Merchant City House (Liberty House)

Home to 181 students, Merchant City House (formerly Liberty House) has an intimate feel to it and is ideally located in the heart of Glasgow. Both the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University are within a 10-minute walk, while the University of Glasgow is only 20 minutes away by underground.

Don’t want to share a bathroom? The good news is that all of the rooms in Merchant City House are en-suite, so the only thing you need to share with your flatmates is the fully-fitted kitchen and living area. If you’d like even more independence, you can choose to live in one of our studios, which include their own kitchens.

Thanks to its central location, you simply need to step outside of Merchant City House and you’ll find shops, bars and restaurants all around. Student-friendly shops like TK Maxx, Primark and H&M are just a couple of streets over. When the sun sets, pick from a huge range of pubs and bars, or head along to Delmonicas and rent a private karaoke room with your friends.

Glasgow’s club and bar scene competes with top cities like Manchester and London. It is no secret that the Glaswegians are extremely fond of their pubs and a good time all round and Merchant City House is right in the heart of the city centre so you’ll never be far from the action.

Don’t fancy cooking? No worries. Merchant City House is located on Miller Street within the centre of Glasgow; here you will find hundreds of places to eat out with a variety of cuisines from all over the world. Just a short stroll along Queen Street you will find Ichiban – wonderful Japanese cuisine – Max’s Bar and Grill for great food and cocktails, and Strata, a 60’s inspired restaurant. If you venture towards George Square you will find a bigger selection including; Jamie’s Italian, Browns and Prezzo.

The city centre is also home to an assortment of national chain favourites including: Nando’s, Ask, TGI Friday’s, Wagamama and Five Guys. Whatever you’re into, there will be something to suit your taste and budget.

The nightlife in Glasgow is second to none; the entire city is full with bars, pubs and clubs so you’ll never be short on things to do. Sauchiehall Street is where you will find a selection of cheap bars. The West End is a short train ride away via underground and offers some cool independent bars and cafés to explore. Just around the corner from Merchant City House is George Square and Merchant City, one of the city’s most popular destinations for socialising and eating out. Merchant Square is home to Bar Square, Beer Café, Fanelli’s, Mercado, Metropolitan, Arisaig, O’Neill's and Boudoir Wine Bar – so you’ll be spoiled for choice.

If you’re looking for somewhere to dance the night away, Garage, O2 ABC, and Club 520 are all  a short 5 minute taxi ride or a 20 minute walk away, and there’s  a great variety of music on offer. Viper in the West End plays house, techno and electro and it’s only a 5 minute taxi ride away. For something entirely different why not try the edgy and alternative Cathouse?

You’ll find a range of exciting activities on your doorstep to keep you entertained in your spare time.

Merchant City House is best suited for students studying at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland but but is conveniently located for students attending The University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow School of Art and Glasgow Caledonian University too.

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland can be reached on foot within 15 minutes. All other Glasgow universities are either within walking distance or are a short bus or underground journey away.

If you’re a bit of a shopaholic,  there are plenty of stores in Glasgow offering hours of purchasing fun. Shops range from designer labels, independent boutiques to high street brand chains. The main shopping areas in Glasgow are Princes Square, less than 5 minutes’ walk away, Buchanan Galleries; 10 minutes’ walk away and Merchant City; just over 5 minutes walk from Merchant City House.

If you’re shopping on a budget, try the Barras Street Market which has a range of stalls with loads of different types of bits and pieces.  

Glasgow has an astonishing 35 museums and art galleries, the most popular of them all being The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum it’s one of the most visited free museums in the UK and just a 10 minute car ride away. The Glasgow Science Centre is also a must visit, it features a Science Mall and an IMAX cinema, and it’s just 20 minutes from your new home in our student accommodation..

Live music in Glasgow is very popular and there are a variety of venues which offer live entertainment. The O2 Academy Glasgow is just over 15 minutes’ walk from Merchant City House and plays host to loads of famous acts. For a real taste of Glasgow’s music scene visit King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut – which can proudly boast that the band Oasis were first discovered there!

If you prefer a somewhat more sophisticated activity in the evenings, why not try the Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera or the Royal Scottish National Orchestra? Their performances are unbelievable and are bound to impress.

If you like to relax in between lectures, Glasgow Green is a 10 minute walk from the residence, and is Glasgow’s oldest park. The park has a range of facilities to offer, which include: orienteering courses, various footpaths, Heavy Horses – which are stabled and exercised within the park –  as well as several events held throughout the year.

To catch up with the latest film releases, you can visit one of the six cinemas that the City has to offer. The nearest to Merchant City House is the deluxe 18 screen cinema at Cineworld 10 minute walk away.

If you like to keep fit Merchant City House is located next to a range of fitness centres, the closest being The Gym on Jamaica Street, or try PureGym on Bath Street; 10 minutes’ walk from the residence. PureGym offers cheap and cheerful membership, with free classes available and it’s open 24/7.

Football is amongst one of the Glaswegians’ most popular sports and the city centre is home to Rangers Football Club at the Ibrox Stadium, and Celtic Football Club at Celtic Park. The stadiums are within walking distance from Merchant City House and a great day out if you manage to catch a local derby match!

If you fancy getting out for the day and embracing the beautiful Scottish surroundings  take a trip to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, where you can try hiking, skiing, or cycling – depending on the weather!

Merchant City House is located within the city centre of Glasgow so it’s highly accessible by bus, train and car.

Glasgow Central train station is located just a stone’s throw from our student accommodation, and provides a quick link to other major cities across the UK. You can reach the bright lights of London in around 4.5 hours, Manchester in 3.5 and Preston in just 2.5.

Queen Street station is less than a 5 minute walk where you will find connections to other popular destinations in the North and East of Scotland like Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Loch Lomond

The bus system in the city is super reliable and provides quick links within Glasgow and the surrounding areas. Buchanan bus station is approximately 13 minutes’ walk from the residence where coaches like the National Express depart to other UK cities.

Like the city of London, Glasgow has its very own mini underground system called the Subway, giving a quick and convenient route to get to other popular areas this great city has to offer.

For those living outside the UK, Glasgow Airport is a 20 minute drive from Merchant City House. The airport has an extensive range of widespread routes including budget and transatlantic flights.

Popping to the shops for your essentials couldn’t be easier when you stay at Merchant City House. The central location of the residence means you will have a range of amenities right on your doorstep.

Local supermarkets are within easy reach from Merchant City House including Sainsbury’s on Queen Street, Tesco Express on Ingram Street, a Marks & Spencer on Glassford Street and Morrison’s on Barrack Street; all are within a 5 minute walk.

Shopaholics are in luck! Glasgow is a shopper's treasure chest. Take a wander through Argyle Street, Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street to find all your latest style must-haves. If that's not enough for you, St Enoch's Shopping Centre is right next door to Merchant City House complete with a food court where you can rest those tired shopping feet!

St Vincent Street Post Office is 5 minutes’ walk away and includes a Bureau de Change, there is also a number of high street banks around the city centre.

The Whittaker Library is located at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s  contains an extensive collection of performance materials for music, dance, drama, production and screen. It’s a 10 minute walk from Merchant City House and is open until 8.30pm Monday-Thursday and 5pm on Fridays; it’s open to students and members of the general public.

Aside from the universities’ libraries, The Mitchell Library is based in the city centre and has a wide range of books and some designated areas solely for studying.

You’ll be able to receive free and confidential advice regarding finances, careers and general welfare when studying at any of Glasgow’s fantastic universities, so you’ll never be left feeling isolated or without support.

Students staying at Merchant City House are encouraged to register at Woodside Health Centre, less than a 10 minute drive from the residence.

For any emergencies, Glasgow Royal Infirmary Hospital is a 20 minute walk from Merchant City House should you need any urgent medical assistance – but we hope you don’t!

At Merchant City House, you’ll never be far from the help you may need. The Residence Team are always available 24 hours a day to guide or assist you throughout your time with us – we’re here to help.