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Is Southampton Solent still wild?

11 replies

PoliteBee · 06/06/2026 16:10

I went to Southampton Solent late last century when it was called Southampton Instute. I witnessed some wild behaviour during my time there in Lucia Foster Welch halls.

A student stole a pizza delivery moped and rode it through the streets before dumping it half in the halls lift.

Someone shot a window with an air pistol.

In my corridor someone stubbed a cigar out on a smoke detector meaning the whole block was evacuated.

A fruit machine was taken from a pub, taken up to the seventh floor before being dropped down the stair well to break it open.

A student smashed a seventh floor window with a fire extinguisher. The window was completely smashed with the fire extinguisher on the ground.

There was an incident where a fire extinguisher was thrown from a window at a security guard. They missed.

A student was arrested. It took four police officers to get him into a police van. He didn't go quietly.

A student set fire to a noticeboard by the front door.

I knew someone who was in a fight so serious that the other man was convicted and my friend received compensation. He was also in another pub fight.

A kitchen was smashed up, ten cupboard doors were ripped off and thrown out of a second floor window.

Fire alarms went off at least once a month.

Undercover police pretending to be painters to track down drug dealers.

Someone disappeared, a month later we heard that he was in prison for stealing a car.

Outside halls, I knew someone whose student boyfriend went to prison for breaching a restraining order and smashing up her flat.

There seemed to be more rowdy people. The student union was noisy and smoky compared to the one at Southampton University.

The thing is that I'm just average popularity. I wonder what other things went on?
Is it still the same, thirty years on? Let me know.

OP posts:
titchy · 06/06/2026 17:50

Yes all universities are exactly the same as they were 30 years ago. Oxford and Cambridge are full of people drinking half pints of mild before they have a fun packed evening playing D&D. At Sussex they’re all permanently stoned out of their brain. Hmm

MeAndMyGhost · 06/06/2026 17:57

I always thought Lucia Foster was a bit more 'upmarket' than the Deanery, which is where I stayed!

FictionalCharacter · 06/06/2026 18:08

That's criminal behaviour, not "wild,".

silenceinthemind · 06/06/2026 18:10

Last time I looked at it it no longer had a student union bar! so I doubt it.

cisisaslur · 06/06/2026 18:19

It’s really lovely now. All modern. And great teaching

AHalfling · 06/06/2026 18:21

I have quite a few friends who are Solent graduates (mid 40s and under) and they all seem to have excellent careers.

PoliteBee · 06/06/2026 18:38

AHalfling · 06/06/2026 18:21

I have quite a few friends who are Solent graduates (mid 40s and under) and they all seem to have excellent careers.

My degree has opened lots of doors. All my course have done well.

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MeetMeOnTheCorner · 06/06/2026 18:46

@PoliteBee And what about now? Are all grads high flyers now with grad unemployment being what it is?

Lemonfrost · 06/06/2026 18:46

I spent a lot of time in Lucia Foster during 1996 - 1997 and it was nothing like your description. Yes, there was drunken behaviour but no blatant criminality!

PoliteBee · 06/06/2026 20:04

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 06/06/2026 18:46

@PoliteBee And what about now? Are all grads high flyers now with grad unemployment being what it is?

I don't know. I left Southampton in 2000.

OP posts:
PoliteBee · 06/06/2026 20:14

Lemonfrost · 06/06/2026 18:46

I spent a lot of time in Lucia Foster during 1996 - 1997 and it was nothing like your description. Yes, there was drunken behaviour but no blatant criminality!

I lived in Dahlia House where the moped and kitchen damage incidents happened. The other things at other houses at LFW. The tall block nearest the docks had lots of false fire alarms.

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