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Student Housing
#1 Student Lettings Agency
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Thinking about living in Nottingham city centre? Compare Lister Gate, Lace Market, Lenton and Arboretum. A full student guide to travel times, lifestyle and the 25 Lister Gate apartments.
Most students start their house hunt with the same two words: Lenton or Arboretum. Nottingham has a strong student culture around those areas, and they’ve earned their reputation. But every year more students ditch the old idea of “you have to live in Lenton” and move straight into the city centre. The result is simple. City centre student living has exploded in popularity, and places like Lister Gate and the Lace Market are now some of the most in-demand locations in Nottingham.
If you’ve been debating where to live next year, or you’re wondering whether the city centre lifestyle is worth the hype, this guide breaks down the reality. And yes, we’ll look specifically at Lister Gate, because it’s the perfect example of what city living offers.
The shift has been happening for a few years, but it’s now fully mainstream. Students want convenience. They want easier travel, better food options, quicker access to nightlife and part-time work. Living ten to twenty minutes outside town no longer appeals in the same way it used to.
City centre living solves a lot of problems:
No late-night taxis or long walks after nights out
Close to shops, gyms, cafes and libraries
Quick to the station for weekend trips
Easy access to buses and trams
Right next to part-time job hotspots
Lister Gate is one of the clearest examples of this lifestyle. It sits at the bottom of the city centre, seconds from the train station and minutes from Old Market Square. For students who want everything around them, the area sells itself.
Not all student areas are created equal, and the differences shape the whole experience.
Pure convenience. Central, walkable, safe, busy and packed with food, shops and nightlife. You’re in the heart of everything.
Trendy, stylish and historic. A little quieter in the daytime than Lister Gate, but full of bars, cafés and independent shops. A favourite with NTU students.
Classic student suburb. Big houses, strong social atmosphere, close to University Park but far from the city centre. Great for the “traditional student experience.”
Close to NTU, affordable, residential, and quieter than Lenton. Walkable to town but not as instantly connected as Lister Gate.
Each option works for a different type of student, but if you want the most time-efficient lifestyle, the city centre wins.
City centre living suits one type of student incredibly well: people who want to maximise their time and minimise the hassle of living out of town.
It’s ideal if you’re:
An international student who wants to feel safe and connected
Someone who works part-time in the city
A student who goes out regularly and hates taxis
A person who doesn’t want a long commute to anything
Someone who loves food, coffee, nightlife and convenience
A student who studies best outside their room in cafés or libraries
Lister Gate in particular works for students who want the energy of the city but don’t want the high prices of the Lace Market’s premium apartments.
Lister Gate is busy, no point sugar-coating it. It’s open late, well-lit, and full of foot traffic. You’re next to the train station, Broadmarsh development, and the main retail stretch of Nottingham. If you want quiet residential streets, this area isn’t for you. But if you want city energy, you’ll love it.
The real benefits come from having everything in reach
Five Guys, McDonald’s, Nando’s, Pret and Pho
200 Degrees Coffee and other Lace Market cafés
PureGym and The Gym Group
Supermarkets, clothes shops and takeaway places
Tram stops and bus links a few minutes away
The Lace Market nightlife just around the corner
Living here feels like being plugged into the city. It’s active, convenient and walkable.
This is the question every student asks, and the answer is simple.
Around five to ten minutes on foot, or under 5 minutes on the tram.
Buses leave from the main road outside the Broadmarsh area and go directly to campus. Around fifteen minutes door to door.
Tram and bus combinations work easily with quick connections. Students in the city centre rarely complain about commuting because they save so much time everywhere else.
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The building at 25 Lister Gate is a strong example of why students are choosing the city centre. It offers modern, high-quality apartments with generous communal spaces and a clean, contemporary finish. Groups of three and five can live comfortably without compromising on space.
These are the available flats:
Because everything is on your doorstep, the lifestyle becomes incredibly easy and surprisingly cost-effective once you account for saved taxi fares and convenience.
You need to be realistic. City centre living isn’t perfect.
The cons are:
It’s busier than a suburb
You’ll hear nightlife and early-morning deliveries
You won’t have big gardens or huge suburban spaces
You’ll pay a little more for convenience
But for most students, the trade-off is worth it.
For a certain type of student, absolutely. You get convenience, nightlife, food, transport and a genuinely modern lifestyle. Lister Gate and the Lace Market offer the best version of that experience without the premium price tag of some of the flashier developments.
If you’ve always pictured yourself in Lenton, that’s fine. But if you want to be in the middle of Nottingham’s best bits, the city centre wins hands down.
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#1 Student Lettings Agency
Student Housing is a top-rated student lettings agency offering fully furnished, bills-included accommodation across Lincoln, Nottingham, and Hull. Run by former students, we provide hassle-free, transparent housing tailored for university life.
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