Students at Manchester Metropolitan University have been left shocked after being offered £100 a week to live in accommodation in cities up to 30 miles away.
With September now upon us, it won’t be long before a whole raft of students from across the UK are to enter into higher education and start out lives in new towns and cities – but for those attending the Manchester’s largest university, it appears they may not get to spend as much time in the capital of the North as they had originally though.
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) offers more than 600 courses across its five faculties, and is generally home to more than 34,000 students at any one time, but it’s now being said that the institution is going through a bit of an “accommodation crisis”, the Manchester Evening News reports.
According to reports, due to “significantly more offer-holders than anticipated”, the university has had to offer some students “temporary options” for accommodation in nearby cities and towns like Liverpool and Huddersfield.
Students waiting for accommodation to be allocated received a message on the university’s portal yesterday explaining the demand for housing in Manchester, and so were offered residence at halls that MMU said was just “a short distance away”.
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MMU assured students that the temporary halls offered to them are around a “15 minute walk” from a train station where they can then get a 40-minute train to Manchester.
Man Met students shocked after being offered £100 a week to live in halls 30 miles away / Credit: MMU
Those that have been offered accommodation in locations such as Liverpool and Huddersfield – which are both over 30 miles away from Manchester – will receive £100 a week from the university to cover additional living and travelling expenses.
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One student due to start at Manchester Metropolitan University but offered accommodation in a city away from where they’ll be studying told the MEN that “no one really knows what’s going on” and “the communication has been awful”.
“We only found this out yesterday because we’ve been told to wait for days, but obviously we weren’t them expecting to come out with a whole new city and offer us that, so it was a surprise,” the student explained.
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Addressing the reports and the accommodation crisis, a spokesperson for Manchester Metropolitan University said: “Manchester is an incredibly popular student city and there is significant demand for accommodation.
“We have offered places to our target student numbers this year and planned our accommodation based on long-term experience of how many of those offers are likely to be accepted, while also building in a considerable cushion – however, significantly more offer-holders than anticipated have been accepting and meeting the conditions of our offer.”
The city’s largest university is reportedly going through a bit of an “accommodation crisis” / Credit: MMU
The university confirmed that the issue around accommodation availability affects around 2% of undergraduate students planning to start in September.
“While we continue to work hard to secure accommodation for them in the city region, we are now providing temporary options with our private hall partners in Liverpool and Huddersfield,” the spokesperson continued.
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“We will cover travel costs to Manchester for any students who take up this offer.
“We know that this will be disappointing for them, and we are doing everything we can to find them to rooms in Manchester as soon as we can.”
Featured Image – MMU
News
Elbow teams up with Co-op Live to donate equipment to Manchester grassroots venues
Thomas Melia
Bury band Elbow have joined forces with Manchester’s biggest indoor arena, Co-op Live, in aid of supporting local grassroots venues.
The funds will help improve the already incredible music scene in Manchester, benefitting staples likes Night and Day Café, Matt and Phred’s Jazz Club, SOUP and more.
All of the donations will be distributed across six independent music venues and will be used for various instruments, PA equipment, backline technology and other necessities depending on the requirements of each site.
Elbow have teamed up with Co-op Live in aid of supporting Manchester grassroots venues.Credit: Supplied
This initiative has been keeping Manchester’s Northern Quarter in the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to live music as well as the impressive Co-op Live.
Alongside providing vital resources for these local institutions, Elbow teaming up with Co-op Live also helps cement the North West as one of the main powerhouses in relation to live music.
The latest efforts from the largest indoor arena in Manchester fall in line with celebrating one year of bringing some of the best live music to the city, being officially open for 12 months in May.
Co-op Live have made a commitment to the people and the planet, promising to donate £1 million annually to the Co-op Foundation.
The stunning Co-op Live venue, Manchester’s largest indoor arena.Elbow performing at Co-op Live, marking history as the first act to grace the venue.Credit: Audio North/Supplied
Manchester’s latest live music venue also contributed significantly to selected charities, including Happy Doggo – chosen by Liam Gallagher and Eric Clapton’s addiction recovery centre, Crossroads.
As Elbow teams up with Co-op Live, even more money is making its way to necessary resources, this time in the likes of crucial live music establishments.
Elbow front-person Guy Garvey says: “Playing Co-op Live’s opening night will stay with us for a lifetime, not least because of how incredible the room sounded.”
“When the venue donated funds in our name to support the city we love, it made complete sense to carry that through to the Northern Quarter and to venues that have meant so much to my bandmates and I throughout our career.”
Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Co-op Live, adds: “In the past year, I have been proud to see Co-op Live become an integral part of such an incredible city.”
“Teaming up with Elbow to directly support the venues that first put Manchester on the map, and to share something so intrinsic to us as venues – proper sound – is something truly special.”
Police launch investigation after a 19-year-old is stabbed in broad daylight at an Oldham retail park
Emily Sergeant
A police investigation has been launched after a stabbing in a ‘very public place’ in Oldham yesterday afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers were called out to Alexandra Retail Park in Oldham yesterday afternoon ( Sunday 30 March 2025) at 3:25pm, and when they arrived on the scene, they found that a 19-year-old man had been stabbed.
The victim was taken to hospital with ‘serious injuries’, and GMP assures that he and his family are being supported at this time.
A scene remains in place at the retail park and some of the surrounding areas while the investigation is ongoing, and a large police presence can also been seen too as officers continue to collect evidence and piece together the events of what happened.
Police also believe the attack to be an ‘isolated incident’ with those involved known to each other, indicating no threat to the wider public.
“We understand this incident is shocking and took place in a very public space,” commented Inspector Andrew Clayton.
“There have been no arrests so far, but enquiries are ongoing to determine who is responsible. At this stage, we do believe the attack to be an isolated incident involving those known to one another.”
Alexandra Retail Park, where the incident occurred yesterday afternoon / Credit: Google Maps
In a bid to gather as much information as possible, a public police appeal has been made.
Inspector Clayton continues: “We have spoken to a number of witnesses so far, but would encourage anyone who believes they have any information or dash cam footage which could assist our investigation, particularly that which may help us identify the perpetrators, to come forward.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact GMP on 101, quoting log 1757 of 30/03/25, or by getting in touch with Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Emily Sergeant -
1st September 2022 
