Show Mary Chapman Court a little love

Who needs to live on campus when you’re a five minute walk from a Wetherspoons?

The University recently released a statement suggesting that UEA’s city accommodation, Mary Chapman Court, may not be available for students after 2016.

But before everyone lets out a simultaneous celebratory yell, let’s send a little love MCC’s way.

Situated just outside the city centre, the building looks like any other block of flats. New students realise this when they spend the obligatory thirty minutes circling the adjacent ring road trying to hunt it down.

MCC lurks quietly in the shadows, free from any UEA branding.

Inside isn’t quite as bad as it looks, though. You’ll meet the four other lucky fellows who didn’t make it into their first four choices of accommodation and realise that while the building may look like an abandoned hospital, it’s actually quite cosy.

You’ll never have a cold winter – the rooms are so scolding hot that students spend most of their first night climbing out of kitchen windows to cool down on the concrete outside.

And if you’re lucky enough to live above the fist floor, the balcony will be your second bedroom until the snow hits.

On the topic of heat, uni officials clearly have faith in you. They’ve trusted you with a working oven. That and they’ve provided a helpful gap for the washing machine you will be forced to rent from Hughes, unless dragging bags full of washing to the nearest laundrette (which is on Unthank Road by the way) sounds like an opportunity for free exercise rather than a massive pain.

You learn to love it

Chemistry graduate Patrick Doorley has tonnes of love for his first year home:

“It stops you from being in a contained university bubble and gives you a break from campus.

“We got an oven, smaller, less overcrowded flats and a better location.”

Photo: hannie_spannie

The building is currently leased from Norwich Council by the University. With the lease running out in a couple of years, it’s up to UEA to decide whether or not to renew.

The University recently released a statement saying: “Mary Chapman Court is leased from the City Council and the current lease expires in 2016. No consideration has been given to negotiations to renew or to surrender the lease. It is too early for that.”

Mary Chapman Court is currently the cheapest residence available, and with campus accommodation prices set to rise, losing the building could lead to living costs becoming an even bigger problem for students.