Alton Towers

Alton Towers, with its stomach-flipping rides, is less than half an hour drive away from either campus. You can also enjoy an invigorating scramble to the dizzy heights of the neighbouring Peak District National Park.

Cinemas

Around the Stoke area the two main cinemas to visit are the Odeon at Festival Park and Warner Brothers in Newcastle. They all show the latest releases and have regular student discounts.

Theatre

Theatre goers and thespians will definitely find enough to rave about in Staffordshire. Its central location puts it on the route for troupes on their way to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, and provides countless opportunities to enjoy theatrical experiences from Britain's main cities.

Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent

The Regent Theatre and Victoria Hall lie at the heart of Stoke-on-Trent's newly established Cultural Quarter. The New Victoria Theatre is situated in Newcastle-under-Lyme, a ten minute bus ride from the Stoke campus. The New Vic, as it is usually called, is the first purpose built theatre in the round in Europe and is very proud of being one of the best producing theatres in the UK. The Stoke Repertory Theatre is a two minute walk from our Stoke campus and offers plays staged by drama students and seasoned professionals.

Theatre in Stafford

The Gatehouse Theatre in Stafford stages a variety of productions - from comedy to concerts and puppet shows to panto. Eddie Izzard, Lee Hurst and Phill Jupitus have all played here.

Festival Park

Festival Park is the main centre for entertainment around Stoke-on-Trent and hosts themed water parks, dry ski slopes, bowling alleys and much more.

National Trust and the Countryside

There are also a number of National Trust properties nearby. Shugborough Hall, the seat of the Earl of Lichfield, is just 10 minutes drive from the Stafford campus, while Biddulph Grange Garden, one of Britain’s most exciting and unusual gardens with a series of connected ‘compartments’, is a short distance north of Stoke-on-Trent.

Stafford Castle

For those who like a touch of culture there are plenty of sites to get your interest. Stafford has its very own castle - the setting for outdoor productions of Shakespearean plays each summer.

Staffordshire - a special experience

With the amount of things going on and the sheer volume of interesting places to visit Staffordshire can easily be compared to larger places. But its close knit communities and friendly people make living here a special experience.