Hertford College is to hold a ball at the end of Michaelmas to commemorate their formerly student-run bar. Profits from the award-winning drinkery will be used to celebrate its passing.
Former Bar Manager Oliver Stephenson proposed a motion for a “Winter Ball to celebrate and honour the life and memory of the student-run Hertford Bar” at the College EGM on Sunday of 0th week.
The ball is to be entitled ‘The Last Pango’, in reference to the infamous Hertford ‘Pango’ cocktail, which has been described as “so strong it’s illegal”.
The motion informed the College that the JCR bar bank account had £10,940.36, and suggested that this should be put towards the ball. It added, “The JCR should also contribute to the most fantastic sending-off possible, in line with our affection.”
However Christina Head, a third year History student, opposed the expenditure of the full amount and £4,999.99 was instead contributed from the appropriate JCR funds.
This means that the amount spent on each guest at the ball will be around £90: almost double the per capita expenditure of Hertford’s last summer ball.
In Trinity term of last year a professional was brought in to manage the JCR bar by Hertford College’s authorities. 96% of the JCR voted to oppose the abolition of student management, but the changes still went forward.
Anaar Patel, Hertford JCR’s Vice-President, said, “Everybody I’ve spoken to has expressed their regret and sadness that the bar has been privatised. The atmosphere down there is clinical and empty and the drinks are expensive.”
However second year Law student Jonny Ward was less downbeat. He said, “The bar went out with a bang last term, but now we want to add a bit of glam to its passing. Bring on the Pangos!”
