The University of Chester Business School welcomed the first cohort of students to its new Queen’s Park Campus.
The iconic buildings were brought back to life as students were greeted for tours and introductions before lectures began today (Monday October 5).
Many in the community will welcome the £1.8m refurbishment – including the retention of Art Deco fixtures and fittings – although some local residents foresee the ‘studentification’ of their neighbourhood over time given the university’s acquisition of not only this site but County Hall and possibly the West Cheshire College campus in future.
The oldest building at Queen’s Park, formerly known as Capital House, has been renamed Churchill House in honour of one of its historic visitors dating back to when the premises was created in 1937 before the outbreak of the Second World War Two as the Western Command Headquarters of the Army, complete with bomb-proof bunker network.
It was reputedly the location for top secret meetings between Sir Winston Churchill, General Eisenhower and General De Gaulle. Field Marshall Montgomery was a frequent visitor.
The modern Bridge House next door was built in 1997 and its most recent occupant was Lloyds Banking Group. Both buildings have been empty since Lloyds vacated in 2010.
Taking their first look around the new buildings, students were impressed by the sheer scale of their new ‘study home’ which includes 200-seat lecture theatres, PC suites and a dedicated business library plus ‘Montgomery’s’ ‘grab and go’ Starbucks cafeteria and the top floor De Gaulle Brasserie, whose dining room has picturesque views over the Dee.
Josh Linney, 19, from Luton, who is in his second year studying Tourism Management, said: “The new buildings are amazing. The facilities on offer are incredible. It’s quite astonishing what’s been achieved here.”
Second year Events Management student Jessica Higgs, 19, from Qatar, is excited to be returning to study. She said: “It’s a great campus with fantastic facilities and surroundings. We’re very lucky to have the opportunity to study in this brilliant environment. I love studying in Chester. The city is such a homely place.”
Ashley Trzebiatowski, 22, from Prenton, Wirral, who graduates in Marketing in November, has returned to the Business School to take part in a teaching placement. He said: “The buildings are so modern, but the heritage does justice to the level of teaching we receive here – it really reflects what Chester is about.”
Professor Ruth Ashford, executive dean of the business school, said: “The University of Chester Business School is a world class provider of business and management professional programmes, not only in the UK but also in Singapore, China, Malta, Brunei, Malaysia, USA (New York) and other world destinations where we currently run our Chester Business programmes.
“This impressive new site enhances our provision and further demonstrates our commitment to developing the business leaders of the future.”
The Queen’s Park campus is host to more than 1,000 full and part-time students from all over the world plus more than 200 academic staff as well as librarians, catering assistants and administrators.
Outside, there are 2.3 acres of grounds with formal gardens and walkways. As part of the university’s Green Travel Plan, students are urged to walk, take public transport, or use the shuttle bus service currently running between the main Parkgate Road Campus and Queen’s Park Campus.
Although the site is private property, the university will host public events, including lectures, to which the community will be invited.
The university business school scheme succeeded a failed housing plan at the site by Redrow Homes.
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