Hundreds of freshers living on abandoned campus – because their halls still aren’t ready

Freshers have been stranded in halls on an abandoned campus due to be demolished – because their appointed halls won’t be built until Christmas. 

Destitute students were dumped onto the deserted St Matthias campus after their new accommodation in Frenchay was delayed by construction problems.

Desolate: students are living in abandoned buildings

The Uni offered freshers rooms in the abandoned St Matthias halls, which had been left vacant ahead of its demolition.

Freshers forced to stay in these bleak rooms are raging. Adrian, 18, studying Law, said: “I was actually very angry. I expected to have accommodation on campus, that’s what is expected from all new students moving into a new area.

“Living here, I don’t have as much chance to get around and meet a lot of people on campus because I’m far out from where I study. It’s very isolated here.”

Adrian is putting on a brave face

To make up for the inconvenience of living a 45 minute walk away from campus, the Uni offered discounted rent and free entry to Freshers’ Week events.

Ghost town: the campus is eerily quiet

Adrian added: “I think the university did enough to comfort us because the rent is so cheap and we get free passes to events and parties. That’s quite nice.

“However, they are very unorganised as we weren’t told where to collect our passes from.

“We went to Glenside and they told us go to Frenchay, we then went to Frenchay and they told us to go to Glenside, so we don’t know.”

Wonder who’s mowing the grass?

Claire, studying Transportation and Planning, said: “I think that it’s very beautiful, it’s nice, it’s peaceful and I really like it over here.

“The halls have all the facilities despite it being abandoned, except WiFi. Actually, it’s a bit of a pain not to have it.”

At least the promoters can still find it

The Uni has been repeatedly approached for comment but has yet to respond.