Students released a petition Sept. 12 expressing their discontent with the appearance of the new Bear’s Lair campus bar and elimination of pub drinking traditions, which existed before the bar was closed for renovation in 2012.

The new bar, which opened as part of the Lower Sproul Redevelopment project, features a redesign of the old Bear’s Lair and a revamped menu. Now known as “The Bear’s Lair Bar and Kitchen,” the establishment has seen notable changes that include a more modernized appearance, the elimination of beer served in pitchers and the absence of the long-held tradition “Beat the Clock.”

Beat the Clock is a former Bear’s Lair drinking custom that would take place every Friday before it closed for renovation. Beginning at 5 p.m., the price of a $6 pitcher of beer would increase by the hour until 9 p.m.

This tradition is featured as one of two outlined in the Change.org petition that students would like to see return to the new Bear’s Lair.

“Beat the Clock is just something associated with the Bear’s Lair back in the day,” said recent campus alumna Cheryl He. “(The bar) is not the same without it.”

The second demand is to restore the use of pitchers to serve beer.

Also included in the online petition is a recognition of the concerns associated with the the increasing trend of alcohol abuse across college campuses.

ASUC Executive Vice President Lavanya Jawaharlal is aware of the petition’s call to restore the old atmosphere and drinking traditions but also said that “the new Bear’s Lair doesn’t encourage the binge drinking that the old bar did.”

Andre Rollins, a bartender at Pappy’s Grill and Sports Bar on Telegraph Avenue — located a block away from the Bear’s Lair — said there are drawbacks to the tradition of Beat the Clock and serving beer in pitchers.

“With two glasses, you need two IDs,” Rollins said. “It’s easier to monitor what’s going on when (alcohol is) not served in pitchers.”

Andrea Zevallos, a campus alumna and signer of the petition, recalls how the environment of the old pub would foster feelings of community among the student body.

“I think that what was special about the Bear’s Lair was that there was a sense of history … it wasn’t the prettiest bar or the fanciest bar, but it felt welcoming to everybody,” Zevallos said.

Alternatively, the new Bear’s Lair has been described by campus senior Devon Washick-Ortega as “sterile and not very warm.”

The bar’s new management could not be reached for comment.

Since it was published online, the petition has acquired more than 800 signatures. Jawaharlal said she intends to present the demands at an ASUC Student Union board meeting next month in order to determine if and how these demands can be met.

Former director of operations of the old Bear’s Lair David Rowe said that for many, working at the Bear’s Lair was one of their first jobs.

“We trained people,” Rowe said. “For a lot of students it was their first beer. It was a really fun time to be there.”

Contact Cassandra Vogel at [email protected].