Students shun bars for cafés and studying

British students are now more likely to be found drinking coffee and taking part in an academic work group than drinking alcohol at their student union, a new study has found.

Beer sales on campuses in the UK have plummeted, the NUS said (Photo: Wiki)

A survey has challenged perceptions of students as work-shy heavy drinkers, showing that they value their union’s academic facilities and cafés more than their bars.

The research by the National Union of Students and Youthsight shows coffee shops and cafés are the most-used student service, with 87% of respondents saying they use them regularly.

The union shop (81%) and academic clubs and societies (78%) were the next most-used services, ahead of bars, which just 74% of the 1,000 undergraduates surveyed said they used regularly.

Sales of beer at unions across the UK have fallen over the last three years, the NUS said, whereas sales of hot drinks are up 11% in the past year.

Richard Brooks, NUS vice president for union development, said student unions have changed drastically in the last decade.

“Ten or 15 years ago people went to university, obviously to learn something but also to make friends and have a good time. A lot of policy-makers think it’s still like when they were at university, but since the introduction of the £9,000-a-year fees regime in 2012 students have become much more focused on employment prospects.

“Today’s students are now much more likely to set up an academic society to provide the academic support that they may feel is lacking on their course.”