Beech Gardens (Liberty Gardens)

Home to 242 students, Beech Gardens (formerly Liberty Gardens) is perfectly placed for students studying in Birmingham. The city centre is just a short walk away, while all university campuses are reachable by bus in less than 20 minutes.

All rooms come with a bed, storage space and a study desk, giving you the space to work when you need to. Choose a non en-suite and you’ll share your bathroom with flatmates, or opt for a en-suite if you’d prefer to have a bathroom all to yourself. And if the weather is good, head outside to the courtyard to relax with friends or read a book.

The city centre, with hundreds of shops, bars and restaurants, is a 20-minute walk away, which is perfect for days off. Whether you head to the Bullring for some retail therapy or go to the Everyman cinema in the Mailbox, Beech Gardens ensures you’re well catered for. Plus, Morrisons is only a 10-minute walk away for those all important food shops.

Located on Elvetham Road, Beech Gardens is close to the University of Birmingham’s campus and within easy reach of all local amenities and transport links including Grand Central station.

Birmingham is known for being one of the liveliest spots in the UK for night life. For a selection of bars and clubs, Broad Street has everything you need and is only a 15 minute walk away. Just a few student favourites include Popworld, 6, Players, Revolution and Birmingham’s own super club Pryzm – offering four floors and 9 bars worth of fun.

As well as nightlife, Birmingham boasts a range of well known restaurants on Broad Street and throughout the city centre. These include Rub Smokehouse, Bodega, Nando's and many more. If it’s a cocktail your after you’d be spoilt for choice in Birmingham with bars including The Botanist, Be at One or you can head over to The Alchemist for some amazing concoctions!

For live music visit the Birmingham O2 Academy located just a 20 minute walk from the residence. The O2 Academy has played host to many famous artists including The Artic Monkeys, Ne-Yo, Imagine Dragons and literally thousands more across all genres. Alternatively, Digbeth is well known for its live music scene, and plays host to the popular Digbeth Dining Club, an award winning street food event.

Beech Gardens is located on Elvetham Road and is ideally suited for students studying at the University of Birmingham.   

Birmingham is one of the top places in the UK for shopping, and is home to the Bullring Shopping Centre. The centre is a 20 minute walk from the residence and holds three floors with over 160 stores available, so you will never be short on choice. The Mailbox is also home to big fashion retailers like Harvey Nichols and the historic Jewellery Quarter hosts over 100 specialist jewellery retailers, designers and craftspeople. 

Birmingham’s world famous Rag Markets are also located behind the Bullring, and you can visit on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. There are lots of different stalls to choose from; jewellery, fabric and souvenirs. 

Birmingham is thriving with entertainment venues.  The NEC, Birmingham Hippodrome, and The Barclaycard Arena are all within easy reach from your  student accommodation.

The NEC is widely known in Birmingham for being an awesome entertainment venue; it stages concerts, sporting events, conferences and much more. The NEC can be reached by train in 30 minutes, from Birmingham New Street Station and Five Ways.

If you love chocolate, you’ve come to the right place. Birmingham is home to the world famous Cadbury’s chocolate factory, and it’s  only a short 15 minute taxi ride away. Cadbury World offers visitors a guided tour and you’ll even get some delicious free samples – definitely worth a visit.

For fans of art, the Waterhall Gallery of Modern Art is less than a 15 minute bus ride from the residence and is one of Birmingham’s newest venues featuring fantastic collections of contemporary art.

There are numerous gyms near Beech Gardens. Pure Gym is only 15 minutes from the residence and opens 24/7. There you will find all the latest fitness equipment and a range of classes to choose from – with competitive student rates available. The University of Birmingham also offers fully fitted gym facilities for you to take advantage of.

If football is your passion, Birmingham is home to Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham Cityfootball clubs.  If you get chance to watch a local derby match, you won’t be disappointed, as the atmosphere here is electric.  

Birmingham is also a focal point for British athletics and home to one of England’s top cricket grounds at Edgbaston.

For those who enjoy running or walking, Cannon Hill Park is a 30 minute walk away and there’s plenty of open space and running tracks for you to test your skills. A weekly Park Run event is held here every Saturday at 9am and is free to register and join in.

The Barclaycard Arena is located in the city centre and has been the venue of choice for some top sporting events, including the Olympics, and is definitely worth a visit.

Beech Gardens is located just a 20 minute walk from the city centre and is close to the many transport links on offer allowing you to get around Birmingham quickly and safely.

The main train station for the city is Birmingham New Street; the train station provides a quick link across the city and to other UK destinations, so your friends have no excuse not to visit! In only one hour and 30 minutes you could be shopping in London or seeing the sights of Liverpool!

Five Ways train station is only a 5 minute walk away from Beech Gardens and is only one stop away from Birmingham New Street and University Station.

For those travelling from abroad, Birmingham Airport and station are a 20 minute drive away and connect with all other Birmingham train stations. 

The city also has an excellent bus system, making it easy to get around locally. Birmingham is also on the Megabus and National Express routes, perfect for a quick trip home for the weekend to see friends and family.

Useful bus services for the residence are:

98 (Bus Stop: Five Ways, (before), St James Road) runs every 20 minutes between 8am – 7pm towards University of Birmingham and the city centre. Last service is at approximately 11pm.

Additionally, taxi services in the city are reasonably priced; meaning getting home in the small hours can be done safely.

Beech Gardens is conveniently located next to an array of local amenities, so you won’t have to travel far for your essentials. The residence is located 15 minutes’ walk from Tesco Express. As well as Tesco, there is a larger Morrison’s Supermarket on Hagley Road for all your weekly shopping needs. 

If you aren’t in the mood to cook, Five Ways and Broad Street have a range of takeaways to suit all taste buds including Chinese, Kebab Houses, Indians and many more. Whatever takes your fancy, you won’t be left hungry!

For local banks, Five Ways has a Barclay’s and more high street banks such as Natwest, and HSBC can be found in the city centre just 15 minutes’ walk from the residence.

The nearest library to the residence is the Library of Birmingham, which is 15 minutes’ walk away. Additionally, the University of Birmingham has a library and is approximately a 15 minute bus ride away.

Each of the city’s universities offer free and confidential advice on careers, financial worries, student welfare or anything else which you may need help with. 

Beech Gardens local GP’s surgery is Bath Row Medical Practice on Bath Row, and is located 10 minutes’ walk away. Additionally, there is a pharmacy located in Bath Row Medical Centre, and a Boots pharmacy on Broad Street less than a 10 minute walk from the residence. 

In case of an emergency, the nearest hospital to the residence is Birmingham City Hospital located on Dudley Road, under a 10 minute ride by taxi.

The residence is never too far from the help you may need, and the Residence Team are always happy to give advice. We’re here when you need us!