Living in Loughborough
The small town of Loughborough (or ‘Lufbra’, or even ‘Loogabarooga’) is very much geared towards student living, which is great news for you!
Top 10 Tips for Students in Loughborough...
1. Shop around. Wilkinsons in town is a good shout for getting set up in your new accommodation. However, you might do well to visit the less obvious laces such as Home Bargains, or the quirky little local discount store “Bonkers”, which happens to be right next door to Wilkos.
2. Discount. Get yourself a “Love Loughborough” card for a whole host of special offers around town, such as 5% off at Wilkinsons, BOGOF at Pizza Hut and loads more. Check out their website for current offers.
3. The Sock Man. You’re sure to find this out eventually, but a random photo with the locally loved landmark “Sock Man” (a rather comical looking statue in town centre) is pretty much obligatory at some point during your stay in Loughborough.
4. Visitors? When the parents come to visit, take them for a walk in Bradgate Country Park and then on to one of the cute village tea rooms opposite the car park on Bradgate Road.
5.Fancy dress. Theme nights are big, especially during Fresher’s week. Get ahead of the game by visiting Masquerade Fancy Dress near the train station, or for a more creative and much cheaper alternative check out the charity shops in town.
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6. Market days. Stock up on cheap fruit and veg at the market in town centre on Thursdays and Saturdays. You can really bag some bargains if you turn up towards the end (about 3-4pm).
7. Eat out. The Noodle Bar is a popular eatery among students and the impoverished. However, for a lesser-known gem of a cheap diner, try the creatively named “Grill House and Shisha Lounge”, where you can fill your face with generous portions of delicious middle-eastern food (and reminisce about your gap yah), without breaking the bank!
8. Travelling? Being close to the M1, Loughborough is pretty well-connected with regular Megabus and National Express services, which often cost no more than a fiver if you book in advance. Plus you get 10% off with an NUS extra card. So you can afford to visit the parents after all!
9. Shopping. Fashion-conscious freshers, fear not! For clothing you can afford on a student loan, there’s a Primark in town centre, as well as TKMaxx, New Look, Next and a few of the usual Arcadia Group suspects such as Topshop/Topman. Don’t forget to use that student discount!
10. On-the-go. If you’re living in the student triangle, St. Peter’s Centre on Storer Road has just started running a handy little café on weekday mornings. Stop off for breakfast, or pick up a coffee on your way to morning lectures. There’s free WIFI too.
On your to do list...
- The Cheese Cake Shop: Deep creamy luxury desserts at friendly student prices. Like Heaven, but edible.
- Beacon Hill: This hill is just outside the town with a car park at the bottom. Even the laziest student can make it to the top, and the view back over Loughborough is pretty great. For those who like their hills a bit craggier, or enjoy being chased by deer, the expansive Bradgate Park is just 10mins down the road.
- Sock Man: You cannot be a Loughborough student without visiting Sock Man. He is a statue in the middle of the market square, and something of a local mascot. Why is he so chubby? Why is he green? Why is he naked apart from one sock? Nobody knows...
Getting about
- Bus: The blue and yellow Kinchbus runs a circuit between the train station, town centre and university. It’s not the most punctual bus in the world, but it’s very handy when you’re laden with shopping.
- Taxi: ADT Taxis.
- Car: Not really. Loughborough is easily small enough to walk through and buses to Nottingham and Leicester are fairly regular.