Closing Time At Microsoft's Campus Pub

theodp writes "Just three days before the Spitfire pub was to open on Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices Division campus, TechFlash reports that Microsoft got cold feet and pulled the plug on the project, leaving the bar's owner and his 22 employees in the lurch. 'I am completely stunned and disappointed by the decision,' said now lease-less owner Jonathan Sposato, who's stuck with space built out as a pub, complete with a giant bar, a fireplace, and eight beer taps. (He says it wouldn't be economically viable to refit it as a restaurant.) Microsoft spokesman Lou Gellos confirmed the company's sudden change of heart: 'The goal was always to create a cool gathering place for employees, but to do so in a manner that's consistent with a business environment. We decided we should do something more appropriate, and that meant not having a pub.' The new pub had been in development for more than a year."

Comments

Last Post

[Harmonious Botch]

"The goal was always to create a cool gathering place for employees..." Where? The state unemployment office?

Some of these people "...left other jobs to work in the pub" That was a really sleazy move by MS.

Re:Last Post

[sortius_nod]

Are you retarded? Seriously, beer taps are COMPLETELY different to any other type of tap. They are designed for beer, and beer only. They are designed to keep beer (not juice, soft-drink (or as you Americans would call it pop or soda), or even water cold), reduce froth in beer, etc.

Such a statement is so stupid it's not funny. The guy has obviously spent thousands of dollars fitting out the place to be a bar (fridges, taps, bar, furniture) that to refit to anything else would put him so far out of pocket he'd bankrupt himself.

Not only that, but bar staff are different to wait staff. They are trained to do a different job, at least here in Australia they are. They require an RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certification and need to know what drinks to mix, etc. Meanwhile, wait staff need to know the difference between various dishes, how long they can be left, how to make a decent coffee, etc.

It seems the owner's best avenue would be to sue, but unfortunately MS will fight that until he's broke. So either way, he's fucked 6 ways from Sunday.

MS Screws it's partner. News at 11.

[Forge]

I'm taking bets that this contract dosn't put the cost of this "change of heart", where it rightfuly belongs.

Hurray for the MS Legal teem, once again ensuring that Microsoft can screw it's business partners with impunity.

Re:Bars are a business and a meeting place

[Man On Pink Corner]

My boss got fired after he walked past his secretary and she smelled alcohol on his breath and reported that as sexual harassment. From beer. His friends took him out for his birthday during lunch.

ROFL. OK, let's hear her version of the story now.

Re:Sad reality

[sowth]

I think you are mostly correct in that Mormons weren't the only influence for MS higher ups to drop the pub. However, I don't doubt this guy's story at all. LDS leaders and organized groups in their religion are always trying to establish their religious beliefs as the law of the land. Screw the Constitution I guess, unless it benefits them.

Just look at the California gay marriage issue:

• The Mormon Church Is Leading the Fight Against Gay Marriage in California
• Some Mormon faithful dismayed by church's all-out anti-gay campaign for Prop. 8
• LDS Church expresses disappointment in California gay marriage decision.

Note this is people in Idaho and Utah trying to influence an election in California. I can tell you, if people in California tried to influence an election or legislation in Utah, they'd be going apeshit about it. For the next 10, or perhaps 100 years they'd be whining and complaining to anyone who'd listen that people in California were trying to persecute and oppress them.

I live in Idaho,and just last week, I heard an offensive ad on the radio denouncing some stimulus bill because it relaxes the number of alcohol permits. I wonder who paid for this ad? The ad was claiming alcohol causes "crime" and all sorts absurd crap. Methinks the US has just as many religious zealots as they do in the Middle East. If someone doesn't believe in religious freedom, what are they doing in this country?

Microsoft's new method of delivering evil!

[Anonymous Coward]

You are completely missing the point. According to the story, they contracted with someone to do a lot of work and waited until he was almost finished to tell him they didn't want what he did. No contract terms can change the fact of that being abusive.

Before software was Microsoft's method of delivering evil (in my opinion). Now Microsoft top managers are apparently investigating other delivery methods.