The Lemmy: Can It Cope With Us?

George Cheetham argues why a good old re-think is needed over the Lemon Grove.

students' guild The Lemon Grove the tab the tab exeter

The University of Exeter is on the rise. In fact, it has been for quite some time.

The recent news of its improved position in The Times and Sunday Times’ league table brought further confirmation, and it appears the university is now highly regarded among the UK’s higher-education heavyweights.

Couple such success with the redevelopment of the sports centre and the achievements of many AU clubs over the past few seasons, and you can start to make a case that University of Exeter has created a culture of multi-faceted success.

Having taken on 1,000 more freshers this year than in previous years, it seems that the only aspect of student life holding Exeter back is the one most widely applicable to its students: the social scene.

The Lemon Grove entrance.

In town, the clubs and bars manage to cope admirably well with the high demand of us Exeter students.

But the fact queues outside the Lemon Grove have become such a necessity from as early as 9pm is a symptom of a capacity shortage that, if Exeter is to punch its weight, needs to be addressed.

Sadly, the fact of the matter is that the Lemon Grove, Exeter’s Student Union (pictured above) doesn’t really cut it as a venue anymore.

With a capacity of just 1,350 to cater for around 16,000 students (both undergraduate and postgraduate) with a strange-looking appearance, it really isn’t big or run well enough for the sort of university that Exeter strives so hard to be.

Lemmy lane: common site for queueing students.

I know the Guild made an effort in 2011 to refurbish the Lemmy and make it slightly more appealing – and it should be applauded for trying to do so – but our Students’ Guild needs more than a mere facelift to bring it up to scratch.

For starters, there aren’t enough bars, and the drinks are not well-priced. When you make comparisons with other top UK unis, it is clear that the Lemmy lags behind.

Places like Loughborough and Newcastle boast glistening cathedrals of nightlife for their student unions while we are left to enjoy what was once described as ‘a school disco (but everyone is pissed)’ every Saturday. How lucky we are, eh?

Cardiff’s Students’ Union recently hosted Tom Odell.

It isn’t very often that popular bands or artists pass through Exeter, and, when they do, the Lemmy again fails to step up to the mark.

Its capacity is enough to support a good gig, but other specialist venues throughout the city can offer touring bands a dedicated live music venue without compromises, a dedicated load-in area and proper backstage facilities.

It is no surprise, then, that bands are looking away from our dear Lemon Grove in favour of venues better suited to the business of live music, such as Exeter Phoenix, Cavern – or even the Great Hall.

What load-in area?

This is not to say the Lemmy is a let down; it has coped quietly and admirably for years in the shadow of the meteoric rise of Exeter university.

To accommodate the growing cohort, it’s clear that an expansion might be the best way of saving our SU.

If the Lemmy were to expand, titanic queues on a Saturday night would become a thing of the past, bigger bands would come to our university, societies would have the freedom to host more events.

Most importantly, more of us would finally get to see the inside of the Lemmy sober – and do so in daylight, which is almost unheard of in its current state.

What do you think about the Lemmy? Is it too small? Leave your comments below.