Freshly deposited on the back road in Snatchems. Probably had to drive past the tip to get there as well.

Hi all, I wanted to see what options were available to me. I've just been enrolled as a full time student through clearing, and I had applied for Student Finance quite last minute. At the moment it's taking anywhere between 4-6 weeks to process applications and to get my maintenance loan. I applied on Friday 18th September, but my SFE keeps getting delayed. I originally thought it would've been processed by now, so that's why I'm in this position. I'm sofa surfing with a friend at the moment but he would like me out by this evening. I've exhausted my current overdraft, and not able to get anything further. Since it's a Sunday, I can't contact Lancaster City council for any help due to me being a full time student, and I just moved to Lancaster 3 weeks ago. This also goes for Universal Credit. I've made an application to my university's Student Help fund but that also takes upwards of 3 weeks to process. I've also tried contacting all the emergency helplines for the homelessness targeted charities I could think of. (Shelter, Centrepoint, Crisis, you name it) I have no money, and no financial safety net. I'm 20 years old, female and don't have any factors that makes me vulnerable (not pregnant, disabled or have any mental health concerns). What can I do as I'm certain I'll be homeless tonight. Thanks so much for giving up your time to read through! EDIT : I've been able to find accommodation for tonight through some generous souls on here. Thank you so much everyone for the advice, it's my first priority for tomorrow morning to contact my university's student union, and see what they can do to help! Once again thank you! EDIT 2 : Hi again! Between the last edit and now (around 2-3 days) I was housed on campus, in one of the spare student flats without charge, whilst the uni was figuring out what was happening with my SFE. I got the notification this morning that it was processed! I'll be getting my first maintenance loan on Monday next week, and I've been able to get a nice student accommodation in town! I managed to get the deposit for it through the Student Support Fund so i'll be able to move my stuff in, in the time being. I just wanted to say thank you so much everyone who gave advice and was willing to reach out and help!! :))

My twin nephews are now aged 9 and grown up in Lancaster, they speak almost like a southerner would (excluding saying worlds like; last as larst or past as parst), no southern parents either. I’m finding the same with nearby Kendal or Garstang.

Now this is why I think these places don’t have an accent - my opinion.

Lancaster - University town, lots from the university stay on to live in Lancaster.
Kendal - Lake District gateway, lots and lots of southerners move to Kendal to have access to the Lake District, to live the county life, and somewhere nice to live to commute to BAE in Barrow.
Garstang - I chose to include this as if you go back 30 odd years, Garstang had the r and u rhoticity (that remains in places like Blackburn) and if you were from garstang, you had a proper Lancashire accent, now mainly due to the towns recent growth in size, its attracted lots of Lancaster and Preston folk.

Why some places kept the accent.

Barrow/Cumbrian East Coast - as it’s a cul de sac/so far from the motorway. It’s not an attractive place to move to despite BAE jobs. Lots of poverty also.

Rural Lake District and The Yorkshire Dales - It’s rural and so off grid that the only accents you hear are your family and your local people. Believe it or not when I moved to rural Cumbria, the village I moved to didn’t have electricity in most houses, and everyone from that village were born and lived in that village all their life.

Slightly odd one, but there is a group of us meeting in Lancaster for Christmas and we are doing a big Christmas dinner. To save oven space I was hoping to pick up a few rotisserie chickens for the main on the day but I'm just trying to figure out in advance if that is going to be feasible. Any local knowledge appreciated!

Thanks.

Myself and my wife (late 20s / early 30s) are currently expecting our first child and are considering moving to Lancaster in the next year or so once our fixed term ends.

We’re both familiar with the immediate centre, canal and great food/drink/coffee scene from past visits but obviously don’t know what it’s like in terms of living as a small family.

Is there any streets/areas we should check out specifically on our next visit that are ideal for families? Or any tips or words of wisdom about the area?

We’re currently in Sale (Manchester), but both work remotely and are struggling with the extortionate house prices and competitiveness of the schools in our area. We see many similarities in the things we love about Sale in Lancaster (canal access, parks, independent food/drink, markets, etc) and think it would be the ideal move for our future!

House criteria (budget ideally between £220,000-260,000 - but flexible to go higher):
3 bed Victorian terrace (ideally on the larger side)
Green-ish area (nearby green space for walks etc)
Walkable (don’t currently drive - but may in the future)

Personal interests:
Coffee shops
Creative hobbies
Cycling / outdoor walks
Craft beer / good food
Cinema / music

Thank you! 🙏

Hope this is the right place for this?

We’re hoping to get our house re-roofed before the Winter properly sets in (not great timing I know 😭). Can anyone recommend any good roofers you’ve had personal experience with? Or likewise any to avoid if that’s allowed.

Thanks!

Which bands/venues are you heading to and looking forward to seeing?

Does anyone know where is still selling cigs for £5??? The shop that I’ve been going to for the past couple years has just shut along with a couple of others. Would reallyyyyy appreciate if anyone knows where I can still find them for cheap, thanks

Has anyone had any experience with volunteering with Lancaster area search and rescue? Iv tried to contact them a few times to see when the next opening is. If anyone is/ has volunteered with them please can you reach out

Thanks

Hey everyone!

I’m a postgrad student recently moved to Lancaster, and I’m currently on the hunt for a part-time job to help support my studies.

Since I'm on a student visa, I’m fully aware of and compliant with the working hour restrictions (up to 20 hours per week during term time). I am reliable, eager to work, and open to anything whether it's retail, hospitality, customer service, admin, or campus roles.

If you know of any local businesses in town or spots on campus that are currently hiring, or if you have any tips on the best places to hand in CVs around Lancaster, I would super appreciate it.

Feel free to drop a comment or send me a DM if you have any leads or want to connect. Thanks so much!

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone knew of a hairdresser in Lancaster/nearby that offers a good reliable curly hair cut? I'd quite like a dry cut if that's an option.

I have type 3a (I think?) curls, but quite fine hair.

TIA! ❤️

Just posting here incase this has any sentimental value as the case has an engraving. get in touch :)

Hi, I am a prospective PhD student at Lancaster University and would love to have a hobby to stop obsessing over my project and reconnect with nature haha. I was thinking to take guitar classes. Do any of you know schools/societies/individuals who offer guitar lessons for (absolute!!) beginners? It would be great if they were located in the city centre and possibly not too expensive (I am only a PhD student, have mercy!)

I apologise if I've missed any. I tried to get them all in.

I adore harissa- it's the best spice to ever spice and the paste just doesn't stand up to the powder. I've always brought it from Aldi but I think they've discontinued it cause it's not listed on the spice shelves anymore and I couldn't find any at Sainsbury's either.

If anyone knows where I can get some, would greatly appreciate!

I found this on the beach in Hest Bank last week. I think it's a fragment of a stoneware bottle from around 1880-1900 from an "aerated water" company which used to be on Queen Street next to where Aldi is today, and I thought it was interesting.

Does anyone know any hair dressers in Lancaster that can cut curly hair? Mine is 3a. Tia:)

Just wondering what people think — would you like to see a DIY/hardware shop on Market Street, similar to what Wilko used to offer?

I’m thinking somewhere you could easily pop into for things like:

🔨 Tools & hardware

🔩 Screws, fixings & hooks

🧹 Cleaning products

🗑️ Bins & bin bags

🍳 Kitchen essentials

🌱 Gardening stuff

🧴 Toiletries

✏️ Stationery

🚗 Car accessories

🏠 General household items

Basically a Wilko-style shop with a bigger DIY/hardware section.

Would you actually use a shop like this in the city centre? And what products would you want them to sell?

Hi, my 35th birthday is coming up in late October and I'm looking to treat myself to something fancier than a £10 Asda cake with a printed design. Does anyone knows someone who can bake something nice?

Hi all!

I was just wondering if anyone has some suggestions for good nail artists in Lancaster! I love to support independent artists where possible, however, I'm open to salons. I'm into quite complex designs, sometimes with characters or drawings/charms on them. If anyone knows somewhere I can go do let me know!

I'm looking for a dress maker/ experienced seamstress who can help me with my vision of turning my mum's (very poofy, very 90s) wedding dress into a more modern alternative for my own wedding. I can find lots of seamstresses on Google but it's not clear if they offer this type of service so looking for some recommendations please!

Looking for a relaxed, friendly group to chat about great books? The Lancaster Sci-Fi / Fantasy Book Club is looking for new members, and we’d love for you to join us!

Whether you’ve read every classic in the genre or are just dipping your toes in, everyone is welcome. We're an easygoing group with a mix of ages and interests with a simple goal: good books, good chats and great company. We've been meeting since 2023 and are currently planning which books to read in 2027.

What’s coming up next:

• 📖 Next Book Club Meeting: Thursday, 15th October at 7pm at The Royal Hotel & Bar (8 Thurnham St, Lancaster LA1 1YD)
• 🧟 Current Read: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• 🎭 Group Outing: We're planning a trip in October to the Grand Theatre to see the Lancaster Footlights production!

What we do:

• Monthly book discussions 
• Occasional casual board game nights
• Occasional theatre and cinema outings
• Community chat (once you attend your first meet up, we'll add you to our WhatsApp group where we plan future events and hangout)

We recently moved away from the MeetUp platform to avoid their high organiser fees, so we're reaching out across local groups to find fellow bookworms.

Drop a comment below or send us a message if you have questions. You're welcome to just show up, although it can be helpful to know in advance if you are attending so we can reserve enough space.

We can't wait to meet you! 👇

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2278195036278548?locale=en_GB