Tue 21st Jan 2014 - Stonegate opens next generation student pubs Stonegate opens next generation student pubs: Stonegate Pub Company is opening two next generation student Scream pubs in Sheffield and Leeds this week under the internal banner of Common Room after the successful opening of a first site in Southfields, Middleborough at the end of last year. The pubs offer a wide choice of the latest in craft beers, super-fast broadband connections, interactive digital entertainment amid a host of student friendly offers. Pubs offer a coffee shop style grab-and-go counter serving tea, coffee and snacks from 8am to eat in or take-away. The pubs, which aim to change the face of student pub-going, will open as brighter, lighter, contemporary environments offering ‘quality and generosity at every turn’. The free super-fast broadband will be available with places to work from and a complimentary Wi-Fi-linked printer will be on hand for printing off last-minute documents. An abundance of plugs and USB connections are fitted to tables for easy phone and computer charging. The food and drink offer aims to offer choice, quality and value. The main menu offers burgers and hot dogs, loaded with chilli, plus favourites mac & cheese or fish & chips. There’s also bacon sandwiches, tray-baked cakes and sharer trays. Super hot sauces are offered alongside more traditional ones to accompany any dish. There’s a choice of five regularly rotating craft beers on tap and customers can try three at once with third pint taster trays or alternatively share a two or three pint flagon with friends. To reward regular customers, the pubs will be launching a new loyalty card scheme with points for purchases or for just being social, posting about the pub on Twitter or logging onto its Facebook page. The layout of the pubs will be geared for eating, drinking, playing, relaxing and working with flexible furniture that can be moved around to accommodate big group seating. There will be areas with large trestle-style tables as well as comfortable armchairs for lounging. Flexible cinema font lettering gives the pub team the choice of changing messaging around the pub. Pin boards dotted around the pub and a giant floor-to-ceiling blackboard highlight the latest sports games to be shown across the screens, display the pub’s favourite Tweet of the day or invite customers to vote in the poll of the day or pop messages on post-it notes to stick on the walls. There’s a dedicated games area with a pool table and board games whilst giant drop down screens as well as smaller TV screens are dotted around the pub. The venues also feature ‘Secret DJ’, a brand new interactive jukebox system that allows the customer to digitally select a track from their phone or instantly download a song they’ve just heard. A spokesman said: “Our customers are busy people living life at a fast pace. By introducing conveniences that make modern day life simpler we can be that one-stop shop for our customers. Somewhere where they can kick back and relax but also where they know they can print off some research or check emails whilst grabbing a bacon sandwich on the way to college or work. Our ethos is to be generous in everything we do, from the food and drink we serve to the entertainment or facilities we offer.”