Against the Permanent Closure of Brookes Restaurant

I wish I understood on what grounds the closure is even up for discussion. Food, drink and service is what the hospitality industry is based on! Without a basic understand how does anyone achieve success in any sphere of the industry? My son went into the industry straight from school, my advice was go and work in the best establishment you can and you must spend time in at least a one Michelin starred kitchen! He never wanted or aspired to be a chef, but the experience has been the basis of a successful career. Opening a restaurant, refurbishing a hotel restaurant in Antigua, consulting in the UAE, managing a multi faceted establishment turning over £5m, and now responsibility for franchising for a Dubai based company expanding its operation. In all of this an understanding of food and beverage has stood him in good stead, able to converse with a top chef, a well known maitre d’, all customers and chief executives. Don’t take this basic foundation experience of some food and beverage preparation and service from those who we hope will go on to be not only captains of our industry but champions around the globe for Brookes School of Hospitality,

This restaurant provides much needed experiences and learnings for students. The hospitality courses provided are truly excellent and this is evidenced by the exceptional talent that enters our industry each year. I am an Alumni and was at Brookes when the new restaurant launched - it was (& is) the envy of many other Schools. It equipped us for the work ahead and has provided a special place to show case all that is great about the School. I'm incredibly cross and sad to learn that closing it is even being considered. Reconsider this immediately!

I would have thought the restaurant was a valuable part of the students' training and the feedback they receive from their diners very helpful in many ways including to potentially help their communication skills. It is a very popular restaurant for the local community too.

I have enjoyed many a great meal at Brookes and believe it should stay open as it gives so much back to the local community.

As a retired lecturer from Brookes who was involved in placement/internships and careers development of students I feel that the closing of the restaurant will make a significant negative effect on the students' career opportunities.

This is one of the best training environments you could hope for at a university with such a great reputation within the local community. I would strongly urge you to re-think.

Seriously why would you close something so beneficial to not only the students, the brookes community but the whole of the Oxford Community. It needs to stay open, use it for more functions if need be, but do not close it.

It would be very shortsighted to close an excellent restaurant that gives students a very good hands on experience in dealing with the public & the communication skills that they will definitely need in their chosen career.

Such an integral part of the school and essential to the running of key parts of the course

This is bad news fir the community and all the hard working staff.

Closing the Brookes restaurant would be a great disappointment. Ironic that something very successful that is appreciated by staff and the local community. Who makes these bad decisions?

Brookes restaurant is one of the reasons to be passionate about hospitality and how the industry works.

If anything, learning by doing is an increasing trend.. how does closing what is clearly a successful learning tool make any sense from a student-centric perspective? It is another worrying move which looks uncomfortably like a shift in focus from student experience.

What a shame, this was a great place to take external examiners, you could explain to them how great the staff were because they were students, learning by practice.

This decision to close Brookes Restaurant (don't insult us by claiming this is a 'consultation') is the latest stage of the Business School's objective to halt all hospitality degree provision. Certainly it will be impossible to continue, without a restaurant 'laboratory', with any credibility. So job done....!?

This was easily the best aspect of my learning experience and confidence building. Would be a travesty to even consider closing the doors.

This is a shock. I have had great times at the restaurant and know the value of it to some of the students I used to teach. It would be a great disservice to close this restaurant. From number 3 in the world for hospitality schools to who knows where...

Why on earth would closing the restaurant be even a consideration? Having studied for my BSc (Hons) International Hospitality Management degree, I found the restaurant not only a key factor to why I chose to study at Oxford Brooke's but also an invaluable part of my degree. The experience of working within the industry and as part of the event management double module, (running our own event night at the restaurant), truly were key to the learning experience. This element of the degree should not be taken for granted. I'm sure any past hospitality student would agree without hesitation Brookes restaurant should remain.

We think it would be extremely bad to close the restaurant as the students need to learn the skills of "fine dining" within a restaurant environment

Exceptionally good restaurant.