Against the Permanent Closure of Brookes Restaurant

So you are going to shut down the thing that makes this course stand out from others offering the same course, madness!!!

Find a way to keep this open!!! Ridiculous to even consider closing this amazing place down!

As a former beneficiary of this School's great teaching record and as a current Mentor to both under and post grad students I am terribly ashamed and disappointed to read that this move is even under consideration This is a vital teaching instrument blunted by pursuit of savings but with poor foresight!! Too many students enter the work place lacking in practical and customer facing skills, these cannot be taught in a library or online so get back into the real world of doers and achievers who have worked , and continue to work hard and go on to provide hospitality and comfort to millions - Students in this top grade seat of learning deserve a restaurant and kitchen experience to compliment their curriculum and you are literally biting the hands that could well feed you - Wake up !

Brookes Restaurant is far more than just a restaurant. It is the central hub for the community that is the Oxford School of Hospitality Management and is visited by generations of alumni, who are now working at the highest level of the industry. It has a world class reputation and has trained some the best in industry today. What a huge loss it would be to Oxford Brookes to close such an iconic educational facility. Personally it was the biggest highlight of my time at Brookes. In my first year it is where I built friendships that mean so much to me now, and taught me all the fundamental skills that meant I could progress into my placement year feeling confident, with all the necessary skills needed. This meant, as with a lot of my peers, we were able to complete the placement with managerial roles, which played an integral part to the rest of my studies, and is a result of the head chef assignments, supplier knowledge, customer service, financial exercises, and leadership roles that the restaurant provided every student. In my Third year, the restaurant provided me with part time employment, which allowed me to meet and serve industry leaders weekly, who would come in for meetings with a number of the lecturers. I remember the GM of the Savoy coming in for lunch with a number of his top executives and I was terrified!! but Sue supported me through the whole process and calmed me down when I dropped a glass and helped me get back on the floor and to be confident and demonstrate top quality, authentic service. My final year the restaurant played host to our final year events management module and has also been the where we held many of our Bacchus Society events. My first impression of Brookes was at the open day, which was held in Brookes Restaurant. It is so much more than just a restaurant but the centre of the students experience and it would be an almighty loss to the university. Grandad often reminds me of the time he paid a visit and had the best custard tart

As a graduate back in 1977 and having supported the school for the past 20 plus years through the mentoring scheme and entrepreneurship modules this cost cutting exercise is not the way forward. This facility is pivotal to creating the best employees for a workforce already struggling with under qualified and demotivated staff. This is a travesty that should in no way happen and solutions sought to ensure this facility continues to thrive and deliver what has been crucial in producing well grounded and much sought after students. A very backward step in my opinion and judging by the comments here one shared by many

Great for the students, great for the locals!

The Restaurant enhances the reputation of Oxford Brookes University and provides a gateway for members of the local community to share an excellent dining experience.

WHO on earth would close this Award winning restaurant, so vital for the training of tomorrows hospitality talents

Brookes Restaurant is an essential part of the growth and development of students at the Oxford School of Hospitality Management and Oxford Brookes. To close this would be a travesty and would takeaway a vital aspect of student's learning and development in years to come.

I worked with the team at Brookes Rest for many years. They are professional and dedicated and are an integral part of the whole hospitality offering at the University. Brookes USP was the quality of its hospitality courses and it will be a sad day when the restaurant closes - and Brookes will be far worse off!

A travesty! This is such an amazing place for students to learn skills long before they hit the workforce and to decide whether they want to continue in the hospitality world after they have graduated.

Having gained my BSc Hons degree at Brookes over 15 years ago I still recall with fond memories the time I spent studying in Brookes restaurant. Learning that will last a lifetime for me. The facilities of Brookes were a key decision factor in my choice of course and establishment, loss of these facilites would be clearly detrimental to the shools future standing and course success in the undergraduate marketplace.

Universities need to differentiate in competition for students. Having a training restaurant seems to be a large part of OBU Business School's excellent reputation. How far does a University go to become efficient? Should all buildings be demolished to convert into flats?

Closing Brookes Restaurant would ruin the course for Hospitality students. The course is renowned for having the restaurant and courses at other universities have suffered since closing their restaurants. So come on guys it is a much needed teaching facility where the students gain an amazing hands on experience so KEEP IT OPEN

This is ridiculous. How do you expect hospitality graduates to be able to perform in the real world if they don't get regular opportunities to put what they've learned into practice? I've done 20 year in hospitality... You don't learn a damn thing from a textbook.

Although high cost, this restaurant contributes greatly to student learning

Don’t close Brookes restaurant

Britains finest training ground for Hospitality must not be allowed to close

The restaurant is a great opportunity for many students to experience a first "real hospitality experience" and closing it down will negatively impact the school and the students.

Brookes Restaurant is one of the features of the hospitality degree course which really raises it above the norm. To close it would certainly send a very bad signal and reduce opportunities for students. I have never had a less than amazing meal there. On the other hand it is poorly promoted and unrealistically priced. The university should be promoting it proudly and boasting about it all over Oxford rather than trying to close it down.