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Students end boycott of campus cafe

Buzz Off: Student Council Vice President Stephen Lightbourne ( left) and President Antonio Belvedere sit outside Buzz cafe on the Bermuda College campus. Students had boycatted the cafe over prices, but an agreement has now been reached. ( Photo by Glenn Tucke)

Bermuda College students called off their mass boycott of the Buzz campus cafe yesterday after reaching an agreement with the venue’s management.The campaign prompted Buzz to offer an Island-wide student discount from Monday onwards, according to a student leader.The boycott kicked off on Monday, amid complaints from students that it costs $12 to $15 just to get a panini and soda following a recent price-hike at the cafe.They called on Buzz to offer more specials and discounts, and managers met with the college authorities and students yesterday morning to discuss the issue. Buzz operates a string of cafes across the Island, and is in the second year of a two-year contract with the college.Stephen Lightbourne, vice president of the student council, said the meeting resulted in Buzz offering a ten percent discount to students at the college yesterday and today as a goodwill gesture.He said from Monday onwards: “Buzz has offered to give a five percent discount to students at all their venues, all the way up to college students. If you present your ID or are in school uniform you get five percent off at any Buzz. They have a proposal with more affordable prices (for the college cafe) and we are going over that between tonight and tomorrow to try to work something out.”Holger Eiselt, managing director of Buzz, wrote on The Royal Gazette’s Facebook page yesterday: “We had a successful meeting with the representatives of the student union and the college management this morning. We understand the students’ frustration since it is hard times for everybody in Bermuda. The boycott has officially ended at 12 noon today.”He declined to comment further but said he would provide more information on Monday afternoon.