaurant. Please don’t close it and think of the student experience over cost savings

Good experience for the students and a pleasure to be served by them with beautifully prepared and cooked food.

I spent 4 1/2 happy years working at what was The School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at that time and had the pleasure of entertaining companies over lunch before their graduate career presentations. These prestigious hotel and restaurant groups were all impressed with the wonderful food and great training opportunities for the students, and I know the students gained great practical experience before going out on their year's work experience. The regular diners from the local area would I'm sure be sad to lose this wonderful restaurant and It would be a great shame if it closes.

What a pity to lose such a wonderful opportunity for students to learn the practical side of their course in hospitality and for the community and staff who have enjoyed great meals there. Practical experience is at the heart of several of Brookes' vocational degrees such as teaching and nursing.... shouldn't it continue in this degree course?

We think your restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Oxford and would be devastated if it closed.

In addition to its usefulness to students at Brookes the restaurant is a valuable community resource and helps to link the university and the townspeople.

Today I visited Brookes Restaurant for the 4th time this year and was appalled to hear that there are plans to close it. The restaurant consistently provides excellent food at very reasonable prices, and on that basis is easily the best restaurant in Oxford. That's without even taking into consideration its important role in training and providing qualifications for young people who wish to pursue careers providing high quality services within the hospitality sector. What a short-sighted tragedy it would be to close this restaurant, while funding many other types of educational facilities within the Oxford colleges. For the benefit of young people and the local community I would urge the college decision-makes to think again, very hard!

This restaurant plays a vital roll in hospitality students education and is an important asset to the local community. It has done much to enhance the reputation of Brookes. It would be very sad if it were to close.

It's a wonderful restaurant, delicious food, brilliant service. WHY close it ? Pleased don't.

A jewel in Brookes' crown and an essential part of the best hotel school in the country. Who is making crass decisions like this?

Bean counting over value added once again by narrow visioned management at Brookes. Only when all points of differentiation and uniquenenss have been eradicated and student recruitment is too low to run a university, only then will they realise what a great university it used to be. Great, because of features like the Brookes Restaurant.

Surely this has been an institution which has brought great prestige to Brookes.

Why?