A love letter to Courtyard, aka the best place on campus

There is one place at the University of York that is much better than everywhere else on campus.

No, I don't mean Greg's Place or even the actual Greggs on Hes East.

Of course, I can only be referring to Courtyard, the YUSU bar that's the campus equivalent of paradise. While it is officially a Derwent bar, it's used by members of all colleges as they acknowledge it's superiority.

You may be wondering why I, a non-drinker, have so much enthusiasm for a bar. But for me, it's about so much more than alcohol.

Free Sky Sports and BT Sport… across MULTIPLE screens

The main perk is the free Sky Sports and BT Sport across multiple screens, meaning that even when a game I want to watch is clashing with something else, I still have somewhere to watch it. This was most convenient when the Six Nations was on at the same time as the Premier League.

It also becomes a place where you meet people with similar interests, especially when sport is on. People who you wouldn't normally come across due to different courses or different colleges become your companions for supporting your team.

They screen other events too

Not that into sports? Don't worry, Courtyard still have you covered. In addition to Sky & BT, they also provided screenings of other major events that students might want to watch.

Just in the last year they provided free screenings of both the Royal Wedding and Eurovision.

Themed socials

Throughout the year, events for students are held at Courtyard of different themes. These range from a summer terrace party with an outdoor bar, a club night called Timewarp which encompasses music from across all time or even a horror story night.

Food, glorious food

And supporting your team has never tasted so good. The Courtyard's menu is one of the best on campus, with the nachos being a reason themselves to come to York. Their chips are also fantastic too, while they even start serving pizzas as part of their late night menu which is amazing on Champions League nights.

Courtyard is also a wonderful place to get food and drink in between lectures.

It's the ideal meeting place

Got a group project due and struggling to find somewhere to meet? Don't worry, Courtyard has you covered. Due to its popularity, everyone knows where it is so that won't be an issue

Also, if you so desire, you can get pissed afterwards as a group bonding exercise.

The Drinks

I hear that the alcohol prices are very reasonable and the soft drinks are great. Whoever's idea it was to put a slice of orange in a pint of Fanta Orange should be the one making all the major decisions for the country.

YoYo Wallet

I haven't even got to the best part yet. That honour belongs to YoYo wallet, a curious app that seems to only exist within the walls of the University of York's campus. It's a free contactless payment app which makes you forget you're actually spending money. You can earn points to spend on prizes such as a song request, YUSU Glassware or even a VIP Sports experience if you save up long enough.

Courtyard – please don't ever leave us.