Gentrification: Students need stability and lower rents, not nice coffee and fresh sandwiches

'The change is wonderful for those who can afford it, but there is no middle ground'

A woman relaxes at a café in Brixton Village, south London. Brixton, the once infamous district, has been transformed by gentrification in recent years (CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images)

Everyone who has ever spoken to someone at university hears of the same problems; money, rent, and bills. It’s become harder than ever to live while at university, with prices rising on all fronts, from food, to housing, to a haircut. Student maintenance loans cover very little so, while studying, one must often find different ways to make ends meet.

At the root of it all comes the housing crisis. Property is more expensive than ever, and working taps in a dingy bathroom seem to warrant premium prices. Gentrification has to be to blame for this, with hipster cafés flogging nasty craft beers popping up in every student city, charging higher prices and creating higher demand for areas that were, once upon a time, affordable.

Of course, it’s lovely to be able to shop in a Whole Foods, then stop in at a café for fresh pastries, but cities are changing too fast. Take Gloucester Road in Bristol, for example. An area once notorious for dodgy dealings, rubbish pubs, and ladies of the night, the road and the area surrounding it is now an affluent, desirable place to live, with students flocking there in their thousands and new businesses popping up all the time.

Of course, the change is wonderful for those who can afford it, but there is no middle ground. Having lived there myself, I know how enjoyable the area can be, but my maintenance loan is swallowed up by a few months’ rent, and I’m left to pick up the pieces with an overdraft I can’t afford, after being enticed into the area and a hefty rental contract.

Cities have changed, in many ways for the better, but students are left with very little stability. Each year, rents and bills go up, but wages and loans remain the same. Students struggle to find the money to run their homes, and this all comes down to - you guessed it - gentrification. With areas becoming nicer, prices inevitably go up, and this creates a vicious cycle: areas become nicer, drawing in developers and students alike, ready to pounce on sought-after property. Rents are then hiked-up and even prices in corner shops increase, resulting in a double-edged sword of expense. Students then have to work longer hours to try and pay their way, not only worrying about where the next meal’s going to come from, but left with too little time to focus on their studies. This defeats the very point of being at university - and the very point of the Government dishing out loans.

Some would argue students could just move to more affordable areas of cities, but this is definitely not a solution to the problem. With expense comes all the things integral to student life, and many things would grind to a halt in more residential areas. Students need the transport links and the resources provided in upmarket areas. Libraries, bookshops and study spaces are the lifeblood of any student community, not just the pubs, clubs, and bars many would believe.

Clearly, gentrification can be a good thing, but it is a step backwards. Cities will look nicer, coffees will be better and sandwiches fresher, but it’s fanciful and unnecessary. Students need stability, with lower rents and basic necessities. Now do you see why gentrification is pushing us out?

Twitter: @ReubenNash1