Sheffield or Cardiff?

Just wondering which is better in terms of entertainment, shopping and overall atmosphere. I'm an international student so, having never been to either place, I would love to get some insight into what it's like at both places.

Reply 1

Moog

Cardiff's better. Bigger city, more nightlife (£1 a drink in creation on mondays!) and probably better shopping. More students.

Although sheffield does have Meadowhall (or Meadowhell as some may prefer to call it) which is a big shopping center. It also has a splendid dry ski slope and some good clubs.

Between the two i'd go to Cardiff.

Reply 2

RoyFester

Actually Sheffield's a bigger city than cardiff :P They are both pretty "good" cities and have both improved a lot in the last few decades...

Cardiff !!! :d

yeah, sheffield's the 6th biggest city in the UK i think with a population of around 550,000 so it's much bigger than cardiff. having said that i live near sheffield and i'm not that keen to be honest. theres a decent nightlife and shopping but i dunno, its just a bit....meh!

i think cardiff is a much more exciting city, the people seem friendlier and its dirt cheap too.

Reply 5

Unregistered

OP

Thanks for all your responses. I'm planning to visit these places in April, but I guess I was just anxious to know what others thought before I came! :smile:

Reply 6

andyreid

trinigyal

Thanks for all your responses. I'm planning to visit these places in April, but I guess I was just anxious to know what others thought before I came! :smile:

cardiff is a boming city

but so is sheffield

sheffield i think has the lowest crime rate of any city in the uk

alot of my mates went there

im not sure on nightlife though,i assume cardiff

Reply 7

sparkler

11

mmm...the nightlife of cardiff...fun fun fun times!!!

did get spiked one time though and kept passing out everywhere - then fell asleep in our hotel room for several hours, waking thinking i had slept for about 10 minutes! then i discovered it was about 2am, and i had in fact missed midnight - midnight being new year's day!!!!!!

dammit! i had about 1 hour of new yea'rs eve!!! how shitty is that, like!!

o well, shit like that happens everywhere - cardiff is a class night out! i quite like shopping there, but going there a couple of times a month since i was about 4 does mean that i am quite bored of cardiff and i feel like venturing out to england perhaps!! saying that, i'm going shopping to cardiff tomorrow! hehe!

o well, ain't got a clue about sheffield, i'm sure i heard it was like one big concrete block though!! dunno! perhaps i dreamt it on new year's eve!!!

:biggrin:

Reply 8

viviki

14

Sheffields pretty ok there are a few dodgy areas but there are in Cardiff too. Its not bad at all its got everything you could need. Meadowhall for shopping, decent town centre, iceskating rink, skiing, bowling alley, several cinemas, nightlife quite a few big nightclubs eg. gatecrasher. loads of bars and places to eat out, its not too expensive. What more do you need to know? I would say theres not much difference in terms of shopping and social life between Cardiff and Sheffield really.

Reply 9

Unregistered

OP

What's this 'eggbox' thing i've been hearing about in relation to Sheffield? Could just be me going wacko but I'm sure i heard it mentioned somewhere before...

Reply 10

madmazda86

8

VoodooDoll

yeah, sheffield's the 6th biggest city in the UK i think with a population of around 550,000 so it's much bigger than cardiff. having said that i live near sheffield and i'm not that keen to be honest. theres a decent nightlife and shopping but i dunno, its just a bit....meh!

i think cardiff is a much more exciting city, the people seem friendlier and its dirt cheap too.

I had that... I've been to Sheffield twice (Open Day followed by Interview at Sheffield Uni) - once during a heatwave and the other time during the blizzards, so that didn't really help my opinions much! I just got this impression of a really bland city and the Uni area isn't really... it's a bit difficult to describe, but it just doesn't have the 'wow' factor. I'm praying that Liverpool will be better (and that I get an offer from them!) as I don't really feel that I'd be happy studying in Sheffield. Any further opinions on Sheffield, as well as Liverpool, would be appreciated!

Reply 11

Unregistered

OP

I just got this impression of a really bland city and the Uni area isn't really... it's a bit difficult to describe, but it just doesn't have the 'wow' factor.

But how can Sheffield be a bland city when ppl say that there's such great nightlife, ents and shopping?

Sheffields pretty ok there are a few dodgy areas but there are in Cardiff too. Its not bad at all its got everything you could need. Meadowhall for shopping, decent town centre, iceskating rink, skiing, bowling alley, several cinemas, nightlife quite a few big nightclubs eg. gatecrasher. loads of bars and places to eat out, its not too expensive.

Kinda confusing... :frown:

Reply 12

madmazda86

8

trinigyal

But how can Sheffield be a bland city when ppl say that there's such great nightlife, ents and shopping?

Hey, don't worry - I was just saying what I thought. To be honest I'm after advice about Sheffield as much as you are - I only have between there and Liverpool to choose from as I'm doing Orthoptics. I've been told Sheffield is academically better for Orthoptics but I'm worried that if I choose Sheffield I'll end up being bored silly as I'm not really a clubbing type of person and it's not like I'll have the money for shopping, even with a bursary. The shopping thing is a deception, really - you think "Ooo, shopping" but if you think about it, after food, clothes, textbooks etc shopping for other stuff tends to be quite low down on the list so places like Debenhams aren't really going to be a lot of use... gah, I don't knooooow! :frown:

Reply 13

Fishcat

Just to add my addmitedly rather uneducated oppinion:

Cardiff= a lovely city full of friendly people!

Sheffield= a (putting this tactfully) wonderful industrial centre, full of "nice" people. Smoggy.

Ok, I've been to Cardiff many times, and intend to study psychology there, and have been to Sheffield only 3 times (all in winter) and i found it rather a depressing place, though admitedly with good facilities for students (though nothing you won't find in Cardiff!!!)

Reply 14

hohum

trinigyal

Just wondering which is better in terms of entertainment, shopping and overall atmosphere. I'm an international student so, having never been to either place, I would love to get some insight into what it's like at both places.

I know loads of people at Sheffield and they LOVE it. The whole thing with it being industrial is partly true, but the uni precinct is in the nicer area. Also more students stay on in Sheffield than any other uni after their degree...which can't be a bad thing! From what I've heard about Cardiff is that its got a posh new surface with all the spanking new water front places but its nothing special and a little bit shallow. But thats just what I've heard so don't quote me.

Also Sheffield was ranked top in the Virgin's Alternative guide to unis which ranks the uni's social life and city...

Also Sheffield's growing as a place and becoming an exciting City to live in...I'm hopefully going there to study psychology in Sept 2005 after my gap year...but i also applied to Cardiff, but the small student population and expensive living costs put me off.

What course are you applying for?

Reply 15

andyreid

hohum

I know loads of people at Sheffield and they LOVE it. The whole thing with it being industrial is partly true, but the uni precinct is in the nicer area. Also more students stay on in Sheffield than any other uni after their degree...which can't be a bad thing! From what I've heard about Cardiff is that its got a posh new surface with all the spanking new water front places but its nothing special and a little bit shallow. But thats just what I've heard so don't quote me.

Also Sheffield was ranked top in the Virgin's Alternative guide to unis which ranks the uni's social life and city...

Also Sheffield's growing as a place and becoming an exciting City to live in...I'm hopefully going there to study psychology in Sept 2005 after my gap year...but i also applied to Cardiff, but the small student population and expensive living costs put me off.

What course are you applying for?

i think thewy are both good places,but i know sheffield bettere

sheffield is meant to be the safest city in the uk,yes safer than oxford and cambridge.

plus,its a growing city,becoming big in conferences,etc

its got some veery nice areas,where the student accomadation is,ie broomhill,very nice suburb

i walked through manor top its supposed ghetto,and it really was very safe,and its got a good rileys there if anyones interested

theres a good club in sheffield called bed

Reply 16

andyreid

oh and i watched the england turkey match in the sheffield student union and the girls are well fit

Reply 17

Moog

theres a good club in sheffield called bed

Yeah thats a pretty kool place. Looks like a mosque from out side and has a white room inside!! Sheffield also has a superb swimming pool called ponsforge (or somthing like that). Sheffield has everything you'l need but there is a bland feel to the place. It does feel very much like an industrial city - which it is! A point which I didn't make in my earlier post is that the city center isn't all that great for shopping and you do have to go to meadowhall.

Reply 18

andyreid

Moog

in my earlier post is that the city center isn't all that great for shopping and you do have to go to meadowhall.

yeah but they are doing the city centre up at the moment,trust me its the future leeds

Reply 19

viviki

14

I dont think it is at all bland. You can get to every where you want within 10 mins on the tram which is great, it has nice theatres, the city centre and the botanical gardens are both nice, its really close to the peaks and you can go on trips there. I prefer it to Cardiff by miles. Sheffield is cheaper too.

Sheffield or Cardiff?

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