Preston

Living in Preston

The students at the University of Central Lancashire make up about a fifth of Preston’s inhabitants. Preston boasts easy access to the seaside towns of the north west, the romantic vistas of the Lake District National Park and the vibrant big cities of the north.

Preston is quite a small city set in the incredible fells and moors the county is famous for, and its manageable size makes it a good place for freshers to find their feet.

First, the essentials. You have two big shopping centres in the town, St Georges and Fishergate, which have all your high street shops. Preston also has some good markets, meaning that you won’t have to skimp on your 5-a-Day just because of your student budget! There’s a decent nightlife, including an alternative scene and a selection of good pubs. Preston has less of a lone earmarked ‘Student Night’ than you’ll find in other places - probably because there’s just so many students that every night has to be Student Night to fit you all in! For anything Preston doesn’t provide you with,your nearest big city is Manchester and the train ride takes 40mins.

Preston’s keen on being an outdoorsy kind of city. There are several parks including the Guild Wheel, which connects the city to the countryside around it, the RIverside Park, and Moor Park. This one is the oldest and largest park in Preston, covering 100 acres, so it’s perfect whether you’re looking for a sunbathing spot, a secluded place to revise, or somewhere to take a walk or jog. There are 160 miles of public footpaths in the area, much of it heading off into stunning moors, forests, or towards the sandy beaches at Lytham St Annes.

The city has two large cinemas, and the Harris Museum which covers local history. As well as the usual exhibits they have a number of smaller ones which change every few months, so there will be something new each time you go. The Preston Art and Design Gallery (PAD) showcases work by local craftsmen and designers. However if you like to spend your afternoon doing something a little more speedy the Trax Motor Sports centre just outside Preston let you try out karting and quadbiking, as well as having a paintballing station. Hall social anyone?

Big day out?

• Beacon Fell: Find a mate with a car, and head 30mins up the road to Beacon Fell Country Park. It’s a massive space and if you can make the walk to the top of the fell, the highest point in the county at 266m above sea level, you’ll be rewarded with views as far out as the Isle of Man on a clear day. 
• Blackpool: It’s just 20mins away by train. Manchester may be big, but does it have a Pleasure Beach? No it does not!
• Riversway Festival: This summer festival comes at a very reasonable price of... nothing! There’s singing, fireworks, music and fairgrounds for those up for a free day out. Which is everybody.

Getting around

• The Orbit bus service is a circular route that goes out from the main bus station. The 88C goes clockwise, and the 88A goes anti-clockwise.  Makes sense, right?
• Taxi: Millers

17 Preston Reviews