Just a 10-minute walk from Chester city centre, and home to a number of academic schools, accommodation and a wide range of sport and recreational facilities, Exton Park is at the heart of the university experience at Chester.
Site opening times
- 24/7 opening (specific hours dependent on building)
- 24/7 Workspace: Seaborne Library
Security
- Security 01244 511541
Building codes
- CBA: Bache Hall
- CBB: Best Building
- CBE: Anna Sutton building
- CBK: Binks building
- CCL: Cloisters
- CCR: Critchley building
- CDN: Downes Sports Hall
- CFS: Fitness Suite
- CGW: Gateway House
- CHB: Hollybank
- CSE: School of Education building
- 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
What divisions study here?
- Geography and the Environment
- History and Archaeology
- Languages and Culture
- Social and Political Science
- Theology and Religious Studies
- School of Education
- Division of Psychology
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 7.30am-7.30pm
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.
Residential Students
For our Residential students we offer three meals a day throughout term time. These are available in the Dining Room located at Exton Park. You can also have lunch at Wheeler, Kingsway or Queen’s Park if you study away from Exton Park. The mealtimes are as follows:
Weekdays
- Breakfast: 7.30am-10am
- Lunch: 11.30am-2.30pm
- Dinner: 5.30pm-7.30pm
Weekends
- Breakfast: 9am-10am
- Lunch: 12.30pm-2pm
- Dinner: 5.30pm-7pm
- Stacked, Westminster
- Open 8.30am-4pm
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 flavors.
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’ 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.
- University Shop
- Open 8am-6pm Monday-Friday
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.
We also have plenty of university clothing and merchandise for you to show off to your friends! We have also introduced a sustainability initiative which includes ‘too good to throw’ packaged meals and a ‘weigh and save’ dispenser to help tackle waste.
- Seaborne Cafe, Seaborne Library
- Open 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday
Our Seaborne Cafe is exclusively Vegan and Vegetarian and uses locally sourced independent coffee suppliers. It serves a variety of coffees, sandwiches and confectionary.
Bring your own food
- CSU
- Dining Room
- Binks Touchdown space
- Grosvenor Common Room
- Seaborne Library Welcome Space
Where to study
- Seaborne Library
- Open 24/7
- Staffed hours: 8.30am-8pm weekdays, 11.45am-6pm weekends (term time)
Seaborne is the University’s central library and study space.
Centrally located at Exton Park, 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.
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.
Sports Facilities
- Gym and Swimming Pool
- Sports Hall for badminton, volleyball, basketball, futsal, archery, cricket and netball
- 3G MUGA (Multi-use Games Area) for football, rugby union, rugby league, ultimate frisbee, American football
- Hockey Astro for hockey, lacrosse, rounders and softball
- Tennis Courts (outdoor) also used for netball and basketball
- Sprint Track (floodlit)
- Squash Courts
- Studio for dance, cheerleading, mixed martial arts, fencing, pole fitness and HEMA
- Spin Studio
- Golf Simulator
- Table Tennis (indoor & outdoor)
Help and Support
- Connect Hub
- Ground Floor, Binks
- Open: 9am-4.30pm, Monday-Thursday and 9am-3.30pm Friday
The Connect Hub is a faculty-based service to help you navigate student life.
Based in Binks, the Connect team will help you with any queries, signposting where necessary and triaging for more comprehensive support.
- Connect Hub
- School of Education Building
- Open: 9am-4.30pm, Monday-Thursday and 9am-3.30pm Friday
The Connect Hub is a faculty-based service to help you navigate student life.
Based in the School of Education building, the Connect team will help you with any queries, 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
Our Student Assistance Programme is extra support available to all students, alongside what the University already offers. You can get free, confidential help from a counsellor 24/7, every day of the year – just call 0800 028 3766.
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 and Chaplaincy
Our multi-faith Chaplaincy team is based in the Community Hub (next door to Binks building) and our team is here to support all students, whatever your religion or beliefs may be. Chaplaincy offers students a warm welcome and helps students to feel a sense of community and belonging.
We run all sorts of weekly activities and events in the Hub including an Art Zone, Craft Sessions, a Wellbeing Garden led by students, and lots of food events as well. You can pop into the Hub Monday – Thursday 9.30 – 4.30pm. Follow us on Instagram to keep up to date with what’s on in the Hub each week.
Chaplains are available to offer pastoral, spiritual and religious support and are always ready to help you and offer a listening ear. We also have a wider team of Associate Chaplains from various religious communities. To contact us or book a time with a chaplain please email chaplaincy@chester.ac.uk
On Exton Park you will also find our beautiful University Chapel, built in the 1840s. It is open Monday – Friday for quiet prayer.
Our Muslim Prayer Rooms are located in the Old Pavillion Annex, next door to Westminster Building, with separate male/female wash rooms and prayer rooms. There are also Muslim Prayer Rooms available across our sites, including washing facilities, and you can find out more about our Prayer Rooms here.
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