Students 'sleep in' to protest rising cost of accommodation in Durham

The Durham University students spent the night at the Palatine Centre, the administrative centre of the organisation, which they described as “the nicest accommodation” in the city.

It was organised by the Durham University Labour Club and saw 16 students spend the night in the foyer of the building in Stockton Road.

Kate McIntosh, co-chair of the group, said: “They spent £1.4m on art there so we thought we would spend the night in the nicest accommodation in the city to get our money’s worth.

“The cost of college accommodation is £38 per night which is the price of a budget hotel and what is received in return is far below that standard.”

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The fourth year student added: “There’s a general feeling in Durham that we are being ripped off.

“We pay so much money and don’t see where it goes. There’s a lack of financial transparency and the accommodation is getting worse.”

Students described the Palatine Building, in Stockton Road, as the "nicest accommodation" in the city

In October, the university announced accommodation costs for the next academic year would rise 3.5 per cent, taking the cost of a for a single en-suite room with catering to £8,189.

Owen Adams, one of the university’s pro-vice chancellors, said: “Like any other enterprise, the cost of running the university increases each year. College fees have been raised so as to reflect rising staff, utility, and building costs.

“However, we know some of our students face real financial pressures. We offer a bursary scheme, known as the Durham Grant Scheme (DGS).

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“The DGS is available to undergraduates – throughout their course – who are home students, studying their first degree, and who have a household income of less than £25,000 a year. We are constantly seeking to expand these forms of support, as much as possible.

“We are committed to freedom of expression within the law and encourage free expression and debate amongst our staff, students and visitors. This reflects our core values as a university.”

It is not the first time students have protested rising living costs.

Durham Students’ Union is also leading a “ripped off” campaign against the cost of college accommodation.