A Tale of Two Students
Catherine Lawson
Ayrshire has long been a place which has attracted families, businesses, retirees and tourists looking to make the most of the idyllic land and seascapes, the rich history, a wealth of sport and leisure opportunities, and the bustling communities that offer excellent transport links to the rest of the country. It’s also a popular destination for students, and with the UWS campus on the banks of the river Ayr, right next to Ayr college which also has campuses in Kilmarnock and Kilwinning, there are opportunities for students to study for a wide range of qualifications across Ayrshire. Given that the region has an increasingly ageing population, however, I caught up with two students to ask them what life is like in Ayrshire from their perspectives.
First up, I met with William Barrett, a first-year student studying Commercial Music at UWS in Ayr. As a Paisley buddy, I asked him what attracted him to his chosen university.
“UWS has an excellent reputation, especially for the kind of course I’m studying. I visited on the open day and really liked the whole feel of the campus – there was a good vibe and the lecturers were very helpful. I also loved that the campus was right next to the river, it’s very picturesque.
“The university itself also has pretty good facilities. As a musician, I like that there are fully equipped studios on site which I can book out. The union is fairly good, however, it’s not always open when you want it to be which means that we end up heading into town.”
We move on to talk about how there’s the good and the not-so-good in the town centre, like every other town across the country. For students, William tells me, the surrounding scenery (specifically the river and the beach) is a big selling point along with the friendly locals and the number of stopping places when it comes to re-fuelling.
“Because I travel daily from Paisley, I’m usually grabbing food and drink either on my way to uni or on my way home. I’m enjoying the new Starbucks which is great for a quick caffeine hit on my way to a lecture. On the way home we often stop in at The Twa Dugs for a pint before grabbing a chip butty at The Blue Lagoon on our way to the station. If it’s a sit-in meal, which we don’t do that often, we usually end up in Wetherspoons – the whole converted church environment is cool.”
When we move on to talk about the sport and leisure side of things, the first thing William mentions is the skate park on Whitletts Road which is only a short walk from the university.
“UWS is well situated. The skate park’s handy if we just want to get out and get some fresh air but we’ve also got the river walk on our doorstep and of course the beach. I’d like to see a space where we could go to enjoy a wider range of entertainment – food, pool, amusements and so on, under one roof. Not quite a mall but you know what I mean.”
I do know what he means and a one-stop space which encourages visiting students to stay a while longer and socialise together before heading off on their different buses and trains sounds like a good idea. So what else, from a student’s perspective, would add value to the town?
“As a music student I’d like to see more live music and entertainment in Ayr. We don’t always want to head into Glasgow for a gig. It’s fantastic that things like the Pavilion Festival are happening here now – that’s a real plus for Ayr.”
For Finn Hannigan, a resident in Ayr, his experience as a college student accessing the Kilwinning college campus for two years while he studied Applied Sport and Exercise Science, broadened his perspective of life in different parts of Ayrshire as a student.
“The Kilwinning campus itself is pretty good – modern and well equipped and only a ten-minute walk from the station which offers good transport links whether you’re travelling north or south. There’s a mini gym on site which was good for those of us studying sport but more often we’d head out to The Portal Leisure Centre in Irvine or to the Kilmarnock campus which had a much bigger gym. The college itself offers a good student experience with smaller groups and consistent lecturers which helps. There’s really good lecturer/student engagement.”
Reflecting on his own experience and the experiences of those on his course who travelled from further afield, he tells me there are wider benefits to studying in Ayrshire.
“Unlike bigger cities which can be ridiculously expensive, Ayrshire’s more affordable for accommodation and just student life in general. A night out in Ayr, Prestwick or Kilmarnock is going to cost a lot less on the whole than a night out in Glasgow, unless you’re following the student deals which can be great in the city.”
Despite being on the Kilwinning campus, it seems students hop on a train to get back to either Ayr or Prestwick for a planned night out with favourite stop-offs including The Smoking Goat, T-Bar and Harley’s (it’s open later than the rest so usually ends up being the last stop) in Ayr, or Vics (a good meeting place for any organised/special events) and Wetherspoons in Prestwick.
“I don’t think Ayrshire promotes itself to the student population. There’s definitely more in Glasgow in terms of hospitality to attract students on a budget but we don’t always want to head out that way. It would be great to see more deals for students being publicised and promoted in our towns here. If we knew about good deals in food and drink venues, we’d definitely make the most of them. A big advantage here in Ayr is having the cinema open again with ticket prices which are much more affordable – that’s been great to see.”
As a keen sportsman Finn goes on to talk about the many opportunities across the different towns for those interested in sport and exercise.
“There are so many different gyms around in Ayr, Kilmarnock and Kilwinining. You’ve got brilliant places for running including the beaches, a fantastic cycling network and lots of golf opportunities. The Kilmarnock Tennis Club also has padel and pickleball courts which are really good fun if you haven’t tried them.”
What comes across from both William and Finn is how much the area has to offer in terms of proximity to natural spaces, affordability and accessibility but what also comes across loud and clear is that there’s potential for so much more to be done to attract and retain the student population. Heading into the city is doubtless something which has an allure but from our conversation the desire to see more happening in the places where they study and spend so much of their time, is strong. Specifically, culture and entertainment aimed at the young student population would be warmly welcomed – much of it currently caters to the more mature age groups. Similarly, some healthier and affordable food and drink options which aren’t all high street chains or fast-food outlets would be a big plus: young people are increasingly focused on their wellbeing and food plays a big part in that.
If we consider as a community how we might re-energise our towns, which it’s fair to say have been struggling for a while now, giving thought to the student population and how we might breathe life back into their environment as well as our own, might be one way to create a more vibrant, sustainable vision for Ayrshire.
