Of course, such enterprise is to be expected; the College has to generate extra revenue somehow if it is to meet all its costs. But to what lengths are they prepared to go to achieve this? A number of students would argue that the increasing corporatisation of the college is creating an unfriendly, impersonal and vacuous atmosphere.

However, this narrative has recently taken a nastier twist, one which has brought the Jesus College staff into the mix. Recently appointed catering managers have left staff feeling bullied and harassed in their pursuit of an impassive standard of service, presumably only for their non-student customers. Many members of staff, some of whom have worked at the College for over a decade, recently quit their jobs due to the increasingly unfriendly environment they have found themselves working in.

I spoke to Sara, who was, until a few weeks ago, a member of the catering staff. She told me that she was prepared to share an account of her recent treatment by the College, as well as the experiences of some of her co-workers.

Sara first talked to me about Theresa, who, after 12 years of service for the College, left last month. According to Sara, this was due to the harassment she received by the new managers, which started to make work unbearable. “She was continually watched over as she worked, receiving criticism about her appearance and how she interacted with the customers.” Giving an example, Sara told me, “Theresa never wore make-up in her life. When the new management took over, they asked her to start wearing it and to make more of an effort with her appearance.” Furthermore, “For 12 years she wore trousers to work, and had never worn a skirt. But one day they insisted she start wearing one to make herself look better. It upset her tremendously.”