Lancaster student nightclub closes for at least a year, as staff find out about job losses on social media

LUSU has apologised to staff who found out on social media before being told directly that they had lost their jobs.

The Sugarhouse had attempted to re-open, but LUSU said that currently regulations and a lack of uptake meant the Students' Union was losing money.

A spokesman for LUSU said: “We’re sorry that we had to take the decision to close the Sugarhouse, and whilst we want to ensure that it opens at the first opportunity, we don’t anticipate that being before October 2021.

“Whilst all student staff were notified that there were no further employment opportunities available, we understand that there may not have been sufficient time between that email landing and the communications going out.

"We apologise unreservedly to all staff who found out on social media before being told directly.

“We are minimising the financial impact on student staff by making use of the government furlough scheme wherever possible.

"Whilst we did everything we could to try and re-open, current regulations and lack of uptake meant that the SU was losing money, and given our difficult financial position, we struggle to justify that to ourselves.

“The Sugarhouse is here to stay and to ensure that it will provide employment and recreation in the future, we had to take action now.”