Gosta Green and Westbourne Road

Advantages: BIAD has good facilities and good location
Disadvantages: Most SU things happen at Perry Barr so the other campuses miss out (but we have the city centre!) Transprt between campus isn't too good.

...I started studying Visual Communication at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, University of Central England in September last month. The other UCE reviews all seem to be based on the Perry Barr campus but I am studying at Gosta Green and living at the Westbourne Road campus, so hopefully this should give you an idea of what some of the other campuses are like. Gosta Green: The course I have recently started is based at the Gosta Green campus which is in the middle of the Aston University campus in the city centre. The location is very good for the city centre and is walking distance from the Cambrian Hall accommodation. The facilities available for my particular course (Visual Communication - photography) are extremely good and cameras can be borrowed free of charge for a few days at a time. The only downside of the course...

katmabel 24.10.2005 · Read review
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Review of Central England University

Gin Palace

Advantages: Great taste that can't be beaten
Disadvantages: Price

...I like to think of myself as a bit of a gin connoisseur, and for me, the award winning Miller's Westbourne Strength Gin is the by far the most superior. Miller's Gin is distilled using over eight botanicals and aromatics, including juniper, cassia bark, angelica, Florentine orris, liquorice root, coriander, finest Seville citrus peel, ground nutmeg, and cinnamon bark. However, there is one top secret ingredient that isn't known to even the head distiller. Miller's say to try their gin neat over ice to see if you can spot it, but I've tried (plenty of times!) and still have no idea! The distilled spirit is then transported from the UK to Iceland where it is blended with pure filtered glacial water (and the secret ingredient added) to create the gin. For me the best way to enjoy gin is in a classic gin and tonic. I always use plenty...

popoki 28.08.2006 · Read review
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Review of Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength Gin

WESTBOURNE ROAD CAMPUS

Advantages: Small campus, Nursing
Disadvantages: Terrible parking, dead, unorganised, unpleasant experience.

...I studied at Westbourne Road Campus for 3 years whilst training as a nurse. I've recently been back to study further modules and each time found the campus, hectic, disorganised and at times unhelpful. At present there is a lot of building work going on, so studying or listening in lectures can be almost impossible. Because of this building work, car-parking is an absloute no no, unless you want to see your car towed away. The lectureres will warn you all about this on your first day! Public transport is ok though. Loads of buses stop just outside on Westbourne road, or you can get off the train at Five Ways and have a good 10-15 minute stroll to the uni. I found getting off the train at New Street and catching a bus outside St Phillips the easiest way! There is usually a bus every 5 minutes to and from Westbourne road...

khalldearn 17.02.2006 · Read review
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Review of Central England University

Fondue Fanatic

Advantages: Tastes good, fun entertainment
Disadvantages: Not so good for vegetarians (if they don't like Fondue)

...If I were to offer you 100 pounds if you could guess what I saw Kate Moss eating the other day, what would you guess? A lettuce leaf? A piece of celery? A greek salad? Nope ? all wrong! The answer is a cheese fondue followed by a chocolate fondue! Yes, I couldn?t believe it, but I saw the calorie-fest with my own eyes at Tiroler Hut. Tucked away in a basement on London?s Westbourne Grove is Tiroler Hut. Due to its central location in Notting Hill, the restaurant attracts its fair share of celebs. Apart from Kate Moss, we?ve seen Travis, Hugh Grant, Damon Albern and the German Ambassador (erm, Ferrero Roche anyone?!?). But this is no Ivy or Met Bar. Tiroler Hut is an Austrian family-run restaurant and has been on Westbourne Grove since the 1960s. >> FOOD << Most visits, we order the same things. We begin...

Maia 26.07.2003 · Read review
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Review of Tiroler Hut, London

Secrets of the Hidden City - The London Encyclopedia

Advantages: The closest you can get to time travel
Disadvantages: A daunting 1060 pages

...at all points. The sheer level of detail is amazing and gives an insight into ages past. A short history of Clapham Common reveals that in 1722 a raid was organised against the vermin infestation there, with 10 shillings being paid for killing nine hedgehogs and seven polecats. Another example: The King?s Road in Chelsea was originally a private road that Charles II used on his way to Hampton Court; other travellers had to produce a copper pass stamped ?The King?s Private Road? to use it. Outside the City and Westminster, nearly everywhere in London was a country settlement or village until the great urban expansion from the late eighteenth century onwards. A map at the start of this volume shows the urban encroachment over time. Once there was a little river crossing across the River Westbourne where legend had it that two knights fought...

Westocean 14.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of The London Encyclopedia - Christopher Hibbert & Ben Weinreb & John Keay & Julia Keay

Great shopping and services in central London

Advantages: Open late, many shops and restaurants, central, cinema
Disadvantages: None?

...Whiteleys is great - a gorgeous building, lots of cool shops, centrally located in Bayswater/Queensway, cinema, art gallery, themed restaurants - and it's all open later than virtually everywhere else in London! LOCATION Whiteleys is located on Queensway, between the Queensway and Bayswater tube stations and Westbourne Grove. It's a great area, as Queensway itself is so busy and happening, and there are lots of places to shop and eat on Queensway and Westbourne Grove. It's also close to Hyde Park and Nottinghill Gate, so you can go shopping and then wander around some gorgeous parts of London. OPENING HOURS This is one main reason why I shop at Whiteleys - the late opening hours. London can be so frustrating with its early closings, but at Whiteleys you shop until about 9.30pm or later. This is especially great around Christmas...

cypress 12.07.2000 (27.07.2001) · Read review
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Review of Whiteleys (London)

Rotating Brazilian Carnage In Notting Hill

Advantages: An event rather than a restaurant
Disadvantages: heavily carnivore

...Well Westbourne Grove actually, but what's a block or two among friends! The word 'carnage' has its roots in the Latin word 'Carne' meaning flesh and still means meat in most of the romance languages. The reason it is pertinent here is that this restaurant offers a veritable orgy of meat; Meat of every description, inside and outside the animal. There is a strong vegetarian element to the menu but most of the vegetarians I know would feel a little uncomfortable in this restaurant for the reasons I will explain. It is also a restaurant you should expect to stay in for the whole evening. It is more of an interactive eating event than a restaurant. It is, of course, a traditional Brazilian restaurant which is located on the corner of Westbourne Grove and Hertford Street W.1.. Rodizio rico means 'rich rotation' in Portuguese and is...

bigush 26.02.2007 · Read review
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Review of Rodizio Rico, London

3000 miles for a bottle of gin...

Advantages: Excellent, fruity, long and moreish.
Disadvantages: Not widely available.

...--Martin Millers Gin-- The Martin Millers gin distillery is located in the heart of England's Black Country. The spirit is batch distilled (many gins are distilled continuously) in a 100 year old copper still that was made by John Dore and Co. The distillate is then shipped to Iceland on a 3000 mile round trip to be blended with glacial water as it is much purer and softer than most bottled waters we see on our shelves today. This water cuts the strength of the gin to 40% (or 45.2% is it's the Westbourne strength). Martin Millers have just the two products that I am aware of. They have the standard 40% gin and the 45.2% Westbourne strength gin. I'm pretty sure (although I could be wrong - and please correct me if I am) that 45.2% is some what of a magic number? I believe it relates back to the days of fighting at sea...

hukerjohn 17.04.2008 (30.04.2008) · Read review
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Review of Martin Millers Gin

The invasion of Notting Hill

Advantages: Colourful costumes, funky music
Disadvantages: Overcrowding, criminal elements, litter

...widely available in tube stations. Ladbroke Grove - closed Notting Hill Gate - restricted service Westbourne Park - restricted service Royal Oak - restricted service Latimer Road Holland Park Bayswater E&OE...

LBoy 20.08.2001 (28.08.2001) · Read review
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Review of Notting Hill Carneval / August (London)

City University

Advantages: Compact area of study, easily mix with others
Disadvantages: Spread out campuses, not much interaction with these

..., but this was purely a financial arrangement since Aston University was struggling. However, it was always a no no to take over Aston University. Personally, I studied at Perry Barr under the UCE banner in the 90's. It had then just built the Halls of Residence and new ones were being built at Oscott Gardens. Moreover, Ansells leisure bar and sports facilities were bought. Further, the site at Moor Lane were improved and upgraded for sports creating Astra turf and other sporting facilities. It is now known as the Pavilliion. When I first started there was on the facilities at Westbourne Road in Edgbaston. What strikes you about the Perry Barr campus is that it looks more like an upgraded college. However, significant improvents have taken place at the Student Union, Cafe's and other shops and library facilities. Resouces are...

makro74 24.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Central England University