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Eat Central will now open in September after a small amount of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete - RAAC - was found during the early phases of construction works.

Investigatory work to assess the condition of the RAAC panels and the affected area has been carried out. The affected area will be carefully reinforced using a process similar to that taking place in Falmer House's Mandela Hall.

To ensure the safety of diners and visitors, Eat Central will remain closed while the work is carried out and refurbishment work can resume.

Mark Lawrence, contract director, said: “We hope that the new-look Eat Central will open by mid-September. The revamp will see our main cafe transformed into a multi-use space for day and night with a vibrant food court-style interior that includes flexible seating, a screen and a stage, with a changing roster of local vendors alongside classic favourites. We can’t wait to welcome customers old and new back to Eat Central!”

Where to eat while Eat Central remains closed

There are still loads of options for where to get your foodie fill over the summer. Here’s where you can eat on campus in the coming months:

• The Veg Bowl @ Dhaba will be open 8am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday, and this is where you'll find the Sussex Saver meal at lunchtimes
• Arts Piazza Cafe will be open 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday
• The Atrium Market will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - apart from 2am to 6am on Mondays when it closes for restocking
• Botanical Cafe in Jubilee will be open 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
• Doctor's Orders will be open 8am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, until Friday 21 June. It will reopen on 2 September.
• Falmer Bar will be open noon to 10pm, Monday to Friday (food served until 7pm) – and if you’re looking for somewhere to watch live UEFA Euro 2024 football matches then Falmer Bar will be open while games take place on the weekend
• IDS Bar & Kitchen will be open 8am to 9pm, Monday to Friday, and the Sussex Innovation Centre (SINC) Cafe is open 8.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.

The closure also means that the Uni Food Hub delivery app will be out of action over the summer.

Read more about opening hours during the holidays on our website.

Taking care of our buildings and our campus community

During the initial construction work to redevelop Eat Central, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found in a small area that is used for dishwashing. We are currently tendering for a contractor to undertake the necessary work, which we hope will start shortly.

Restoration work is also currently underway in Falmer House, a Grade I-listed building of exceptional national, architectural, and historical importance, where RAAC was found to have been used in the construction of Mandela Hall.

You can read more about RAAC on our website.

What to expect when Eat Central reopens

In our consultation on catering held at the end of 2022, both students and staff made it clear that they wanted more choice, especially with more international food, without compromising on great value.

The new-look Eat Central has been designed to reflect the way we want to eat different things but together, with brand new counters where diners can place orders for their preferred foods. The first section will offer more traditional meals, as well as the Sussex Saver meal, while the second kiosk can switch between hot and cold counters for everything from on-trend salads to made-in-house pizzas and pasta.

The third will offer all your Asian favourites, including Bamboo and Baba Thali, while the fourth counter will centre on tasty street food options like bao buns, dirty fries and House of Cluck fried chicken.

The whole redesign has an environmentally sustainable ethos at its heart: the worktops are made of recycled offcuts, for example, while the fabric on the seating is made entirely from recycled bottles.

If you have any comments or questions, please email bettercampus@sussex.ac.uk

This information is correct at the time of publishing, but please note that all project work is fast-moving, and plans are subject to change. You can stay up to date with the latest on all the latest news in our Viva Engage communities, including: Creating a Better Campus; Food at Sussex; Transforming Sussex; Campus travel and transport

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