The newly renovated top bar of the Engine Shed has been officially relaunched as the Platform bar.

The 500 capacity bar was open to sports and societies members on Monday night, with free food and drink on offer to those first through the door.

Victoria Simpson, the Engine Shed’s events and programme manager told The Linc last May that she wanted the new bar to “feed the Engine Shed with bands coming up”.

She said: “The problem we’ve got is that it’s the Engine Shed and it’s always going to be the Engine Shed. If a band plays a 500 cap in the Engine Shed they can’t say they’ve sold it out and that’s really important to them.”

“If the bands were coming earlier they’d be able to establish their market with the local population, they could build a fan base and then they can come back and know they’ve got that.

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Launch Night review

The Linc‘s reporter Anna Duggal went to review the Platform launch night.

Recently, the University of Lincoln’s Engine Shed has received criticism over disappointing turnouts to their now axed Friday club night ‘Stripped’, struggling to compete with newer, bigger and more popular clubs opening around the city.

But instead of fading into the background quietly, they’ve taken the initiative to adapt and update the venue.

Monday night was the launch of ‘The Platform’ – the former top floor to the venue, which has been separated and re-launched as an independent bar. With its own DJ, relaxed atmosphere and eclectic seating the bar showed great potential.

As I was plied with complimentary cocktails – I recommend ‘The James’ – I spoke to Promotions Manager Oliver Webb about why the Engine Shed has felt the need to change its current layout.

Oliver outlined how they were aware of the growth of competition, with clubs such as Home and Tokyo, who have several rooms and bars to offer and Engine Shed wanted to offer students that too. The initial ideas which Oliver outlined were that The Platform would play alternative music to the club downstairs, offering students somewhere else to go, a place to sit and relax.

Oliver also spoke about his idea to have up-and-coming bands play in The Platform, with a stage and more lighting being installed to enhance this as its own venue. He described it as a “work in progress” but as far as I could see, all of the ideas were there; it is just creating this bar and helping its reputation grow that is needed.

With the Tower Bar acting as more of a pub, The Platform offers a pre-drinks bar before their Fever Pitch Wednesday.

Andreas Zacharia, Vice President Activities, was very positive about the new bar, claiming it would be good for sports and societies to come along as a group, purchase tickets together and be able to all go down into the Engine Shed together, instead of being split up waiting in the queue outside.

“It also saves students having to venture into town for drinks before a night out, to walk all the way back to the Engine Shed,” said Andreas. The Platform can also be booked for groups for birthdays to acquire a ‘complimentary drink’ together before a night out.

Liam Bishop was at the opening with the Cricket society. Liam said that the Engine Shed “needed change” and that this was a successful concept. Most of the students at the event had been invited through sports and societies and Liam agreed that this was maybe because the Engine Shed hoped to recruit them as regular customers. Liam and Ashley Wills – from the same society – said they would probably come regularly.

Overall, the launch of The Platform was a success. The Engine Shed are willing to grow and change their venue to fit their audience and from tonight, the prospects seem positive. I hope that we hear more about events at this new bar and remember to get down there on Wednesday nights for drinks before Fever Pitch. So watch this space.