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What’s next for the SU bar? Image: Newcastle University Students’ Union
Motion passes to rename ‘Mensbar’ Motion to rename Mensbar was proposed by Sabbatical team to Student Council By Valentina Egorova News Editor Mensbar is set to be renamed following a Newcastle University Students’ Union vote. The “Christmas council” passed a motion to change the controversial name of the bar by 76% in favour to 15% against, while 9% abstained. The sabbatical officers who introduced the motion argued that the name ‘Mensbar’ could be interpreted “as a bar only for men”. Commenting on the result the sabbatical team told The Courier: “” The motion reads: “The names “Men’s Bar” and “Mensbar” are in essence the same name – and therefore implies they share the same history.” The haunt, which was first opened in 1925, was formerly called “Men’s Bar”.
It came at a time when women were excluded from a number of public places on the grounds of their gender. Ladies were only allowed into the Men’s Bar once a week, on Tuesdays. On February 7, 1963, The Courier reported on “a mass invasion of the Men’s Bar by a crowd of women, who entered the bar as if they had every right to do so”. The protest was strongly objected by male habitués of the bar, who thought they had an escape place from the opposite sex. Four years later, the Men’s Bar opened its doors to women, which made the name no longer relevant. In the early 1980s, the apostrophe was removed and since then the bar has been transformed into a modern, allinclusive Students’ Union Bar. Today the name comes from the Latin motto “mens agitat molem”, which
Student council voted to pass the motion with a majority of 76%
means “mind over matter”. But the sabbatical team argued that it “does not promote a progressive and inclusive message” to those, who do not speak Latin. Mark Sleightholm, a former Newcastle University history student, said: “While Mensbar is now inclusive to all students, and should have a name chosen by a majority of students, the bar and its name have a history mixed up with discrimination and “lad culture”. “Taking away the apostrophe linked the name to the Union’s motto, but still caused confusion, prompting calls to change the name every few years. “None of these attempts have been successful or even generated any serious alternative names, except from ‘Stonewall Bar’, which was imposed against the wishes of most of the students, who actually used the bar.” He added: “The Union used to have
Plans in place to engage students in the renaming process
way more bars than it does now, including the Cochrane Lounge, named after the man who funded the construction of the Union’s building, and Spiny Norman’s Organic Garden, named after Spiny Norman. “Men’s Bar has been the most enduringly popular bar name with students, with the failure of all these attempts to change it proof of that. “But attitudes change, and maybe now is the time for a new name.” The current controversy could’ve been settled decades ago, with complaints about the name dating back to the 1975, when The Courier suggested the bar could be renamed. The name has also come under fire many times for being sexist in the Student Council, with a number of motions passed to rename the bar. The most recent failed attempt was in 2014.
A spokesman for Mensbar said:“ It’s not something we weren’t expecting. “The motion has gone to council a few times in the past few years so it’s been something regularly debated. “As it has just happened we aren’t sure how the name change will happen or who will decide, but it’s something, which, I am sure, will be discussed by the officers with input from a variety of people.” It’s not clear when the bar will be formally re-named. Commenting on the result, Jade Holroyd, Editor of the Courier and one of the six sabbatical officers that proposed the motion said: “We’re absolutely ecstatic with the outcome.” The new name will be chosen via a vote by Newcastle University students, with an option to pick one of two names. The bar will be exempt to change the new name for the next three years.