It’s official: No house parties in Southampton from September

We all knew it was coming


House parties will not be allowed in Southampton when students return to university in September.

The university has confirmed to The Soton Tab that they will be strongly discouraging large groups from socialising. There will also be temperature checks and hand sanitiser dispensers located in buildings on campus.

The university confirmed that it would be reopening in September and that they were working to find a plan to ensure a safe environment for students.

Students will be unable to have large gatherings

Firstly, the university strongly encourages both students and staff to adhere to government guidelines on gatherings by “discouraging large groups from meeting/socialising”. Therefore, freshers’ and other social events at university may look very different this year.

Social distancing will be a key priority to minimise contact and ensure a safe environment. Additional standard measures will be in place, like wearing a mask both on and off campuses.

In response to whether house parties would be banned, a University of Southampton spokesperson said: “Everyone has a responsibility to look after themselves and others” and reiterated that the university would discourage large groups from meeting.

What precautions will be taken at the university?

To establish a COVID-secure system, the uni will practice a range of precautions including one-way flows and directional signage, temperature checking, hand sanitiser dispensers in every building, extensive daily campus cleaning, and self-isolation if symptomatic whilst ensuring the university is informed accordingly.

How will lectures and seminars take place?

Whilst all teaching was moved online last term,  plans regarding teaching for the new academic year aren’t yet set in stone, although there are suitable arrangements in place. The new norm will entail a “blend of face-to-face and active online learning with a reduction in class sizes” with “larger lectures happening online”.

If you were to repeatedly flout the safety regulations, the university “may ask anyone to leave a teaching session, a building or campus”.

What are the plans with Halls?

For newcomers, or just those making a return to halls of residences, a few changes should be expected. There will be “careful management of the arrivals period and early access to halls”, “increased touchpoint and communal cleaning” and finally, “initial cleaning packs and online training videos” will be provided.

For those staying in University-managed accommodation, the rules mainly overlap with halls but with a few additional measures to adhere to. The uni is planning on “restricting numbers in communal areas”, “enforcing the wearing of face coverings in all communal areas”, “face-to-face interactions to be kept to a minimum” and “increased frequency of cleaning in all areas, and hand sanitizer provided at all entrances”.

This is all we know so far but it’s definitely given us a sense of direction in terms of the university plans considering this time of uncertainty.

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