Unite Students: a Bristol success story celebrates 30 years

From small beginnings, to a highly successful UK-wide business which has homed more than 800,000 students over the last three decades, Unite Students is one of Bristol’s business success stories.

The FTSE 250-listed company employs almost 2,000 people around the country, with 350 based out of its head office in the city centre.

Now with 173 properties in 27 cities, Unite Students has become a well-known part of the higher education experience for students in the UK, with 73,000 students currently calling a Unite Students property their home. It is now the largest provider of student accommodation in the country.

It all began from offices based in a temporary building on a car park in Redland in 1991. Founded by Nick Porter, a former UWE student, he recognised that there was a growing demand for accommodation for students in the city.

The company now has 14 properties in Bristol including Bleinheim Court in Marlborough Street, Marketgate and Phoenix Court in Bond Street, Brunel House in St George’s Road and Cathedral Park in Park Place, Clifton, helping to free up rental properties for other residents in the city.

Many of its properties don’t stand out as obvious student accommodation. Brunel House was formerly a hotel for passengers crossing the Atlantic on the SS Great Western. With a neo-classical facade and an amphitheatre that was once used to trade horses, the building is now an eco-friendly home for 246 students. Cathedral Park is home to another 250 students. It is made up of three buildings: a converted cathedral, a modern new-build and the upper school building.

Unite Students’ latest development in the city is on the site of the former Bristol Royal Infirmary building in Whitson Street. It will open its doors for the 2022/2023 academic year. Campbell House is named after one of the city’s first Black ward sisters, Princess Campbell, who helped lead the city’s fight against racial discrimination.

Keeping close to its Bristol roots, Unite Students has been the lead sponsor of Bristol Pride for the last five years. The organisation is driven by the principle that a ‘home for success’ is a home for everyone, supporting the COVID-safe Pride last year which engaged over 638,000 people through digital events and parades, with Unite Students employees volunteering throughout the festival.

Student success stories

Former UWE student Victoria Simmons, now Innovation Manager for Unite Students, has worked for the company for the last 15 years. She recounts her days as a Bristol student living at Favell House in Crow Lane:

“I chose to live with Unite Students, like many first years, through UWE (the University of the West of England). Back then, the student accommodation sector was very much just university halls: live there as a first year only, then fend for yourself in a flat share.”

“When I left university, I worked in a theatre training group in New York for six months; when I returned to the UK, I had plans to go into the world of theatre and work my way up – but while looking for theatrical opportunities I returned to Bristol, the city I loved, and started to work for my old accommodation provider, Unite Students.”

“I absolutely loved the culture and the people, but most importantly the purpose. Being able to be a part of such an important journey in a young person’s life was for me so captivating that I decided to see where I could grow at Unite, and I’ve never looked back since”.

Current Unite Students resident and Bristol success story, Dannii Jones, describes why she loves her degree and the work she is producing.

“I have always been a creative person, in many aspects, and photography allows me to express this in many different mediums, it’s an amazing way to be artistic.”

“I think I would describe (my work) as kind of weird? Quirky and colourful. I try to make original work”.

Danni, who is now in her final year at UWE is a Bristol-based photographer and her portfolio includes some famous Bristol sights.

Community action in Bristol

Unite Students recently provided and fitted out an office and meeting space for local homelessness charity, Streetwise. This gave the charity its first ever home as well as funding an additional full-time ‘street beat’ worker. In the first four months, they helped 214 members of the street community to successfully engage in a methadone treatment programme.

The purpose-built student accommodation provider has played a significant role in Bristol’s voluntary sector, including housing the Bristol Youth MAPS- Homelessness Prevention hub for the last three years. Bristol Youth MAPS is a multi-agency Youth Homelessness Prevention hub, commissioned by Bristol City Council and led by 1625 Independent People, a Bristol-based charity which has been supported by Unite Students since 2017, when they were named as their charity of the year.

Since 2015, Unite Students head office has supported a charity of the year, chosen by employees nominating and voting for the charity they want to support, with fundraising and volunteering, as well as providing meeting spaces, and increasing awareness of these local organisations. This has included raising over £130,000 since 2015 through in-kind donations.

Unite Students is also proud to be the principal supporter of the Unite Foundation, a national charity supporting estranged and care experienced students through a unique accommodation scholarship that covers rent and bills for up to 3 years of study. Unite Students has been supporting the charity since its inception in 2012 and is also the charity’s accommodation partner, working hard to ensure all students on the scholarship feel safe, secure and at home at university. The charity works in partnership with 26 universities across England and Scotland including University of Bristol and UWE.

Looking forward, Unite Students is positioned for further growth over the coming years with new properties planned in London and other major cities around the UK.

Main photo: Unite Students

Read more: Unite students supports youth homeless prevention in Bristol

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