Dean Clarke Lofts to offer unique student living experience

If I think back to my student accommodation, luxury was certainly not a word I would have used to describe the pokey, although admittedly much-loved, student digs I inhabited during my Uni years. How times have changed! Dean Clarke Lofts, in which a couple of show apartments are ready to view by the general public from this coming Saturday (16 March), will provide students and young professionals in training the option of an altogether more refined way of life. They will also offer foreign students a very attractive prospect while studying at Exeter, with a Chinese language version of the brochure and promotional video in the pipeline.

Located at the heart of the city in sought-after Southernhay, with Cathedral Green and the new Princesshay shopping centre on your doorstep, the lofts are a short stroll from the city’s nightlife, restaurants, cinemas, galleries and the award-winning Royal Albert Memorial Museum. 

The elegant Dean Clarke House, built in 1742 as England’s first general hospital, is named after its founder Doctor Alured Clarke, the Dean of Exeter Cathedral. A listed landmark and one of Exeter’s most important historic buildings, it enjoys the tall windows, high ceilings, elegant staircases and generous proportions you’d expect from gracious Georgian architecture.

The prominent Georgian property which houses Dean Clarke Lofts has been transformed into the largest and most luxurious student accommodation in the city. Views across Exeter can be enjoyed through the impressive, tall Georgian windows and most lofts feature mezzanine double bedrooms overlooking light-filled living spaces. Other lofts are a mix of larger and smaller spaces, carefully designed to make excellent use of period features and dramatic views, whilst also featuring well-equipped kitchens.

The Dean Clarke Lofts are due to be completed by 31 July in time for students taking up tenancy from 1 September 2013.

So how can students afford such a luxurious standard of living I hear you ask. Well, the cost may be prohibitive for some students on a very tight budget, however the lofts appear to offer a very competitively priced option, in particular for postgraduate students and young professionals undergoing training, with rents varying from £100 per week (for sharers) to £190 per week (for single occupancy). Rents include: Megafast 100Mb broadband; Contents Insurance and all Utilities; On-site professional management; Flat screen smart HD TV; TV Licence and Secure access and CCTV.

And quite literally on the doorstep will be the newest eatery to launch in Exeter. Loungers, which is due to open ahead of the student accommodation on 15 April, is part of The Cosy Club family, providing an informal cafe/bar that is open all day, every day for coffee, drinks, or something to eat in a relaxed, comfortable environment - very much a home from home for locals, professionals and students alike.

Dean Clarke Show Lofts will be open from Saturday 16 March (Wednesday to Saturday 10am – 4pm). Drop in during viewing hours or contact 08453 191 600 to book a viewing. For fear of sounding too much like an estate agent (no offence intended), there are only 30 apartments available and they are most likely to be snapped up like hot cakes, so get in there early to avoid disappointment.