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F R @thebadgersussex E badger@sussexstudent.com E

The

Badger

thebadgeronline.com

Official newspaper by and for University of Sussex students and community

Laura Mellena Staff Writer

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Printed on recycled paper

29 January 2024

Costa Arrives in the Library

tarting from 3 January, the Library Café is serving drinks provided by Costa Coffee. Alongside the new coffee brand, library visitors can now treat themselves to sweet treats from Planet Doughnut. During the first week of the relaunch, there have been drink discounts, giveaways, and samples to encourage customers to try out the new cafe. Renovation took place over the winter break in accordance with the new catering contract that was signed in August 2023. Reasons cited by a University of Sussex spokesperson for the change in service included reducing the bottleneck that restricted the customer flow and increased wait times, as well as providing new brands on campus. A survey at the end of 2022 of 2,080 students and 1,175 staff showed that almost 40% of respondents wanted to see new additions on campus. Costa was one of the high street names that people wanted the most. “We hope that this new-look Library Café gives people what they’re looking for… people told us they wanted Costa, so we made that part of our winning bid,” said Mark Lawrence from the University’s catering partners Sussex Uni Food.

The new Library Café gave out special offers and free samples between 8 and 11 January. Image: Aaron Galway

Rats on Campus? Florrie Petit Staff Writer

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ecent allegations circulating among students at the University of Sussex suggest a rat problem across campus, particularly in the on-campus accommodation Lewes Court. The Badger interviewed a group of students residing in Lewes Court who confirmed the rat issue in their flat. The problem first came to light in early October

2023 when a student discovered that rats had infiltrated their kitchen, evidenced by chewed plastic bread bags, a trail of breadcrumbs, and rat droppings in kitchen cupboards. Expressing frustration, one student remarked, “I had to throw out all my cereal and pasta. F*** those rats.” Fortunately, financial compensation for the affected food items was successfully claimed from the university. The affected student promptly reported the situation to the Lewes Court

Maintenance Team, who acted swiftly. Within hours of initial contact, a team member addressed the issue by closing up various holes in the kitchen and implementing rat poison. Residents were also advised to refrain from leaving any food out to prevent future occurrences. Despite ongoing efforts by the Lewes Court Maintenance Team throughout the academic year, the students reported that the rat problem persists in their flat. In early December, they contacted the maintenance team once again, expressing concerns about rats being audible in the kitchen and adjacent bedrooms both day and night. Their main concerns revolved around hygiene, deeming the situation “unacceptable as they are vermin and carry diseases,” and expressing uncertainty about the cleanliness of their utensils. Regrettably, the rat presence lingers into 2024, as one student returning for New Year’s Eve celebrations found evidence of rat faeces in the flat. The hope is that the issue can be effectively addressed in the coming year, ensuring a safer and more hygienic living environment for all residents.

The refurbishment is a part of the “Creating a better campus” programme. In a 2022 statement, Vice-Chancellor Sasha Roseneil expressed that the University seeks service providers whose commitments to equality, diversity, and environmental sustainability align with the institutional values. However, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the high-street chain Costa Coffee. According to the Ethical Consumer Magazine, Costa has lobbied against the disposable cup surcharge in the past and has the lowest rating amongst other coffee brands on the ethics score table. In addition, the BBC has reported poor working conditions within the business. Complaints made by employees include managers’ refusal to pay for sickness or annual leave, working outside of contracted hours, and the retention of tips. The company has received the biggest backlash in light of the recent IsraelHamas war. Costa is owned by CocaCola, a company which allegedly supports Israel. A Sussex student has addressed this concern in the comment section of Sussex Uni Food’s Instagram profile, however, the catering partner defended its decision by emphasising that Costa was survey respondents’ “number one choice.”