Unsafe University Hall of Residence- Sheffield

[Alison111]

Hi,

My daughter has been living in The Elements student accommodation in Sheffield. Whilst the accommodation is lovely and new, the local area is completely unsafe for teenagers. During her 5 months there she has witnessed a terrible assault where a young man got his head stamped on and he was completely battered, blatant drug dealing which I too as a parent have witnessed and her flat mate getting assaulted because he is gay, then today 24/01/20 there was a shooting on Bramall Lane, check out local Sheffield news. I have asked the University and owners/managers of The Elements on several occasions to improve security for students, but so far this hasn’t happened. FYI - this also effects The Forge which is next door to The Elements.

Is it the campus or the area that's not good?
From your post it sounds like the area.
Not sure what the uni can do about the area apart from liaise with the police but I'm sure police know about areas with more crime
Where I was at uni there was a few incidents in the last year too.
Although of course it could just be a bad spate

Unsafe University accommodation

Sheffield is quite a safe city compared to most.

Did all incidents happen in the university accommodation?

Halls are lovely, surrounding area is terrifying. I have reported all incidents to the University, the accommodation managers and the police, no one seems interested.

How is the accommodation unsafe? What would you like to see being done?

No, but immediately outside. The violent attack could be seen from many windows in The Elements and The Forge

The Uni can't do anything about the area.
Did these things happen inside halls?

I believe no students should be housed in this area of the city. Plus for the remainder of the academic year, these student need added security and secure transport back to their accommodation.

Oh come on, secure transport? It's Sheffield, not Gaza!

The London Road area is quite seedy and feels unsafe to me. I can understand your concerns. Is there an option for your daughter to move halls?

Didn't she have a choice of halls? I really don't see what you expect the university to do about problems outside campus?

You emailed about incidents in the area not the halls? What do you expect them to do? Miraculously produce a new building? Has the building a secure entrance?

Best year of my life living in the forge.
Love sheffield such a better city than some I've lived in.
Attacks can happen anywhere.

The incidents happened in the vicinity, not inside the halls. They can hardly just produce a new building to warehouse all the students. And as for expecting them to have secured transport to their accommodation...

Is your daughter under 18?

Secure transport?? What like an armoured bus from halls to uni and back? Like a sequestered jury? Have a listen to yourself, you sound loopy 🙄

My DS has been living in the Bramall Lane area of Sheffield for 3 years now, entirely without incident.
There is no need for secure transport from the university, which is just down the road.

If your DD wants to move, I expect she can find alternative accommodation herself.

Yes I know the area and wouldn't want to live there. It's not the uni's issue though.

Suggest you move your DD to one of the ones in Broomhill/Ecclesall. Where are most of her classes?

If your daughter feels unsafe, then she could get taxis to and from halls?

Or there is the women's bus run by the student union that drops female students to their door. This service was the top result when I googled Sheffield Student Minibus, so saying the university isn't interested doesn't really ring true OP.

Obviously I appreciate that city centre violence can happen. I now know that the reason Sheffield Hallam have built The Elements and The Forge student accommodation next to Bramall Lane is because it’s cheap and unsafe and as such people do not want to live there. It is not a slant in the city of Sheffield, both my brother & sister had fab Uni times at Sheffield, just not in this area.

20 years ago when I was a student it wasn't a safe area. I was mugged and beaten on London Road. Would have hoped it had improved by now but maybe not by the sounds of it. I worked there but we lived off Eccleshall Rd, no problems there it felt very safe.
I still have very fond memories of Sheffield despite that incident!

I'm guessing most people on this thread don't have Freshers. OP . I'm guessing the university didn't have to build in this area. Would the woman's bus be any good (doesn't help the gay flatmate - is there a mixed bus?).

If your daughter isn't happy there I presume she is capable of researching alternative options.

I know that area and wouldn't want to walk around it on my own at night. How long is she committed to the accommodation for?

Well she’s free to leave if she wants to. No ones forcing her to stay.

I don’t understand what the university can do about the area they’re based in. That area does have a reputation, but surely you/your daughter researched it before she went there?