It has been revealed that Edinburgh Uni spent over £400,000 on the Scandi Bar

The hugely unpopular Bristo Square Scandi Bar cost a whopping £416,361.60 to build, and was only open for a total of 61 days, according to data obtained by Edinburgh Live.

This means that the price per day to keep the Scandi Bar open was £6825.60.

The structure was first built in September 2020 and opened the following month. Its purpose was to give Edinburgh students more space to study and socialise, making up for the amount of university buildings that were closed due to Covid.

However, it has been heavily criticised from students who hardly ever used it during the one semester it was actually open.

A poll held over on The Edinburgh Tab Instagram asking how students felt about the removal of the Scandi Bar revealed that 95 per cent of students were happy to see the structure go.

Rent Justice Edinburgh even occupied the Scandi Bar earlier this year, expressing their anger that Edinburgh University chose to spend money on the building instead of giving out refunds for student rent.

Edinburgh University’s response to the Freedom of Information request reads: “The Student Village total cost including VAT was £416,361.60. This figure also includes the toilet block facility and all other works, security and statutory consents.

“The building was open to students for sixty-one days from September 2020. It was intended to keep the Student Village open until early summer 2021. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions in place during winter 2020 it was necessary to close the Student Village earlier than initially planned.”

We asked students how they felt about this news over on our Instagram, and these were some of the responses:

“An absolute piss take”

“£400,000 that could’ve gone on mental health services that are SO dire…”

“And they can’t give us a part refund in our tuition that we paid for during a pandemic????”

“£400,000 less to actually support students”

“And yet we have to pay to print off an essay…”

“Disappointed but not surprised tbh”

Recommended related articles by this writer:

• ‘My eyes are bleeding’: Edi students react to two storey pop up cafe on Bristo square

• A very honest review of the Bristo Square Scandi Bar

• ‘Joy to the skaters of Bristo Squircle’: The Scandi Bar is finally being demolished