Student life at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has a new home as a £3 million renovation of the campus centre comes to completion.
The building – which sits at the heart of DMU’s campus –is the headquarters for the De Montfort Students’ Union (DSU) and features student chill-out space, shops, and places to eat and drink.
DSU moved out of the campus centre back in July while the refurbishment got under way and later this month the newly-transformed building will be officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration.
The building will be officially opened on January 25 but is open to students now, although some final decoration touches and furniture delivery is still ongoing, ready for the 25th.
It is one of the final pieces of DMU’s huge £136 million campus transformation project, which has seen a series of new buildings and renovations throughout the campus.
The new-look Campus Centre is a hub for student life. On the ground floor, visitors can eat or drink at a café selling Starbucks coffee, at Subway or at Milly Lane’s, the campus’ newest eatery run by DSU, selling freshly handmade hot and cold food, coffee and smoothies.
Milly Lane’s also has a licensed bar and will show selected sports matches on 50” Sky Sports TV screens. Money spent at Milly Lane’s is reinvested back into services offered by DSU.
DSU is also installing a new Heat and Eat station where students can microwave food made at home free.
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Also on the ground floor is a Spar and Subway. There is also the DSU-owned charitable accommodation service Sulets and SUpplies, DSU’s shop, selling art supplies stationary and clothing, and offering printing and binding services.
A newly-created staircase in the centre of the building leads up to the first floor, where the DSU officer team has new offices. The design is bright, light and open plan on both floors, making the DSU more visible and easy to get in touch with.
Students can visit their executive officers to get more involved in societies, sports clubs, volunteering and Demon Media as well as having their voice heard at DMU.
Alongside this, there is a new advice centre and reception, and a series of seating ‘pods’ for visitors to chat, relax or work.
Work is still ongoing to complete the renovation of the bar and club on the first floor formerly known as Level 1. The expanded and improved new venue will open in the next few months.
The official opening celebration for the new campus centre will take place on January 25 from 3.45pm. A VIP guest will be joining DSU President, Dan Winney and DMU Vice-Chancellor, Dominic Shellard to cut the ribbon. There will also be performances from the DMU Steppers and DMU Gospel Choir.
Additional details are still being finalised but afterwards there will be a screening of the Liverpool v Southampton EFL cup game on the big screens next to Mill Lane’s, in the downstairs seating area.
Dan Winney, President of DSU, said: “It’s fantastic to finally see our brand new home open to students.
“We may have had a six-month stay in The Art Factory, but this has been the culmination of years of work from many people, as well as officers before me.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved along the way as we now look ahead to what promises to be an extremely exciting 2017 for DSU.”
Posted on Friday 13 January 2017