“My favourite thing about Oak House was coming home to a crowded kitchen table in the summer, after an afternoon at Uttley bar. If you timed it right, you could soak in the hour of sunlight we got a day in that crowded kitchen; it really was the best time ever” – Former Oak House resident, Leo.
The demolition of Oak House began as soon as keys were handed over to contractors on 26 June 2025. A swift, brutal, and controversial change to the Fallowfield halls of residence saw students say goodbye to one of the cheapest student accommodations in Manchester. Although, many say this farewell is for good reason.
Built in 1973, and housing over a thousand students a year, Oak has seen generations of students stumbling their way through first year. A pillar of the Fallowfield student community, Oak has been host to hundreds of overflowing pres, experimental DJ sets, flat fallouts, and the creation of lifelong friendships — rightfully earning its status as one of the most notorious accommodations in the UK.
Plagued by heater disruptions, floods, fires, rats, and lack of fridge space, one would assume that the demise of Oak would be welcomed by the community with open arms. The demolition is part of a major Fallowfield redevelopment, an attempt from the University to “continue to meet the needs of our student population by delivering well-connected, serviced, modern accommodation”, says Simon Merrywest, Director for the Student Experience.
What’s coming is an increased supply of modern accommodation, providing up to 3,300 more bedspaces by 2030 to ease severe shortages of student accommodation in Manchester. But at what cost? Fallowfield has been transformed into a building site, with Owens Park reduced to rubble in 2024, and Woolton Hall awaiting demolition.
The abolition of Oak marks the end of rough and readily affordable student accommodation — the end of Fallowfield as we know it. Starting at £113 a week in 2024, Oak was the most affordable option by far. In 2026, the cheapest available accommodation on the Fallowfield campus will start at Ashburne Hall from £178 per week, followed by Richmond Park and Sheavyn House at £180 per week. Despite redevelopments promising to create “a supportive and inclusive environment“, inclusivity is called into question as rising prices threaten to bar students from the infamous ‘Fallowfield experience’.
When contacted for response, a University of Manchester spokesperson said: “We understand the important role that halls like Oak House have played in shaping the student experience in Fallowfield over many years. As we redevelop the campus, we will make sure that students benefit from a strong sense of community in safe, modern and inclusive accommodation.
Fallowfield is one of the most popular locations for students, and the redevelopment will increase the quality and the range of accommodation available, including options at different price points. We also continue to offer accommodation at similar rent levels to Oak House in other University halls.
“Rent levels for the new accommodation have not yet been confirmed, but we always carefully compare our rents against universities in Manchester and similar cities, and they are also significantly lower than most of the local private market.
We understand the financial pressures facing students and how difficult this is for some of you. Alongside keeping rents competitive, we provide a wide range of financial support, including bursaries, the Cost of Living Support Fund and a new £2,000 accommodation bursary for students from low-income and vulnerable backgrounds.
Accessibility and inclusion are central to the redevelopment. All new buildings will be much more accessible than the previous accommodation, with wheelchair access to all areas, and lift provision in all blocks. The development will also increase the number of adapted and accessible rooms across the campus.
By investing in modern facilities, shared spaces and on-site support services, we want to make sure that all students will enjoy their experience in Fallowfield. The redevelopment has taken in the views of our students and is designed specifically to create more opportunities for community, support, and social life on campus.”
The introduction of kitchen TV’s, electronic locks on doors, and excessive fridge space serve to redefine the experience of first year as more antisocial and definitely more expensive. Although shiny new rooms will decorate the Fallowfield halls, fresh paint can’t cover up the history of accommodations like Oak House. The bluetack-stained, cracked walls served as a constant reminder of the parties, the posters, and the failed cooking attempts that came before.
Student culture was deeply ingrained into the foundations of Oak, each year transformed from brutally ugly flats into vibrant and collaborative spaces for students to navigate first year. The cramped, run-down flats encouraged socialisation and exploration, pushing people out of their box rooms. There really is nothing more bonding than sharing a toilet or half a fridge shelf.
Strolling through the blocks of accommodation, one would be met with wafting sounds of experimental DJ sets, jam sessions with friends, and busy dinner tables. Smells of cooking in crowded kitchens and outdated Halloween and Christmas decorations would overwhelm the senses.
A former resident commented that “it wasn’t the quality of Oak House that mattered most, but the quality of the people that you met”.
The death of Oak House can serve as a metaphor for the ways that student culture is transforming in Manchester. As options become more restrictive, it is important to ask whether students actually want to sacrifice cheap and cheerful accommodation like Oak for nicer halls. In price increases and swanky new accommodation, do we lose something important in determining what it means to be a student in Manchester?
Oak House was flawed in more ways than one, and no student should have to put up with rats or faulty heating. But whether you loved or hated it, the demolition of Oak means more than losing run-down, dodgy student accommodation. For some, it symbolises a movement away from accessible and communal student life in Fallowfield.
