Students to pay for use of GMB pool tables

The pool tables are jointly run by the Philosophy and The Historical Society

tcdhist.com

The Philosophical Society (The Phil) have started to charge for the use of the Graduates Memorial Building (GMB) pool tables. Previously the pool tables, located on the third floor in the games room, were free to be used by all Trinity Students.  

The pool tables have been free in recent years, however a decision made by the Phil will see the students paying to use the pool tables. The pool tables will now be coin operated, and students will pay one euro per use. The money  raised will go towards the initial cost of the tables and the refurbishment of them.

Speaking to Trinity News, Ciara O’ Leary ,Treasure of the Phil said that the reason the decision has been made to charge for the use of the pool tables is because “previously we were paying approx 300 euro per table to refelt them every two years”.  O’ Leary also added that the charge will “discourage people who aren’t in trinity from availing of free people in the centre of town”. The society found that people who are not in Trinity using the pool tables was a big problem last year as “there’s no direct way to ensure only Trinity students use the tables”. However, since the society has started to charge for the pool tables they have already “had way less issues kicking non-trinity people out of the pool rooms”.

The pool tables are jointly run by the Phil and The Historical Society (The Hist). Speaking to Trinity News, Paul Molloy, Auditor of The Hist, said he was unaware about the new price charge for the pool tables. Molloy also stated that the society was not consulted on the decision to begin charging for the use of the pool tables.

Additional reporting by Aisling Grace. 

Sarah Meehan

Sarah is a 2nd year German and Economics student.