Lancaster..what's it like?

[shadypines]

I realise I can't go for a while so in the meantime what do other MNetters think of this city? Is it pleasant to the eye, relatively clean, many galleries, museums? Thanks for any info.

I've read that of all unis in the U.K., Lancaster is the one where the highest proportion of students choose to stay in the area after graduating.

Unfortunately this means very poor employment prospects locally!

Lived in Lancaster for nearly 4 years now. Love it. Very pretty and has a good selection of shops. It's very marmite though, some people hate it because it's so small and doesn't have much to do.

Lancaster is the one where the highest proportion of students choose to stay in the area after graduating

It's the Pendle witches' curse - if you lose your heart to the town, you'll always come back.

Sheffield is similar, many people stay in the area after graduating, thankfully the size means employment isn't so much of a problem as in Lancaster.
Is Lancaster still popular for teacher training?

Lancaster Uni doesn't do teacher training anymore. University of Cumbria Lancaster Campus on the St Martins site does however "teach direct" has had an impact on numbers.

Really hope we still get Eden!

Yeah, Lancaster has been in decline a bit. Morecambe in the other hand is on the up!

And it's only rained once in the last 12 days!

In the past some 'Lancaster' degrees, inc teacher training were at Edge Hill which is now a separate university.

Morecambe in the other hand is on the up!

This I find impossible to believe. Morecambe is one of the grimmest UK seaside towns. And the competition is stiff. Is the Art Deco Midland Hotel still standing? What is 'Eden?'

Clearly you haven't been in a very long time @bovaryx. The Midland was refurbed and reopened about 11 years ago now. You can Google Eden North and see what's planned there.

Urban Splash did a huge refit and upgrade of the Midland Hotel some years ago.

I was a student there in the 1980s and loved it, there were lots of independent shops, cafes and restaurants. It definitely had a hippy vibe and I’ve never been fitter with all those hills. Met dh there and when we revisited two years ago we were quite saddened by how the centre had gone down, it felt rather depressing. I still love it because of the wonderful memories but I’m not sure I could live there again.

Tbf I think for Morecambe the only direction of change was up. The prom is nice to walk and cycle on. But (as someone who grew up by the sea and adores sea swimming) the whole of the Lancashire coast afaik is useless for that.

Errol
I haven't been to Lancaster for four years but on my last trip, I went to Morecambe. It was really grim, it has been in decline for decades, but it was quite shocking to see the state of it. Sad.

The Midland is very popular and usually booked up! Vintage festival is particularly manic (DH and DS politely declined last year but I took DD).

The rest of the prom is only very slowly getting to be even slightly nice. There are a few cafes we go to and the DCs like some of the play areas.

The Midland is very popular and usually booked up

Really pleased to hear that. I remember what a beautiful building it was and its stunning views across the bay. Great that it's doing well.

Lancaster has been in decline a bit. Morecambe in the other hand is on the up!

Really? I mean, really ?

I'd be the first to say that Morecambe has the potential to be the Brighton of the north - amazing gorgeous houses, that view across the bay, and an hour to Manchester, but on the up at the moment - really???

Last time I was there it was the same as ever - sort of run-down poverty and respectability all rolled up together.

Errol- I lived on the Fylde coast as a child and swam in the sea every day- even Christmas Day!

I'd really like to know where on the fylde coast that was! or did you have to do it at high tide to avoid walking over a huge expanse of beach and then wading goodness knows how far to get in above your knees? (fleetwood looked like it might be possible...)

Yeah, I stand by it. The midland was done up years ago and is really popular. The last few years have seen fantastic festivals most weekends throughout the summer, the promenade has had a full refurb, happy mount park is packed every sunny day there is. The nightlife and restaurants have come on leaps and bounds.

Obviously there are still pockets of deprivation, that will take a long time to change in any town. Seaside towns took a particular bashing.

The Eden Project clearly see something you don't. But to ask if the midland is "still standing" shoes that you didn't pay much attention 4 years ago!

You should come back during festival season with fresh eyes!

Shows. Not shoes!

Entertainment in general has improved, the old bowling alley is gone and has been replaced with a new one, Vista soul bowl, we've got a trampoline park. Heysham is lovely as ever, again with added festivals.

Lots of nice restaurants and other refurbs such as the Morecambe hotel.

Plenty of activity in the press with ITV filming the Bay and obviously Mr Fury....

And Errol....check out the Morecambe sea swimming club!

They were out today 😂

I hope they weren't! When we saw them at New Year it was a social distancing nightmare!

We are too far to walk to the beach and my bike is being repaired but when it's back we'll go down and see what they are up to (from a good distance).