Why Lancaster
When you’re at a conference or an event, it’s what’s in the room that matters most. The people you’re meeting, the facilities you need, the services provided. They’re all crucial. But the world outside that room has a crucial part to play in the experience too. With a campus like ours and a city like Lancaster, we offer a setting like few others.
A city full of character. A campus full of life.
A modern city, with an incredible heritage
A centre packed with shops, cafes and restaurants. A buzzing nightlife, with dozens of traditional pubs and trendy bars. A real cultural identity, with art galleries and theatres, a thriving live music scene and a calendar of festivals and events. Lancaster has everything you’d expect from a modern city.
But while it may offer all the transport links and amenities of a bigger destination, it has all the personality and warmth of a close-knit community. That’s down to the people, of course, but it’s also because this is city without the sprawl – not just compact enough to explore on foot, but also to retain a strong identity and character.
Lancaster’s foundations stretch back millennia, from the Romans and Saxons to the Tudors and Georgians. It’s been the home to thriving commerce, bloody wars and military strongholds (sometimes all at the same time). Take a walk and the heritage is there to see. Today, the cityscape is dominated by the 12th century Lancaster Castle, while the city centre is criss-crossed with cobbled streets and dotted with 18th century architecture.
Urban or rural. Buzzing hustle and bustle or beautiful peace and quiet. Modern attitudes and culture, or ancient heritage and character. Here, these are choices you don’t need to make. Lancaster offers it all.
A few minutes’ drive. A world away.
With the tranquillity and beauty of its setting, it’s easy to forget just how easy it is to reach our campus.
Set among 560 acres of beautiful parkland, it’s a village in itself. Here, you’ll find shops, banks, a post office and even a hairdresser. If you’re looking for a bite to eat, we have a range of restaurants and cafes. And, when business is done for the day, there are nine bars where you can relax and socialise.
In our Sports Centre, you can work out in our 100-station gym, take a dip in a 25m pool or even give our climbing wall a try. If you prefer to fill your spare time with the arts, you’ll find a contemporary art gallery, which is home to the University's international art collection, as well as the Nuffield Theatre, one of the largest professional studio theatres in Europe. And, at our Chaplaincy Centre, we offer the facilities for reflection and prayer for the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam and Jewish faiths.
From here, you can look out onto the mountains and the sea, enjoying views across some of the region’s most spectacular scenery. But Lancaster city centre is just a ten-minute drive away and junction 33 of the M6 is even closer – whether you’re travelling by train or by car, getting here is simple. It may feel far from the hustle and bustle, but it’s an easy journey to our campus.
Lancaster is the perfect base to explore the surrounding areas...
