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Staff at the University of Central Lancashire are lamenting the loss of a common room where they were able to escape the demands of the day job. The university's Foster lounge offered respite for tired staff, as well as doubling as a venue for events, but it is about to be converted into teaching space. In an internal newsletter, staff were told that the lounge would no longer be available for meetings, conference or other use. A disgruntled academic said: "The vice-chancellor has said he can't justify staff common rooms because space is at a premium, and working patterns have changed as more staff eat and drink at their desk these days. He omitted to add that they eat and drink at their desks because there aren't any common rooms."