In a bid to counter the trend for falling alcoholic drink sales in Student Union bars across the UK, Worcester University’s SU bar has partnered with social gaming brand Shufl to offer shuffleboard.
As reported in The Independent, a recent National Union of Students report revealed that the demand for alcohol-free university events is on the rise as more than one in five students say they are teetotal.
“The start of the new academic year saw two SU bars close at universities across the country and these are being replaced with café style spaces,” said Megan Price, vice president education at Worcester SU.
“We want to maintain an attractive bar offer for our students and respond proactively to the ongoing shift in drinking habits. As well as having non-alcoholic drinks initiatives, we are introducing new competitive socialising activities like shuffleboard. It’s all about giving our students a memorable experience and another reason to visit us.”
Worcester SU has opted for a full-size, 22ft championship-grade, Texan maple wood Shufl table, which takes pride of place in its Hangar bar. There are plans for university societies to compete against each other and for courses to organise teams and play inter-department tournaments.
Worcester SU’s president, Harry Lonsdale, said: “Shuffleboard is a really inclusive game. It appeals to everyone regardless of whether you’ve played before or not, are able-bodied or disabled. It also creates a real buzz in the bar.”
“We’re seeing an increase in preference for less alcohol-centric, more experience-led nights out for Gen Zs and millennials,” said Shufl marketing manager Sam Catford. “Leisure operators are having to rethink their offer to cater for the next-generation customer and this is driving a rapid rise in take-up of our Shufl social gaming experience.”
