A guide to: Victoria Park halls

The Victoria Park campus may not be as widely known as Fallowfield but it deserves just as much attention. It’s home to all kinds of students and boasts a variety of different halls to suit individual needs. This campus is typically quieter than much of Fallowfield, but this just means that it’s easy to balance studying and socialising. There’s not really one person who represents the typical Victoria Park resident – it’s very diverse and you’ll find your people. Each accommodation has its own team who organises socials and activities for residents, but there are also wider events from BBQs to balls where students from all over the campus can come together.

The three newest accommodations are Brook Hall, Daisy Bank, and Rusholme Place. These were previously private and then taken over by the University, meaning that they’re the most modern halls on offer in this campus. All three of them have fairly small flats of around 3 to 5 people, so if you want a quieter environment with newer facilities then these might be for you.

Dalton-Ellis Hall and St Anselm Hall are the two most old-fashioned halls. These are both catered accommodations with beautiful dining rooms and formal dinners. Dalton-Ellis has its own sporting facilities and there’s a nice student community here, whilst St Anselm shares both a bar and library with its newer neighbour, Canterbury Court.

Hulme Hall (and the next-door Burkhardt House) feels like the centre of the campus, home to the lively Victoria Park bar for drinks at incredibly cheap prices as well as regular quiz nights with cash to be won. There’s also garden space to enjoy the warmer summer days and regular formal dinners for the hall. 

Primarily, Victoria Park is in a great location for residents, not far from the city centre or the university but still having the appeal of being its own distinct student area. In terms of grocery shops, it’s next to a Lidl, a Tesco Express, and a Coop which will guarantee your essential food needs.

There’s also the pleasant Ford Madox Brown Wetherspoons if you don’t fancy the student bar, and further cafés, restaurants, and the long Curry Mile are less than a stone’s throw away.

If you’re looking for green spaces, there’s the large Birchfields Park to relax on warmer days or the Whitworth Park and lovely Whitworth Art Gallery which are easy to pop into on the way back from the university.

All the Victoria Park accommodations are under a half hour walk to university, meaning that you won’t have to get up so early nor rely on the frequently irregular bus service to get to class.

For many, it’s the perfect place to be – a large student community in a great spot between the Fallowfield and City campuses which feels like a safe and welcoming area to spend your first year. You likely won’t have to fight for sleep during exam season but it’s still a sociable campus with a wide range of people where everyone can find their place.