University staff used taxpayer-funded credit cards in strip clubs and sex shops to run up £204million bill in just two years
Northumbria University spent £2,184 as corporate guests at lap-dance club Spearmint Rhino, while Durham had a £2,614 bill from Caesar’s Palace casino in Las Vegas
UNIVERSITY staff used taxpayer-funded credit cards in strip clubs and sex shops in a £204million spree.
Professors and other employees also enjoyed jaunts to Las Vegas and Premier League tickets over two years.
Our Freedom of Information probe comes after lecturers staged a strike over pay, and some students face £38,000-a-year tuition fees.
The 54 institutions which replied — around half the total — got £1.2billion of public cash in 2017/18.
Northumbria spent £2,184 as corporate guests at lap-dance club Spearmint Rhino.
Nottingham had the highest spending on its credit cards, at £19.8million, including £142 on a sex toy site where the university bought condoms for a sexual health campaign.
Liverpool got through £18million. Its staff ate £22,000 of Domino’s Pizza and spent £3,018 at Cheltenham and York races.
Durham splashed out £17million, including a trip to Vegas with a £2,614 bill from Caesar’s Palace casino.
City University staff spent £23,790 in just two pubs.
An employee at Queen Mary, London, even used its card to pay a litter fine.
Universities spent £11,000 at Man Utd, with Loughborough paying £1,260 for tours.
A transaction by Sheffield Hallam for “dating and escort services” was registered under the wrong chip-and-pin category by the merchant, a spokesman said.
Tory Andrew Bridgen blasted: “Universities are now big businesses and appear to have picked up some bad habits.
"They should have to publish these spending records annually.”
TaxPayers’ Alliance boss John O’Connell blasted the spend on top of “enormous” vice-chancellor pay.
He added: “Students will be appalled at how little universities seem to care about their money.”
Northumbria said of the club visit: “The payment was reimbursed promptly and in full, the basis on which the transaction was authorised.”
Nottingham said: “We use cards in our global operation which delivers £1billion to the economy each year.”
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Oxford spent £11million but said it would take too long for a breakdown from 522 cards.
Cambridge has £4.9billion cash reserves but said it would cost too much to give its spend.
Bristol said its answers could distress staff.
Loonyversity spending
Northumbria University Newcastle - £2,184 on 'corporate event' at lapdancing club Spearmint Rhino
City University London - £3,751 at trendy Mayfair nightclub Mahiki, beloved by Wills and Harry
Durham University - £2,614 bill from Caesar’s Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas
The University of Liverpool - £3,018 shelled out at Cheltenham and York racecourses
Loughborough University - £2,875 at Man United's ground Old Trafford
Cardiff University - £3,497 spent on food and drink at Dominos pizza
The Sun Says
IT is scandalous that universities are using students’ and taxpayers’ funds to bankroll trips to strip clubs, casinos and sex shops.
As we reveal today, staff at 54 universities spent £204million in two years on company cards.
University top brass have serious questions to answer.
Students and taxpayers — who fund the majority of universities’ income — will rightly feel outraged at the grotesque details included in our probe.
Universities serve today as get-rich-quick schemes for top staff.
Third-rate colleges charge students the same as Oxford and Cambridge for Mickey Mouse degrees.
Vice-chancellors pocket hundreds of thousands of pounds a year with salaries greater than the Prime Minister’s.
Now it has been revealed staff get jollies on expenses, too.
Meanwhile, the interest rates for students to pay back their £50,000 worth of debt is soon to rise to 6.3 per cent…
Our university funding system is not working in the interests of students.
It needs reforming — and quickly.
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