Farewell Ramsay, UCL’s most notorious halls

For some, the month before university starts is a time for fun, for travel and volunteering, or even just spending time with family and friends. This September however, UCL students bear witness to a tragedy as the infamous and much-loved Ramsay Hall closes its doors for major refurbishment.

It is due to re-open in 2019, but it will never be the same – and so, I ask you to join me in a final farewell by taking a look at what Ramsay has meant for so many of us.

We are mourning the loss not just of a mid-century modern piece of architecture, but also the symbol of an era. Ramsay’s motherly embrace has touched the lives of students past and present, from Coldplay, to that weird guy in London block.

I feel sorry for this September’s freshers who will never have the opportunity to experience the true Ramsay. And so for those who have partaken and endured this incredible (albeit harrowing) time in their UCL career, and for those who will never experience it, this is a eulogy to Ramsay Hall.

Pres at Ramsay were the only thing that made you proud of your halls

It’s 9:30pm. You want to get to the club before midnight but turning up sober isn’t an option. Fear not, for Ramsay’s Common Room is the perfect location for getting plastered with your best pals. Armed only with own brand booze and some bangers played on a portable speaker, you become part of the intoxicated mass that is Ramsay Prinks. You’ll be throwing bottles, dancing on the pool table and chatting up the hottest people you can find in no time. May the ghosts of these long forgotten days roam the abandoned halls freely.

Ramsay was practically a nature reserve

Although Camden student accommodation may boast a record for most cockroaches per square meter (looking at you Max Rayne), Ramsay’s ecological environment is the pride of Fitzrovia. Whether it was welcoming local foxes into your room, finding rats in the bins or peeing in your sink to reduce flush water waste, Ramsay Hall was the envy of Greenpeace.

And that's not even mentioning the wonders that were Ramsay Hall bathrooms

Despite some residents being unable to distinguish the lifts from the toilets upon arrival, by term two the bathrooms are finally put into use with a whopping 60% spray accuracy. Though the plumbing has stayed largely the same since the 1950s, severe blockages only occurred on average 3 times a week. And who can forget the magic of Ramsay’s cleaning team. No matter what shocking state the place was left in, come 10am the following day, all trace of the previous night’s shenanigans will have disappeared. You will all be truly missed.

Classic Ramsay

If it's good enough for Coldplay…

Ramsay’s plastic lino floors, having remained unchanged since 1996 have witnessed the adventure of a lifetime as the legendary group met in Fitzrovia’s very own ‘Paradise.’

Coldplay’s lead guitarist has recalled the “wild” nature of the halls, mentioning the first time he met his future band mate Will, “he always used to be drunk.” And yet Ramsay and its alcoholism proved an ideal place to form lifelong friendships and one of the UK's most famous music acts.

So next time you find yourself singing along to ‘The Scientist’ remember Ramsay and its eternal parting gift.

Real talk though, Ramsay was the best

What made Ramsay truly unique was the way it allowed people to connect. Whether this was simultaneously taking a shower next to three other dudes or having a quick smoke outside the lobby with your closest mates there was an inescapable sense of togetherness.

I tip my hat to the end of an era full of filth, bants and intense partying, the likes of which Fitzrovia may never see again. And as Mr Chris Martin once said, ‘lights will guide you home’, a home whose memory will be re-lived infinitely in every sesh attended by a true Ramsay resident.

RIP Ramsay Hall, 1951-2018. Gone but never forgotten.