February 1999 CHEERS!U PUB AT CUBy Michele TangA British-style pub will be built at the basement of T.C. Cheng Building at the United College of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Said Prof. Lee: "In countries such as Canada and the United States, pubs are available inside university campuses to provide students places to gather and to chat." A keen demand is another factor. "A pub inside the university would be safer than those at Shatin or at Taipo." Mr. Philip Lam said, the College Secretary of United College. "The pub has its educational value too, especially to the BBA students, as they may run it as an experimental business," Prof. Lee said. The operation of the pub not only benefits students who like drinking, but also those who do not drink. Said Prof. Lee: "As the pub need not pay any rent, all the profits made can be used to subsidize students' activities or to improve facilities, such as installing air-conditioners in hostels." The pub is aiming at offering additional recreational services to students, in particular, to residents. The pub is planned to occupy about 2000 square feet and to be divided into three areas, a karaoke room and a function room supplied with newspaper and magazines. Snacks, fruit punches, soft drinks, beers and alcoholics of low concentration will be sold. However, liquor such as whisky and vodka will not be offered. The Campus Development Office of The Chinese University of Hong Kong is assessing the decoration of the pub. If approved, it will be sent to the government. "Afterwards, we can start to build the pub and finally apply for a club license and a liquor license," said Mr. Lam. "Personally speaking, a pub opened between 8 p.m. and midnight is preferable. Some students suggested that the opening hours on Fridays should be extended," said Prof. Lee. "There are three possible managing methods. They are 'contractor', 'cooperative society' and 'college management'," said Mr. Philip Lam. "If we adopt the 'cooperative society' method, students can buy shares of the pub," said Prof. Lee. The progress of building the pub, however, would be slow. "There was not enough money to build the pub of the first design," said Mr. Jerry Chui Ka-Yin, the Provisional Administration Committee of United College Student Union. Said Prof. Lee: "The construction fee of the pub of the original design is about $8 million. But we can only raise about $5 million, thus we need another economic design." "It is time-consuming to reassess the new design again and again. That's why the plan has been delayed for five years," said Mr. Chui. "And the dangerous slope right below Cheng Tong Choi Building found in 1995 stopped all construction work of the pub," Mr. Lam said. "It took one and a half years to apply fund from the University Grant Committee to fix the dangerous slope," added Prof. Lee. In addition to the above problems is the voice of opposition. "A pub should not be built inside campus because it will indirectly encourage students to drink," said Mr. Stanley Hung, a fresh graduate of Chinese University of Hong Kong." Mr. Chui also worried that "the image of university students will be worsen if some students drink excessively." Noise and hygiene may become another problem. In response to such worries, Mr. Lam said: "The pub will operate at night when there is few or even no lesson. Also, the pub is distant from hostels. "There is no kitchen in the pub. The pub is clean and there is no hygiene problem," said Mr. Lam. Nevertheless, Mr. Jonathan Ng Yui-Hong, a Year 3 pharmacy student worried the security problem. "Trespassers may enter the pub easily," said Mr. Ng. "Only university students and staff will be eligible to use the pub. Other people will not be allowed to enter it," said Mr. Lam. In addition, regulations against gambling and fighting will be set up. "I hope the pub could be built as soon as possible," said Mr. Lam.
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Prof. Lee Cheuk Yu, the former Head of the United
College proposed this project in late 1992.