UK’s first university-owned Wetherspoons to open in May
The University of Surrey will become the first university in the United Kingdom to own and operate a Wetherspoon pub.
The new Sir Ronald Wates pub is set to open at the university’s Stag Hill campus in May 2026, and will be operated as a full JD Wetherspoon pub, franchised by the university.
While there are Wetherspoon pubs in Hull and Newcastle that are run by student unions, the University of Surrey said this is the first time a university will own and operate a franchise under this model.
The new pub is named after Sir Ronald Wates, whose family funded the original building on the campus.
Students and staff at the university will be able to order breakfast from £4.99 and a burger with a drink for under £10, and the pub will also be open to visitors and the local community.
The venue was closed in December for refurbishment, and staff working in the old Wates House bar, as it was previously known, have been retained and will be trained to work under the Wetherspoon model.
“We wanted to give our community a pub-style venue that could offer genuine value for money alongside quality,” said University of Surrey COO Will Davies.
“Wetherspoon’s model means students can get a full breakfast for less than five pounds.”
“The Wetherspoon franchise gives us their pricing power and supply chain efficiency whilst allowing us to offer a great experience for our students and staff,” he said.
