After just five months of business, the AMS’s controversial Perch restaurant is shutting its doors today.

“If you had a chance to eat at the Perch, you know the food and the service was incredible,” AMS President Aaron Bailey said in an emailed statement this afternoon. “We had some very talented people working to create a truly unique dining experience; unfortunately the restaurant in its current form was not financially viable going forward.”

In practical terms, “we decided it would be best to save money on the space and re-pivot it into something different,” Bailey told The Ubyssey.

Perch was an upscale dining restaurant located in the Nest, with prices averaging around $20 to $30 for one person. Rumours about its poor financial performance have been swirling ever since the start of second term.

According to the statement, the AMS is considering options on how best to utilize the prime location of Perch “and will be working to engage students in that process. In the interim, the space will be used as a student lounge and bookable room.”

“It’s not the first time that we’ve closed a business in response to the changing landscape, the student perspective of what they’re looking for, economic realities,” said Bailey. “I think it speaks to the adaptability of the society and understanding what students are looking for and what they need, and that informs all our business decisions.”

As for the employees of Perch, “the AMS is working hard to find positions for Perch staff at other locations within the society, if they are interested. No other businesses at the AMS are at risk of closure,” said the statement.
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