Bristol University offers students accommodation 30 miles away in Wales

The University of Bristol has offered students accommodation across the border in Wales after running out of space in university owned accommodation in the city.

The University informed over 100 incoming students that there was insufficient space to accommodate them and suggested the alternative of staying 30 miles away from campus in Newport, Wales.

The accommodation is usually available for those who study at the University of South Wales, but will house approximately 25 Bristol students. A further 40 were given places to stay 16 miles away in Langford, Somerset.

Students who chose Bristol as their first choice university are guaranteed accommodation and Bristol clarified that all those who had chosen Bristol as their first choice and applied before June 30, 2019, had been offered a room within university residences in the city.

Those who accepted a place through Clearing do not have this guarantee.

Students living at the Wills Hall residence will be given a free bus pass and will have to travel for 45 minutes to reach Bristol University campus.

The university has been accused of “incompetence of the highest level”, with the student union calling the situation “extremely disappointing”.

George Bemrose, living officer at Bristol Students’ Union, said: “Each year there are a few students who do not get into University halls, but this year the number is much larger.”

One student said: “First they had the cheek to assume we firstly have friends and family in the area, let alone assume that said friends and family would be willing to accommodate us in their homes.

With this whole experience it’s felt like I’m being punished for picking them as my insurance

– Bristol University student

“Then they had the cheek to offer student accommodation in Newport in Wales that is a 30-40 minute train journey away as well as an additional half an hour walk. With this whole experience it’s felt like I’m being punished for picking them as my insurance.”

The number of students at Bristol University has increased by 23% in the past five years, from 18,716 in 2013-14 to 23,027 in 2017-18.

A Bristol University spokesperson said: “We are individually supporting students who were not guaranteed accommodation in various ways, including a residential house search event and advice and assistance from both the University accommodation office and colleagues in the Students’ Union.

“One short-term option offered is staying on a temporary basis in University accommodation outside of Bristol, including at the Vet School in Langford. We have also made arrangements with a third-party provider at Newport and provided this as an alternative option.

“We are working very hard to find long-term solutions. The aim is to move those affected into University-allocated accommodation in Bristol as soon as suitable spaces become available.”

The university also said those living on campuses outside of Bristol would receive additional pastoral care to help them settle during the first weeks of term.

Bristol clarified that 6,000 students have successfully found accommodation in halls within the city this year and those housed elsewhere will only be so on a temporary basis.