Academy Guide: Gloucester
Getting there
Most people drive to Gloucester or get lifts, and it is relatively simple to get to via the motorway. It takes approximately 40 minutes but rush hour is horrendous and it can take up to an hour and a half to get there in the morning or back into Bristol on Friday evening. DO NOT PURCHASE A PARKING PERMIT it’s a shocking waste of money as the car park is a twenty minute walk away at the Oxstall’s campus (Gloucester uni).
Apparently planning permission for Ermin halls was only obtained on the basis that the students could not park on the roads, so this actually means that legally Bristol medical students cannot use road parking anywhere in Gloucester, a very logical notion. Just park a few roads away and avoid parking directly outside as the residents opposite can get a bit grumpy. Never disclose your licence plate number to anyone, even the friendly caretaker!
There is a really good train service that runs from Bristol Temple Meads, with between 1-3 trains leaving each hour. The train station is a 20 minute walk from the halls, but taxis are available.
The coordinator at Gloucester will issue you with a temporary bus pass, so you can travel for free by bus to any teaching you may have in Cheltenham. It can take about an hour to get there though, which isn’t so nice.
Accommodation
This accommodation is some of the best the medschool provide! The rooms are modern, clean and well decked out with bed, bedside cupboard, large desk, book shelf, lamp, heater and small wardrobe. Internet is available in every room, and connecting cable is provided. Bathrooms are nice en suites with good showers.
Standard bedding is provided but you might want to bring your own, especially in winter as the duvets are only mildly thicker than the sheets. For every 6 to 10 people there is a communal kitchen which contains one large fridge and freezer, table and chairs, hob and ready allocated food cupboards. The kitchens are the only common space which is a bit of a shame, but some people do put TVs etc in them to make them a bit more cosy.
What you need to bring:
- Sheets, duvet cover
- All cutlery, plates, cups etc
- Loo roll
Beware! Ermin hall has two disabled rooms which are comparatively enormous! However for some unknown reason these do not have bins or a mirror and the shower is reminiscent of being weed on by a small bird.
Also! Get used to taking your door off its lock when you are in the halls, or keep your keys with your at all times. If you get locked out at night, it’s a mile walk to get the master key from security and you have to return it straight away – not nice!
The Hospital
The hospital is a 15 minute walk away and is genuinely a fantastic hospital to be placed in. At first it seems like a complete maze so leave yourself plenty of time to get around, especially at the start. The staff are friendly and really eager to teach too – so make the most of it!
Fosters is a brilliant cafeteria where all the students, staff and patients go. The food is among the cheapest and best of any academy (flash your NHS badge for discounts) and cheerful but the coffee tastes like rat urine, so go the WRVS in the brand spanking new outpatients department for some corporate costa goodness.
Be warned! Students often have to go to Cheltenham for clinics etc especially if doing TUBES (cardiac catheterisation) and Psych.
Gloucester Itself
Nearest Supermarket
There are large ASDAs and Tescos nearby, and also a small co-op just 2 minutes up the road for bits and bobs.
The town itself is only a 1 minute walk up the road though not necessarily somewhere you’d like to walk on your own in the dark if you get my drift. The shopping is horrific, although there is a good Primark. Hop on the bus to the lovely Cheltenham for better shops but be warned that it is a rather expensive town.
Going Out
The nearest pub is just across the road from the co-op. The landlady will open the pool room for the students only so it’s worth the visit. There is an interesting Weatherspoons in town opposite Debenhams where you can drink next to King Kong. Literally, the building used to be an old cinema and for whatever reason there is a giant gorilla left there. If you’re looking to paint the town red and stay out till the wee hours you can have a chavtastic time in liquid. Otherwise for a really good night take the bus to Cheltenham from the end of Denmark road, where there are great bars and clubs aplenty. Psych students be prepared to bump into your in leave psych patients!
Cinema, there is an Odeon by the docks. For an evening of culture there are also lots of amdram plays going on in Cheltenham which are well worth a visit.
Gyms
Many people also join the local gyms as something to do and most sign up to the GL1 leisure centre. It’s a modern looking sports complex which has pretty much everything: swimming pool, tennis courts, aerobics classes, weights – its great! You also get NHS discount, but you will need to fill in a form from the academy.
It’s a 15 minute walk from halls and you can check out their website here.
