It has emerged the debt-ridden University of Kent has splashed out £20,000 on a canopy just weeks after it was revealed it is paying £7,000 a month for an empty bar.

Students at the Medway campus have been left unimpressed with the newly-built shelter - labelling it “worthless” and a “waste of money”.

The spending comes as bosses at the cash-strapped university move to make more staff members redundant as they battle to save almost £20 million.

They announced a new round of redundancies in January as they face crippling loans and falling learner numbers.

The canopy was erected in the last month outside the Medway Building and took two weeks to build, including resurfacing work.

A university spokesman said: “This is part of our regular reinvestment in facilities across our campuses, informed by staff and student feedback.”

He added it will act as a “new gathering and social space” and a “focal point and all-weather option for outdoor events”.

However, students, who pay at least £9,535 a year in tuition fees, were surprised when questioned by KentOnline about the structure and its cost.

Aasham Gilbert, 23, who is studying a master’s degree in food innovation, said he thought it cost between £50 and £60.

“It couldn’t have cost £20,000. It should not have been spent on a worthless thing,” he said.

“It can be built very easily with a little amount of money. With £20,000 we can make a very big contribution elsewhere.

“I will not use it. Definitely not.”

Fellow learner Amirah Mughal, 19, who is in the first year of her pharmaceutical science course, thought it would have cost £300 to build.

She said: “I would only use it if it’s raining.

“[It should have been spent] on something within the uni, within the courses, like technology, textbooks, something practical that students will benefit from.

“I don’t think a canopy is beneficial for students.”

Madhu Pravallika, who is studying for her master’s degree in biotechnology, guessed it cost £1,000 to build.

“I am shocked it cost that much looking at it,” the 21-year-old said. “That money could be put into something else.”

Last June, KentOnline revealed the university was planning on introducing more redundancies, while several courses were axed from the curriculum.

Then last month, an email sent to staff said Kent suffered from a shortfall in international recruitment, which was down by 16% this year, and a “fundamental shift in competitiveness” for domestic students.

It stated: “This has a knock-on effect on our income and while we had anticipated this and put measures in place to control costs, the impact of both reduced fee and associated income is far beyond what we can cover without taking steps to address the shortfall.”

Earlier this month, we reported how the university is paying up to £84,000 a year on the vacant Cargo student bar near the Liberty Quays’ halls of residence in Gillingham.

The last pint was pulled in 2019 as bosses felt it was unviable, but they have not been able to get out of a 15-year lease they signed in 2014.

A former staff member, who took redundancy from the university last year, was also unimpressed with the canopy.

They said: “I couldn’t believe it when I heard how much had been spent. I understand the need to provide facilities to students, but I’d question how many will actually use it.

“I’d also question why an organisation would spend such a sum on something like that while making people redundant.”

The spokesman declined to be drawn on the merits of the decision to construct the canopy, or the criticism it has received.