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University of Portsmouth

Portsmouth

crime rate in areas of portsmouth

Hi

I'm going to be starting at portsmouth university this september and still haven't found accommodation... :s-smilie:

I was wondering which areas (if any) have a high crime rate so I can avoid them

Thank you

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Reply 1

nanananabatman

I shouldn't say this because I don't know if it's fact. But Somerstown has been known to be rather...ahem. That's (Google map this): Somers Road and the 5 roads that lead off it. I reckon it can be alright but we're girls and we scare easily so we steer clear.

Albert Road and all roads leading off it are pretty much studentville, along with Manners Road, Telephone Road, anything off Talbot Road/Fawcett Road. We're living just off Albert Road this year.

Last year we lived just off Palmerston Road, near the common, so those are quite nice as well, a bit pricey. Anything off Elm Grove is also a winner, Castle Road, ermmmmm....yeah.

What degree are you doing? I was going to mention the roads near the Business school but I didn't know if that'd be relevant to your search. Also, houses there are incredibly hard to get. We try EVERY year.

University of Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Reply 2

SpaceHamster

Hoping and trusting that its better than Hull!

When I studied in Hull (University of Lincoln campus), my housemate had his car broken into on the 2nd year, and apparently there was a murder on our road in the third year (really! it seemed a nice road, too). Personally I suffered the loss of some wet clothes stolen from the uni laundrette room, which was wierd.

Reply 3

HannahMortlock

Hey,

Just to say that i've stayed with my boyfriend several times and he's a student who lives on Margate Road (which is a lead off of Somerstown). It's really not that bad, the main issue is with annoying little chav children and some drunks in the co-op, but it's hardly the back alleys of the East End.

Reply 4

Lewk

Well, i had my jaw fractured by a group of chavs in the city centre 2 weeks after i moved to portsmouth, if that makes you feel any better :rolleyes:

So long as you aren't on your own at night you should be fine though :mad:

Reply 5

parasitic

Lewk

Well, i had my jaw fractured by a group of chavs in the city centre 2 weeks after i moved to portsmouth, if that makes you feel any better :rolleyes:

So long as you aren't on your own at night you should be fine though :mad:

Wth? Why? Did they just randomly approach you and punch you in the face? o.O

Reply 6

Lewk

parasitic

Wth? Why? Did they just randomly approach you and punch you in the face? o.O

yep, they were clearly high on something

Reply 7

devious12

parasitic

Wth? Why? Did they just randomly approach you and punch you in the face? o.O

Have you never seen a group of chavs before?

Reply 8

skribla

parasitic

Wth? Why? Did they just randomly approach you and punch you in the face? o.O

It's an isolated incident. That sort of thing doesn't happen all the time.

Reply 9

parasitic

devious12

Have you never seen a group of chavs before?

Never seen them randomly approaching a stranger who's just walking by and punching them, no.
I know they often shout at you and etc, but that's it.

I hope I won't be seeing many of them....

Reply 10

The Dusk Shard

stay away from fratton

Reply 11

devious12

haha well i went for a nice stroll down durham river one day, next thing i know im on the floor, frature eye socket bust open lip and a chav high on drugs standing over me kicking me

Reply 12

Firedancer

Southsea is generally the safest bet, though I would avoid Somers Town area. I live in Osborne Rd and I'm very happy with the location. Lived in North End for a few weeks last year and certainly wouldn't recommend. I would also avoid Portsea - unless you're in Gunwarf, it's generally rather dodgy.

Reply 13

TallulahStaple

Hi

I have always lived in Portsmouth, and unfortunately, these things are not one-off attacks. I have known several people attacked in entirely unprovoked situations.

Somerstown is not a good place to be, and although around albert road is a better area, it's still a bit risky. If you have a car, it WILL get vandalised. I used to wrk in a bar along albert road and can't remember all the seperate incidents.

Fratton is also not a nice area.

In all honesty, there are OK bits of Portsmouth, but wherever you go, there will be Pompey skanks trying to ruin it for everyone, so your best bet is just to be sensible, don't wander about on your own late at night, and don't make eye contact with strangers.

I know live in London, lived in Moscow and Jakarta for a year too and feel far safer wandering the streets in all of these places than I ever have in Portsmouth!

Good luck!

Reply 14

LostInLaw

Where as I've always lived in Portsmouth (including in the uni areas) and never had any trouble and the few people I know who have, almost all of them weren't helping themselves. (Aggressive when drunk, leaving things in their cars, not locking the house up properly). My whole time at uni has been spent in student accommodation and we've never had any trouble with the house, none of us have had any trouble with our cars and none of us have got in any fights.

Yes, there are dodgy areas, Somerstown, Fratton and Buckland aren't exactly lovely but they're also not certain to get you stabbed. It's a matter of responsibility for the most part and accepting that occasionally, there's a bit of bad luck in the world. I (and I really wouldn't advise this) have lost count of the amount of times I walked around the Somers Road area at ridiculous hours by myself when my boyfriend lived there. A good 20 minute walk from mine, in some supposedly very dodgy areas, every other night for about 6 months and never had any trouble at all.

To be honest, Somertown is too near the uni to be what it once was. 10 years ago it was a fairly scary council estate but most of those roads off of Somers Road (Playfair, Margate, Hudson etc.) are overrun with students now.

Reply 15

lauriethepigeon

I live in Fratton and it's not nearly as bad as it looks. Compared to other parts of Portsmouth, the crime rate is relatively low. What gives it its reputation are the poor people walking around in a chocolate stained tracksuit drinking kestrel super.
It's also much nearer to the uni than southsea. People don't believe me so I have to show them on the map. It's a 10 minute walk to uni or a 2 minute cycle ride (to the buckingham / richmond / burnaby area) and a 5 minute walk into commercial road. I've walked back home at all hours and I personally find it much less intimidating at night than other parts of portsmouth, and i'm a sissy!
There is also very cheap A.W Whites butchers at the end of arundel street, near farmfoods. I don't know anywhere else where you can buy four sirloin steaks, 10 quarter pounders, a whole rack of ribs, 24 homemade sausages, and 40 chicken wings for £15. Price has gone up a bit recently though, but still cheap.

Reply 16

Violadude

dont go to somerstown. also the local that go out at night can be right nobs, but considering youll be raving it up around guildhall when youre on the lash, it shouldnt be so much of a problem

on a side note, get a d lock for your bike, and get it registered at freshers. itll be worth it.