Keele uni area

I am currently a student at Keele University and there are actually quite a lot of Asians on campus!

The area of Newcastle-Under-Lyme is really lovely and the town centre has a few big grocery stores. They have Aldi and Morrisons right next to each other and there is a Lidl just down the road from there

I have also visited Stoke-On-Trent, because it's where the big shopping centre is in Hanley and it's actually not that bad either. It seems quite safe

But I would just like to point out that the town itself seems to be a predominantly white town. I hope that helps

South Asians (pakistanis/Indians)?

What’s the area like around Keele uni?
I’ve heard that it’s not the best and there’s a lot of crimes etc.
Also, what’s the rough ratio between white:black:asain people?
I’ve read that there are lots of ‘roadmen/chavs’, is that true.

Don't believe everything you hear!

Keele itself is actually a relatively small village - the university campus is definitely the largest thing there! So the campus and the immediate area around it are semi-rural - lots of green fields and woodland, but with easy access to town by bus/car/on foot. Best of both worlds! The surrounding area is made up of Newcastle-under-Lyme, which is the town that is about 15 minutes away from Keele, and Stoke-on-Trent, which is the larger city and is probably...30/45 minutes depending on how you're travelling and what bit of Stoke you want to go to.

As @AmiThakrar has said, Newcastle is where most of our students do their shopping - and where many of them also live. It's a fairly standard town to be honest. Yes, there are some areas that are a bit rougher than others but I wouldn't say there is anything out of the ordinary about it. There's some decent shops and restaurants, a couple of supermarkets, a library and town hall, a cinema, some pubs/clubs, some nice parks - pretty much what you would expect from a medium sized town. Stoke on Trent is larger - and more diverse both in terms of areas and people. Again, there are some areas that are rougher than others - and some areas of deprivation - but nothing that you wouldn't find in any other UK city. Hanley, the main shopping area, has always been safe in my experience, as has the Cultural Quarter, which is where the majority of restaurants and theatres/cinemas are.

There's also some lovely surrounding areas such as Trentham, which has a really nice formal gardens & shopping village, as well as National Trust properties such as Biddulph Grange Garden, and lovely places to go walking such as The Cloud or Silverdale Country Park. Further afield, we have fairly easy access (if you have a car/friend with a car) to the Peak District and Cannock Chase for walking/hiking and, by train, to the city life of Birmingham and Manchester. As I say, it really does offer the best of both worlds!

I grew up in Staffordshire and have lived/worked in and around Newcastle and Stoke for most of my life and I think it's a decent place all told. Certainly I've never had concerns about my safety when out in either place but, as with going out and about in any town/city, you have to make sure you act sensibly.

As for Keele campus itself, the campus and community at/around it is surprisingly diverse - we have students from many different countries and communities.I can only speak for myself but I've always felt very safe on and around campus. We have a SafeZone app (https://keelesu.com/advice/wellbeing/safetycrime/safezone/) that allows you to check in/out when on campus and to contact security at the touch of a button if you need it. Keele SU also run a free safety bus to ensure that students can return home safely from their events to both on and off campus accommodation in the evening and early hours of the morning (https://keelesu.com/shopsandservices/security/).

I'm tagging in @Keele Student Ambassador1 as they can give you another perspective on Keele. I don't live on campus myself - I'm a commuter student so I drive in every day - but my colleague may have experience of living in/around Keele and be able to provide more reassurance! Hope that helps!

Amy Louise

What’s the area like around Keele uni? e
I’ve heard that it’s not the best and there’s a lot of crimes etc.
Also, what’s the rough ratio between white:black:asain people?
I’ve read that there are lots of ‘roadmen/chavs’, is that true.

Thank you, super helpful.