what is mana ash house like?

compared to the other halls?

I lived in Manna Ash back in 2003, although it may have changed since then. The accommodation is clean and reasonably modern. I had the option to pay slightly more for a studio room, which was better than the standard (mainly your own en-suite). It was based in a good central location of London. On the whole, I was rather happy with the accommodation.

To be honest, if I were to compare it to the other halls that UAL provide, I'd say it was better than most. It's really dependent on the price you pay. The less you pay, the worse the halls will be. Manna Ash is on the more expensive end, so naturally it'll be better. Here is some information about the place, with some pictures. I'm feeling somewhat nostalgic. :tongue:

http://www.sshl.org.uk/mannaashhouse.asp

Reply 2

Duff27

OP

Matisse

I lived in Manna Ash back in 2003, although it may have changed since then. The accommodation is clean and reasonably modern. I had the option to pay slightly more for a studio room, which was better than the standard (mainly your own en-suite). It was based in a good central location of London. On the whole, I was rather happy with the accommodation.

To be honest, if I were to compare it to the other halls that UAL provide, I'd say it was better than most. It's really dependent on the price you pay. The less you pay, the worse the halls will be. Manna Ash is on the more expensive end, so naturally it'll be better. Here is some information about the place, with some pictures. I'm feeling somewhat nostalgic. :tongue:

http://www.sshl.org.uk/mannaashhouse.asp

thanks

also. as you went to UAL. do you know what percentage of people who apply don't even get an interview or portfolio review?

and why do they not? Is it because there P.S's are week or no grades or experience?

Reply 3

Freud

14

I was under the impression it was the nicest UAL halls, and the location is fabulous

Reply 4

spacecowboy_89

Duff27

thanks

also. as you went to UAL. do you know what percentage of people who apply don't even get an interview or portfolio review?

and why do they not? Is it because there P.S's are week or no grades or experience?

UAL is full of 6 different colleges, each with different student intakes with varying degree courses of varying popularity. Therefore, unless one is a mathematical genius, I don't think they can even begin to estimate a percentage! :p:

Reply 5

Aiko

16

Duff27

thanks

also. as you went to UAL. do you know what percentage of people who apply don't even get an interview or portfolio review?

and why do they not? Is it because there P.S's are week or no grades or experience?

spacecowboy_89

UAL is full of 6 different colleges, each with different student intakes with varying degree courses of varying popularity. Therefore, unless one is a mathematical genius, I don't think they can even begin to estimate a percentage! :p:

To reiterate Spacecowboy (curiously, is this a Cowboy Bebop tribute? I've probably asked this before. :tongue:

), UAL is a collegiate university that comprises six separate colleges that offer different courses. This is why many of the colleges offer a degree in the same subject. The undergraduate graphic design course at CSM will be different to the graphic design course at Chelsea, from the student intake to the teaching approach. In fact, my course director used to look down on LCF and the college is part of the same university. :tongue:

Freud

I was under the impression it was the nicest UAL halls, and the location is fabulous

Highly likely. I didn't really have the chance to visit the other halls (except a few), so I'm unable to make a direct comparison. :sadnod:

Reply 6

spacecowboy_89

Matisse

To reiterate Spacecowboy (curiously, is this a Cowboy Bebop tribute? I've probably asked this before. :tongue:

), UAL is a collegiate university that comprises six separate colleges that offer different courses. This is why many of the colleges offer a degree in the same subject. The undergraduate graphic design course at CSM will be different to the graphic design course at Chelsea, from the student intake to the teaching approach. In fact, my course director used to look down on LCF and the college is part of the same university. :tongue:

Highly likely. I didn't really have the chance to visit the other halls (except a few), so I'm unable to make a direct comparison. :sadnod:

Interesting you should mention Cowboy Bebop but no it isn't that as a) I've never really been a fan of anime / manga (the only one I watched every episode of was Love Hina, and it's the only manga I've read too; I've also seen Full Metal Alchemist a few times but that didn't really do it for me) and b) Cowboy Bebop has a main character that states Bruce Lee's philosophies and does a form of Jeet Kune Do iirc; Bruce Lee I am very much a huge fan of (especially in my early teens but let's not go there..)

But anyway the name comes from a song from my favourite band: Jamiroquai.

Space Cowboy Video

The British press also call Jay Kay, the lead singer, 'space cowboy'.

Oh yeah, Matisse is loving that music video. :p:

Reply 7

Aiko

16

spacecowboy_89

Interesting you should mention Cowboy Bebop but no it isn't that as a) I've never really been a fan of anime / manga (the only one I watched every episode of was Love Hina, and it's the only manga I've read too; I've also seen Full Metal Alchemist a few times but that didn't really do it for me) and b) Cowboy Bebop has a main character that states Bruce Lee's philosophies and does a form of Jeet Kune Do iirc; Bruce Lee I am very much a huge fan of (especially in my early teens but let's not go there..)

But anyway the name comes from a song from my favourite band: Jamiroquai.

Space Cowboy Video

The British press also call Jay Kay 'space cowboy'.

Oh yeah, Matisse is loving that music video. :p:

Ah ha, this is weird. I've been listening to Jamiroquai lately, namely the Funk Odyssey album. :tongue:

- In my case, anime and manga has been a childhood obsession that has transcended to my adulthood. I'm supposing that being born and living in Japan for much of my life has something to do with it. :tongue:

- I have to admit, Love Hina is an unusual series to watch and read fully. It's certainly not the best that the vast medium of anime can offer. Although, Cowboy Bebop is infinitely better, it's deemed a classic. I'll tell you what, because I like you so much, I'll treat you to a few movies (I'll send a PM) that may change your mind a little. :tongue:

Reply 8

spacecowboy_89

Oh good times! However, A Funk Odyssey is generally considered the weakest album Jamiroquai have ever done. The best are there first three - Emergency on Planet Earth released back in 1993, The Return of the Space Cowboy released back in 1994, and Travelling Without Moving released back in 1997 in which they won a Grammy for. My personal fave is their sophomore album, The Return of the Space Cowboy.

One of my favourite Jamiroquai songs is one I very doubt you will have heard but I have to show you because it's a beautiful song AND it's relevant to you because they're performing it live in Tokyo (possibly their best gig I've ever seen): The last video I will present you with of Jamiroquai, I promise

Oh I've seen my fair share of anime movies. My first was Akira, and I've seen half of Studio Ghibli's offerings (Grave of the Fireflies is one o fmy favourite films) so I didn't mean to dismiss anime entirely when I say I'm not a big fan of the genre. :p:

Reply 9

Aiko

16

spacecowboy_89

Oh good times! However, A Funk Odyssey is generally considered the weakest album Jamiroquai have ever done. The best are there first three - Emergency on Planet Earth released back in 1993, The Return of the Space Cowboy released back in 1994, and Travelling Without Moving released back in 1997 in which they won a Grammy for. My personal fave is their sophomore album, The Return of the Space Cowboy.

One of my favourite Jamiroquai songs is one I very doubt you will have heard but I have to show you because it's a beautiful song AND it's relevant to you because they're performing it live in Tokyo (possibly their best gig I've ever seen): The last video I will present you with of Jamiroquai, I promise

I actually have all of the albums, but admittedly I'm not well versed or a "true" fan. :redface:

- I'm a casual fan that will randomly decide to listen to some Jamiroquai when I'm feeling in the mood. I'll definitely watch the video. The downer, akin to many I'm sure, is that I have this urge to start buying tickets to any gig after seeing an awesome video. A gig by Daft Punk did that to me, also in Tokyo, incidentally:

Oh I've seen my fair share of anime movies. My first was Akira, and I've seen half of Studio Ghibli's offerings (Grave of the Fireflies is one o fmy favourite films) so I didn't mean to dismiss anime entirely when I say I'm not a big fan of the genre. :p:

Ah, I can feel rest assured that you've seen Akira and some much required Ghibli. Nonetheless, I'll still send a treat your way. :tongue:

Anyway, this discussion has become severely off topic, so we'll stop. :tongue:

- Apologies to Duff27. :o:

Reply 10

hmarco123

Original post by Duff27

compared to the other halls?

Well if it is location you want, the safest and best, zone 1 Manna Ash House is perfect, the best out of all halls UAL has to offer (for location)..

BUT, there are pros and cons, and for me in the end the cons out weighed the pros, so I decided not to stay here for another year...

1. The management staff are rude and treat you like teenagers

2. The reception, staff have keys to your flat and bedroom, so if they wanted they can get into your room, which personally I don't trust.

3. There was a massive water leak in the boiler and it contaminated the water so we could not use if for days, it smelt as strong as nail polish/white spirit, which is outrageous + the staff were so unhelpful and did not even apologize to students!

4.You have to awkwardly sign in guests, even family members and they are very very strict about this (which can be seen good for your safety) but seems silly when you want to sign a few friends in and feel awkward doing it. PLUS you have to sign them in and out every time you leave the building.

5. The cleaners hang around in your kitchen sometimes, and when you want to pop into the kitchen when they are cleaning they make you feel so unwelcome in your own home! and give you evil looks, I wouldn't trust them either as a flat mates food went missing and it was a whole block of cheese, and seeing as we all use the fridges where else would a flat mate hide cheese of that amount, when my flat mate read up reviews of Manna Ash last year she said she read how they stole peoples biscuits too, silly really..

6.When you come in from a night out the staff get very over protective of the halls and pester you to sign in, even when you live here. One new security guard even stood up at reception to greet us when we walked in and insisted we signed in, then we had to tell her we live here! again so petty. Also one night i signed in 2 of my friends and my flat mate did too at the same time, HOWEVER she had forgotten her keys, so RANDOMLY the security lady and receptionist demanded I give them my key too! where is the logic in that, then how would we both get back into the flat, she said only my swipe card then, and i had to ask for it when we all left to go out, not even my parents are that protective!
...

7.Noise was an issue for sure, this comes with halls, people walking in at 3am slamming the doors and if you are the very unlucky person who gets the room next to the kitchen good luck! The thin walls caused arguments in my flat and we managed to resolve it to speaking terms, but the noise has effected my sleeping and well being on many occassions.

8. Petty but still annoying, the regular fire alarms at all times of the day, seriously it seems to be a fire alarm every week, once we got woken up at 4am to be shuffled out in the freezing cold until the staff fumbled around to sort it and then we were told it was a false alarm, at least they fire alarms work!

9. Social life here at Manna Ash well... the senior students were so lovely and tried their best to organise events to get people socialising, and I don't know whether it was the teenagers here or the layout of the halls but social life here is not good. For me my flat didn't socialise much, and kept ourselves to ourselves. I know people who did socialise, but the layout of the halls, with so many doors it is so contained it makes it hard to get out! and they only have one common room which barely gets used, which is such a shame.. But yes credit due for the older students who made the effort and I will never forget how nice this was of them to try, but for some reason the odd teenage residents here had a 'meh, can't be assed' attitude..
Literally could go on..

oww and last but not least
10.BODGE JOB HANDY MAN, when they fix things it is done to a standard they think will do, they supplied us with such an old hoover when we move in which clearly hasn't been changed, so the hoover bags stinks and you have to keep pestering the reception to get somebody to fix any problems you have in your room. The taps in our kitchen kept reducing in power, once the hot water tap pretty much didn't work for weeks and we kept asking them to fix it and they never did it to a good enough standard, so it just drips water, pointlessss. Mine were, a leaking shower (due to the white enamel around the shower wearing away), light bulb ran out (needed a new one, simple enough, took ages to fix!), leaking tap (got fixed eventually was only a 5 min job really)... Also the handy man can be found just mooching around the reception area, sitting down, well he seemed to be there whenever I saw him, not doing his job, could have been on a very very long lunch break, everyday! lol
Also when they checked my room they pulled out the chord from the light and strangely put 'broken' when the string wasn't even broken to begin with! And when I complained to reception the guy bluntly said 'what room are you? Right I will come and get somebody to take the light bulb out so you can get some sleep.'!! I mean come on, I wanted a new cord back on so I could use it, not take the light bulb out then fix it again after! where is the logic, the logic we paid over £170 a week for, not cheap.

A few pros...
1. If you get a A flat you get the best view from the big kitchens, over looking london!! Priceless, but then again if you don't get this view there are other nice views from the other facing flats, but not as good as say flats 5a,6a,7a. It goes on surname pot luck, the alphabet starts from the bottom floor, so if you have a surname beginning with A or B you will most like be on the ground floor, but it is jumbled somtimes too, so insist for 5a,6a or 7a flats! :smile:

2.Large enough rooms with very large desc and big enough bathroom (even if the sink is so small, like it is a children's sink!)

3.Best area from all the halls to chose from,(avoid east ldn, especially if you are new to ldn!) To rent in this area Southwark would cost a lot more, I have done my research, although PakeMan house down the road for a 2 bedroom place is around the same price if you split the cost with a friend/flat mate.

4.Laundry on site, complete with washer and tumble dryers (even if they are a bit pricey!)

5.Warm rooms, the little heaters in the rooms blast out heat all year around, you can control the heat and as it is included in your bill no need to worry about that when the cold english winter hits! I used to love coming home to my warm room thanks to the trusty little heater, that looks about 10 years old, but is still going strong lol

6.Powerful showers and warm too, a luxury perhaps!?

But thought I would help others by putting this review.
It is a hard decision as all the other halls do not look any better and I haven't heard they are any better, but if I had to move to another UAL halls I would chose Will Wyatt as 2 of my class mates lived there and liked it, other than the usual halls noise and issues that come with halls.

I hope this helped!
If you can find a better halls such as NIDO or a nice little flat to rent with friends go with that.. or if you do opt for MANNA ASH HOUSE make sure you don't let the staff walk all over you, as if the staff were friendly and there weren't the halls issues this would be a perfect choice.

On the whole I have been fairly happy, I suppose for london this was the best I was going to get for halls.
:smile:

what is mana ash house like?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Trending

Latest