Town / City Centre Universities - where?

[ClumpingKate]

So I know Oxford and Cambridge, many London unis and Manchester are all city based universities with their buildings on public streets in the centre of town. Anywhere else that largely matches this description?
Failing that, am looking for campuses that are located in the central area, say less than a mile (30 mins walk) from the centre of town.

Where have I missed?

Nottingham Trent and Lincoln are both central , as is Huddersfield should it float your boat as a town!

Glasgow is not central (mentioned above) but it is in the West End which is vibrant.

Should mention NTU only central if you study particular subjects.

Oooh sad, you are the first MNer I have come across with one at Lincoln, like mine ! !

I think quite a few students find a campus boring at the weekends. It would not have sorted my DD who loves city life but I think my DS who is a little less independent would find a campus an easier transition.

St Andrews, Dundee , Aberdeen ,Edinburgh

DD is a city girl through and through and really does not like the idea of being out in the sticks.

Right, well that has completely changed the criteria.

Lots of Universities aren't within a mile to 30mins walk of the City Centre, but they aren't 'out in the sticks' by any means.

Birmingham is a great example. It is on a beautiful campus in an area about 2 miles from the City Centre. There is a train station actually called 'university' which is 2 stops from the centre. It is on numerous bus routes. Then one of the biggest 'clubbing' areas is a road called Broad Street which goes for just under a mile between the City Centre and about a mile from the university. However, because the University is where it is, there are a lot of pubs and eateries all around Selly Oak, as that is the area most students live (once out of halls). Taxis and Ubers don't cost a lot (between two or 3 friends) after a night out, and you can get to all sorts of places to socialise and shop or watch or play sport or go to the theatre or the cinema or whatever it is she wants to do, without going in to the City Centre.

I've just detailed all that as I know Birmingham, but I imagine the same things apply at University Cities the country over.

I think that’s the point really. A lot of students don’t need the city centres. They have facilities nearer to the universities. Except high street shops and department stores.

I was surprised Meadowhall was a destination for vast numbers of university of Sheffield students. It’s quite a journey on the tram to get out there.

I know, but the shopping is better there than it is in the centre of Sheffield, and Ikea is near Meadowhall. There is also Centertainment and Sheffield arena fairly nearby. As I said it may be more Sheffield Hallam students rather than the university of Sheffield, but who knows.

I used to take dd to hospital appointments in Birmingham. The university is 5-10 mins by train from the centre.

There is Chester with buildings in the city centre. Wolverhampton, Manchester, Salford, Exeter (I think)

Chester

Bubbles I think how much you ‘need’ a city centre location depends on personality/ where you were brought up. Dd lived in a semi-rural area so being in a lively city with all the amenities was very attractive.

But what we are trying to point out, ZandathePanda is you can still be part of / live in a lively City, without it being the City Centre.

I live in a big City, with all the amenities to hand, but am actually 6 miles from the centre of that City. If I feel the need to nip into a giant M&S, it is within walking distance though.

But what we are trying to point out, ZandathePanda is you can still be part of / live in a lively City, without it being the City Centre.

Also the OP mentioned Oxford and yes, it is city centre, but if they are looking for busy, big city life they will not find it at Oxford.

Bubbles I think how much you ‘need’ a city centre location depends on personality/ where you were brought up. Dd lived in a semi-rural area so being in a lively city with all the amenities was very attractive.

Those are exactly the same as our circumstances @ZandathePanda. If DD goes out in our nearest city the last train home is just after 10.30, and a taxi is about £40. Our nearest town is 5 miles away, which isn't far in the grand scheme of things, but as a non driving teenager craving the "bright lights" you might as well be on the moon. This is one of the reasons that Newcastle ticked all the right boxes for DD.

Back yes I understand. Where we are it’s an hour on a bus to get to a big city. Buses are irregular and you can add half an hour waiting for one. It’s also an hour, during the day, in a car as parking is a nightmare and costly. It’s a hassle and expensive getting to the cinema/ clubs etc.

Dd wanted to be able to walk to everything.

She didn’t visit Oxford but it sounds like Cambridge (which we did) has the same feel. Although it is in the centre, it didn’t have a ‘city’ feel and was lively and packed but with tourists.

York was walkable but still ‘small’. Leeds walkable but sprawling.

Newcastle in the centre, compact, all the facilities (pubs, clubs, shops, stadiums, theatres, cinemas). And glorious countryside and beaches a hop on the metro/train. Happily, exactly the right course and exactly the right location coincided with each other. Oh and bizarrely she looks out onto fields where cows are grazed (courtesy of the town moor), so no change from home .

Gin ha! Cross-posted! Dd, as expected, loving Newcastle!!!

Zanda DD's room overlooks Leazes Park as well. The view is very pleasing.

Edinburgh- course dependant I guess. Small city though so never far away.

Leeds
Leeds Beckett
Huddersfield
Coventry
Nottingham Trent
York st John

Gin Dh was most impressed she had a view...of the football stadium!

DD isn't the least bit interested in football.

Gin for dinner - I think it cuts both ways. As a Londoner who loves city life my DD was entirely bemused by the thought of going to live in a field.

"As a Londoner who loves city life my DD was entirely bemused by the thought of going to live in a field."

Also the OP mentioned Oxford and yes, it is city centre, but if they are looking for busy, big city life they will not find it at Oxford.

She mentioned Cambridge too. I suppose it's expanded quite a lot with the Science Parks etc but the centre feels to me less like a city with a university in it and more like a university with a town attached. Probably an inaccurate perception, but It does have cows grazing on various of the Greens and the eponymous Coo Fen - which a country girl can easily get to from the engineering dept to eat lunch and watch newly hatched cygnets, apparently.

We live surrounded by fields and woods but 45 mins from London by train. Both of my DDs wanted city universities. What I was trying to say is that being right in the centre isn’t totally necessary. Bristol university isn’t in the shopping centre area, but it has its own ambience and meets the needs of students. If you want clubs, pubs and local shops, they are all there. Plus a big Waitrose and fairly upmarket shopping too such as delis and better clothes shops that like the more attractive, and expensive, part of the city. So, in effect, you have it all.

I would say most city universities such as Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Sheffield really do have it all on the doorstep for students. These are where many students look if they want a city university plus Birmingham as it’s so close. They are clearly different from places like Keele, Bangor, and Aberystwyth that feel remote and small. Lincoln is also a small city and quite remote. Ditto Falmouth. They can hardly be compared to Manchester! It’s horses for courses isn’t it?

Exeter university is on a hill above Exeter. It’s not in the city as it’s campus.

Surely the quality of university matters? One minute we are talking about Cambridge and then Huddersfield and St John York. Not quite the same! Surely course and ranking of university makes a big difference too?