Exton Park is the very heart of the University of Chester.
From accommodation and sports facilities to Chester Students’ Union, you’ll find it all at Exton Park.
Located on Parkgate Road, Exton Park is home to many of our departments, including English, Geography and the Environment and Languages and Cultures, and is also home to lots of our professional services staff.
Here’s what you need to know for your next visit:
Site opening times:
- 24/7 opening (specific hours dependent by building)
- 24/7 Workspace: Seaborne Library
Security:
- 01244 511541
Building codes:
- CBA: Bache Hall
- CBB: Best Building
- CBE: Anna Sutton building
- CBK: Binks building
- CCL: Cloisters
- CCR: Chritchley building
- CDN: Downes Sports Hall
- CFS: Fitness Suite
- CGW: Gateway House
- CHB: Hollybank
- CML: Molloy Hall
- CRG: Rigg building
- CNF: Science and Engineering Laboratories (NoWFOOD
- Centre)
- CLR: Seaborne Library
- CSM: Small Hall
- CTH: Thomas building
- CTW: Price Tower
- CVC: Vicarage
- CWE: Westminster building
- CGW: Gateway House
Where to eat/hang out:
As part of the University’s commitment to sustainability and reducing plastic packaging, we no longer offer single-use paper cups in our catering outlets: students can use a drop and swap scheme when purchasing hot drinks.
We take allergens seriously at the University, so please speak to one of our onsite catering team if you have specific dietary requirements, and we will be happy to cater for you.
- The Dining Room
- Open: 8am-8pm
The Dining Room, a centrally located food market-style restaurant with a wide range of options. Discover our “Go Global” concept, offering diverse world cuisines. Enjoy the Chicken Shack and other culinary concepts which change daily. We have a Starbucks coffee shop and offer value meals for those on a budget. We host regular events and entertainment, creating a vibrant dining experience for students and staff to relax in between lectures or on your dinner break.
- Stacked, Westminster
- Open: 8.30am-5pm
Stacked is a Subway-style sandwich shop right here on campus. Fuel up with delicious sandwiches made your way, offering a variety of fresh ingredients and mouth-watering flavours.
We proudly serve Starbucks coffee, ensuring you can enjoy a perfect cup of coffee alongside your sandwich creation. We also offer a selection of light bites and grab-and-go options.
- Binks ‘Bake and Bite’
- Open: 8am-5pm
Binks ‘Bake and Bite,’ is your ultimate grab-and-go destination on campus. Inspired by the popular ‘Greggs’ style concept, we offer a variety of freshly baked goods and quick bites to satisfy your cravings on the move.
Pair your delicious treats with the perfect cup of coffee as we proudly serve Starbucks Coffee, ensuring you have the energising boost you need throughout the day.
Conveniently located in the Binks Building on the ground floor, this is for those looking for a quick and satisfying bite between classes or while on the move.
The Union Bar
The Union Bar is an exciting collaboration between the University and Chester Students’ Union. We’re proud to announce a brand-new chapter with a refurbished bar, featuring a revamped draught line up and cocktail menu. We have partnered with renowned brands like Red Bull and Whitley Neill to support events and bring some exciting experiences for Welcome and to continue throughout the year. Get ready for an unforgettable night with our all-new ‘SU Friday’ club night, showcasing talented DJs and bands that will keep you grooving all night long.
We have introduced a brand-new bar menu concept, offering some classic bar food snacks running from 12pm-10pm.
- University Shop
- Open: 8am-8pm
The University Shop serves all your needs, from meal deals, confectionary, beers and wines, toiletries, and domestic products. It’s a one stop shop with great prices and ranges.
Bring your own food:
- CSU
- Dining Rooms
- Binks Touchdown Space
- Grosvenor Common Room
- Seaborne Library welcome space
Where to study:
- Seaborne Library
- Opening hours: 24/7
- Staffed hours: 8.30am – 8pm weekdays. 11.45am – 6pm weekends
Seaborne is the University’s central library and study space.
Centrally located on our Exton Park site, our recently extended Seaborne Library is the perfect study space. It houses an extensive collection of books, e-books and e-journals, bookable multi-media rooms, video conferencing space, 24-hour access computer labs and The Hub: a comfortable two floor study zone, suitable for independent and group study.
You can access all the University’s IT services, including free Wi-Fi, the University App, and a network account.
We offer a range of library development sessions throughout the year to help you engage with the vast resources we offer. These sessions are designed to support you through your academic studies. You can find out more about our upcoming events via our Portal pages.
You can also book a 1-2-1 appointment with our dedicated Academic Librarians to have a more in-depth discussion about how to make the best use of our resources.
You can find more information and make an appointment with our Academic Liaison Librarian team on our Moodle pages or get in touch via academiclibrarians@chester.ac.uk
Margaret House and Alexandra House
Located opposite Seaborne and Molloy, Margaret and Alexandra House offer small bookable study rooms – perfect if you need some quiet study time. Each room is equipped with a desk, chair, power, a monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Find out more about our drop-in and bookable study spaces.
What divisions study here?
- English
- Geography and the Environment
- History and Archaeology
- Languages and Culture
- Social and Political Science
- Theology and Religious Studies
- School of Education
Sports facilities:
- Fitness Suite and Swimming Pool
- Large sports hall for badminton, volleyball, basketball, futsal, archery, trampoline, cricket, dodgeball and netball
- Floodlit 3G Multi-use Games Area for football, rugby union, rugby league, ultimate frisbee, American football
- Floodlit hockey astroturf for hockey, lacrosse, rounders and softball
- Floodlit tennis courts for tennis, netball and basketball
- Floodlit sprint track
- Squash courts
- Studio for dance, cheerleading, mixed martial arts, fencing, pole fitness and HEMA
- Spin studio
- Golf simulator studio
- Indoor and outdoor table tennis
Help and Support:
- Connect Hub
- Ground floor, Binks
- Open: 9am-4pm, Monday-Friday
The Connect Hub is a faculty-based service to help you have a great student experience.
Based on the ground floor of Binks, the team will help to answer any enquiry you might have, signposting where necessary and triaging for more comprehensive support.
Student Services
The teams within Student Services can help you with key areas which may be impacting your life or your student experience, including; Wellbeing, Mental Health and Counselling; Disability and Inclusion; Financial Support; Student Safety; SVLO (Sexual Violence Liaison Officer Service).
To help us understand the support you need, booking an appointment with one of our services, will require you to have a quick phone call with a member of the Helpdesk team to talk through your situation.
We know asking for help can sometimes be difficult, and the situations you want to discuss can be very personal. However, please be assured we’re here to help and by giving us as much information as possible, we can make sure you get the support you need as quickly as possible.
Student Services are available 9am – 5pm Monday to Thursday and 9am – 4pm on Fridays.
To access Student Services, you can:
- Email: studentservices@chester.ac.uk
- Telephone: 01244 511550
If you have any Accommodation issues or need to report a fault, call in to the Accommodation Office situated next to the University Shop.
Academic Skills (ASk)
Whatever your programme or year of study, or educational background, the Academic Skills team are here to give you friendly, flexible support to build confidence in your skills. Click here to find out more.
Chaplaincy:
Community Hub & Student Wellbeing Garden
The Community Hub & Chaplaincy building is the left-hand semi-detached building on the right of the Binks building. In the Hub you will find an open access Common Room, a well-stocked Community Kitchen for making drinks, heating up lunches etc., a Games Lounge for board games or quiet study and a large, well-stocked Creative Space for arts and crafts.
Multi Faith Space
The Old Pavilion Annexe Multi Faith Space (the large grey portacabin tucked in between Westminster Building and the Now Food Centre) is home to 2 large prayer rooms, lockable male and female Wudhu facilities and shoe racks, a large Common Room and a Community Kitchen for students or staff to make their own food and drinks. The Multi Faith Space is open all day for general use by students and staff and the Common Room is a bookable space.
Chaplains are here for you if you need a chat or want to talk something over, and we support people of all faiths and no faith. We are good listeners and can help you to access other support if you need it. Come and see us at the Community Hub and Chaplaincy next to Binks, Exton Park: Monday-Thursday 9.30am-4.30pm, or email chaplaincy@chester.ac.uk and we’ll get back to you.
CSU:
The easiest way to find out what CSU have to offer is to check out our website: www.chestersu.com.
We are physically located at Exton Park- but by being a student at the University of Chester, you are automatically a member of the Students’ Union, so you can get access to our services regardless of what centre you study at.
So, you may be thinking to yourself, what does a Students’ Union actually do? Well, we exist for the sole purpose of helping students love their student life. We do this in a number of ways, through various services:
- Voice – represent your views on student experience
- Opportunities – join a society and run events!
- Democracy – become one of our officers
- Advice – seek free and independent advice