Bedder and Breakfast

The credit crunch has come to Cambridge with Colleges soon to start moonlighting as Bed and Breakfasts for tourists.

christs Clare Corpus Christi downing murray edwards Robinson Sidney Sussex St Catharine's tourists

The credit crunch has come to Cambridge with Colleges soon to start moonlighting as Bed and Breakfasts.

Historically, only conference attendees and guests of college members could book accommodation in Cambridge’s Colleges.

However, a new service, co-ordinated by ‘Conference Cambridge’ has seen nine colleges open their doors to the general public.

The scheme, launching this Easter, is expected to be popular among tourists seeking the ‘authentic’ Cambridge experience.

Holidaymakers will be able to book College rooms on a Bed and Breakfast basis starting from the reasonable rate of £60 per night. In most cases, breakfast will be served in Buttery.

Christs’, Churchill, Clare, Corpus, Downing, Murray Edwards, Robinson, Sidney and St Catharine's Colleges have all signed up to the scheme.

Each College is pinpointed on a map and given a star rating on the booking website to help prospective visitors select a residence.

Currently Downing rates most highly, with a full 5 stars, neatly pipping Christ’s 4 ½. 

Visitors will have access to most College facilities including gyms, sports courts and broadband internet. This, added to the central location of most rooms, is expected to make the scheme very popular.

Accommodation in central Cambridge hotels starts from upwards of £100 per night on a B&B basis.

With Cambridge undergraduates in residence for less than half of each year, there has been pressure on some Colleges to use their accommodation more efficiently

It is hoped that increased occupancy will enable Colleges to keep rent prices down for students, helping tackle the rising costs of University life.

However, some students have expressed their concern that they will be forced from their rooms even earlier for College to start collecting premium rents from tourists.

Jemma Kehoe, a 1st near Nat Sci at Catz told The Tab: ‘It’s a nice idea as long as it doesn’t mean that the few days before and after term free from the rigours of lectures, supervisions and exams are cut even shorter.’

Presently many Colleges already end residence mid-way through May Week.

However Universities nationwide, including Oxford, have offered rooms to tourists for some time.

Imminent Government spending cuts have left higher education institutions forced to explore alternative avenues of fundraising.

The B&B scheme is expected to provide the University with a lucrative source of income.

With some of the oldest Colleges participating, it is hoped that the profits will also go towards upkeep of the historic buildings that play a large part in making Cambridge such a popular destination for tourists.