Co-op now open on Whiteknights campus
Thursday, 14 September 2017
Students and staff now have a convenient place to shop for fresh produce following the arrival of a new Co-op on Whiteknights campus, which opened today.
Works were carried out over the summer to refurbish our previous store, Campus Central, into a brand new Co-op at the heart of campus – right in time for the start of the 2017-18 autumn term.
Students and staff across campus can now take advantage of a wider range of fresh produce, an in-store bakery, healthy foods, meal ideas, hot food and essentials. NUS extra card holders can receive a 10% discount on all goods, and customers that sign up to Co-op’s Membership rewards scheme, at a cost of £1, will receive a further 5% reward into their membership account when purchasing own-branded products and services, with an extra 1% of this going to local good causes - Berkshire Vision, Reading Mencap and Reading Community Learning Centre.
The new shop will be open from 7.00 am to 10.00 pm Monday to Sunday – providing more convenience for customers.
The team behind the new store have been out and about this week offering food samples around campus in the run-up to the store’s opening on Thursday. There’ll be more opportunities to sample products over the next few days – hampers will be delivered to students in Wessex Hall (Friday 15 September), Mackinder Hall (Saturday 16 September) and Chedworth House (Sunday 17 September), with free samples also available in nearby gazebos.
On Friday 22 September, don’t miss the inflatable assault course at the Palmer quad between 10.00 am and 6.00 pm – there’ll also be hot food samples on offer too, so make sure you take a look!
On the announcement of the project earlier this year, Gavin Brooks, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, said:
“This is an exciting development for students and staff alike here at Whiteknights campus. Co-op is one of the UK’s biggest food retailers and can offer its customers a wide range of fresh, good quality produce.
“Strong ethical values and the discount schemes offered to NUS extra card holders and Co-op members make Co-op the right fit for our campus. It is important that the University partners with organisations that uphold the same values we do, and equally important that we consider the potential impact to the cost of living for our students.”
The previous store, Campus Central, was run by Reading University Students’ Union (RUSU), with all profits from the shop going towards services and opportunities offered by RUSU. Following the changeover, the University remains committed to ensuring that RUSU is not financially disadvantaged by the change of circumstances by providing an increased grant until 2021.
Permanent members of Campus Central staff have now become Co-op employees and the terms of their contracts remain the same, with some student employment opportunities likely to be available.