Bangor University will demolish closed-down chemistry tower

The 11-storey building at the centre of Bangor University, UK, that once housed its chemistry department is scheduled for demolition. Three years ago, the university decided to end its chemistry courses and research activities as a cost-cutting measure, despite the chemistry community’s overwhelmingly negative response to the proposal.

The institution’s decision was based on dramatically falling student numbers since 2015 which it said had suffered due to competition with Russell Group universities in England. Closing the chemistry department including making its 18 staff redundant would save the university more than £1.4 million over three years, it calculated.