Durham. Small city, big student life.

There is a reason students who come to Durham tend to love it. It is compact enough that everything feels close, but lively enough that there is always something going on - historic streets, riverside walks, a proper city centre and a student community that makes it all feel like home surprisingly quickly.

Location

Everything on your doorstep

Most places are within walking distance: lectures, the gym, cafés, restaurants, bars and shops packed into the city centre.

Settling in is easy when everything you need is close by. Durham’s mix of history and student energy is hard to match. Study sessions by the River Wear, college events, society socials and nights out all happen within easy reach, and familiar faces soon become friends.

It’s the best of both worlds: a close-knit community with plenty going on, set in one of the UK’s most picturesque university cities.

THE CABANA COMMUNITY

Your home away from home.

Living with Cabana means being part of something that is just finding its feet. We run events across the year, we have social spaces at several of our properties and we genuinely want to know what our residents think. We already have events in the calendar, and if you have an idea for something you want to organise yourself, we are here to help make it happen. Durham is an easy city to build a life in. We want Cabana to be the place that makes it easier.

Nights Out

Durham after dark. More than you might expect.

For a smaller city, Durham punches well above its weight when it comes to a night out. Student bars, independent venues, cocktail spots and late-night options are all within easy reach of the city centre. And as a Cabana resident, you will find a welcome pack waiting when you move in, including 25% off at a selection of bars we know well. Whether you are after a quiet drink with flatmates or a proper night out, the city has it all.

  • Home & Botanic Durham

    Home & Botanic Durham brings a bar, restaurant, and underground nightclub together under one roof at 1–4 North Road. Opened in mid-2026, it offers food, drinks, and late-night entertainment across several spaces, making it ideal for starting your evening and staying out late.

  • Jimmy Allen’s

    Jimmy Allen’s

    Jimmy Allen’s is a lively independent bar and nightclub in the vaulted cellars of Elvet Bridge. Popular with students and locals, it offers resident DJs, live music, a top-floor karaoke bar, and the signature ‘Woodgate’ drink.

  • Osbourne’s

    Osbourne’s

    Just off Elvet Bridge, Osbourne’s is a late-night bar with resident DJs, live bands, cocktails, and a lively atmosphere. It hosts student nights and Durham’s longest-running LGBTQ+ night on Mondays, making it a key part of the city’s diverse nightlife.

  • The Drunken Duck

    The Drunken Duck

    On Claypath, The Drunken Duck is a welcoming bar with a great range of drinks. Its central location makes it an easy stop for meeting friends, starting a night out, or continuing your evening after visiting other venues.

  • Crush Wine Bar

    Crush Wine Bar

    Crush Wine Bar on North Road offers a relaxed alternative to cocktails and clubs, with more than 80 wines by the glass. Alongside classic European choices, you can discover wines from Georgia, Lebanon, India, China, Taiwan, New York, and Texas.

  • The Three Bridges

    The Three Bridges

    The Three Bridges is a lively city-centre pub on North Road and a great choice for a casual night out. Recently refurbished across the former Yates and William Hedley sites, it offers a welcoming setting for drinks while exploring the city centre.

  • The Elm Tree

    Ye Elm Tree

    Ye Elm Tree is a charming 17th-century English pub at the top of Crossgate Bank, serving cask and local real ale. It also offers live music, a weekly pub quiz, and a lovely rear beer garden.

  • The Angel Inn

    The Angel Inn

    The Angel Inn is Durham’s alternative rock pub, attracting students, locals, and an alternative crowd. It hosts weekend live bands, mid-week pool tournaments, and a weekly quiz night, and sits opposite the Elm Tree on Crossgate Bank.

Nights Out

Durham after dark. More than you might expect.

For a smaller city, Durham punches well above its weight when it comes to a night out. Student bars, independent venues, cocktail spots and late-night options are all within easy reach of the city centre. And as a Cabana resident, you will find a welcome pack waiting when you move in, including 25% off at a selection of bars we know well. Whether you are after a quiet drink with flatmates or a proper night out, the city has it all.

  • Home & Botanic Durham

    Home & Botanic Durham brings a bar, restaurant, and underground nightclub together under one roof at 1–4 North Road. Opened in mid-2026, it offers food, drinks, and late-night entertainment across several spaces, making it ideal for starting your evening and staying out late.

  • Jimmy Allen’s

    Jimmy Allen’s

    Jimmy Allen’s is a lively independent bar and nightclub in the vaulted cellars of Elvet Bridge. Popular with students and locals, it offers resident DJs, live music, a top-floor karaoke bar, and the signature ‘Woodgate’ drink.

  • Osbourne’s

    Osbourne’s

    Just off Elvet Bridge, Osbourne’s is a late-night bar with resident DJs, live bands, cocktails, and a lively atmosphere. It hosts student nights and Durham’s longest-running LGBTQ+ night on Mondays, making it a key part of the city’s diverse nightlife.

  • The Drunken Duck

    The Drunken Duck

    On Claypath, The Drunken Duck is a welcoming bar with a great range of drinks. Its central location makes it an easy stop for meeting friends, starting a night out, or continuing your evening after visiting other venues.

  • Crush Wine Bar

    Crush Wine Bar

    Crush Wine Bar on North Road offers a relaxed alternative to cocktails and clubs, with more than 80 wines by the glass. Alongside classic European choices, you can discover wines from Georgia, Lebanon, India, China, Taiwan, New York, and Texas.

  • The Three Bridges

    The Three Bridges

    The Three Bridges is a lively city-centre pub on North Road and a great choice for a casual night out. Recently refurbished across the former Yates and William Hedley sites, it offers a welcoming setting for drinks while exploring the city centre.

  • The Elm Tree

    Ye Old Elm Tree

    Ye Old Elm Tree is a charming 17th-century English pub at the top of Crossgate Bank, serving cask and local real ale. It also offers live music, a weekly pub quiz, and a lovely rear beer garden.

  • The Angel Inn

    The Angel Inn

    The Angel Inn is Durham’s alternative rock pub, attracting students, locals, and an alternative crowd. It hosts weekend live bands, mid-week pool tournaments, and a weekly quiz night, and sits opposite the Elm Tree on Crossgate Bank.

Shopping

Everything you need, close by. From the city centre to the retail parks just beyond it, Durham keeps errands simple. Day-to-day essentials, weekend browsing, a last-minute birthday present… it is all within easy reach.

  • Prince Bishops

    In the heart of Durham, Prince Bishops Place is a major shopping destination with high-street retailers and everyday essentials. A multi-million-pound redevelopment is bringing river views, new public spaces, student accommodation, and more opportunities for independent businesses.

  • Arnison Centre

    A few miles north of Durham in Pity Me, the Arnison Centre offers everyday essentials, fashion, and sports retail. Just off the A167, it has more than 1,300 free parking spaces and familiar names including Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Nike, JD Sports, Boots, and Superdrug.

  • Durham City Retail Park

    Durham City Retail Park offers major retailers including B&Q, Argos, Currys, Sports Direct, B&M, ScS, Bensons, and Carpetright. It also has Pizza Hut, a KFC drive-thru, over 1,000 free parking spaces, and seven-day opening.

Shopping

Everything you need, close by. From the city centre to the retail parks just beyond it, Durham keeps errands simple. Day-to-day essentials, weekend browsing, a last-minute birthday present… it is all within easy reach.

  • Prince Bishops

    In the heart of Durham, Prince Bishops Place is a major shopping destination with high-street retailers and everyday essentials. A multi-million-pound redevelopment is bringing river views, new public spaces, student accommodation, and more opportunities for independent businesses.

  • Arnison Centre

    A few miles north of Durham in Pity Me, the Arnison Centre offers everyday essentials, fashion, and sports retail. Just off the A167, it has more than 1,300 free parking spaces and familiar names including Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Nike, JD Sports, Boots, and Superdrug.

  • Durham City Retail Park

    Durham City Retail Park offers major retailers including B&Q, Argos, Currys, Sports Direct, B&M, ScS, Bensons, and Carpetright. It also has Pizza Hut, a KFC drive-thru, over 1,000 free parking spaces, and seven-day opening.

Stay Fit & Relax

Make time for yourself.

University life moves fast, and having somewhere to exercise or switch off makes a real difference. Durham has a solid range of gyms, fitness studios and wellness spaces, several of them close to the city centre and to our properties, so staying active can easily become part of your routine rather than an afterthought.

  • PureGym Durham Arnison

    PureGym Durham Arnison at the Arnison Centre offers students 24/7 access and modern equipment. It also includes functional training areas, sled tracks, fitness classes, and personal training with professional trainers.

  • Sport in Durham

    Durham has a strong sporting scene, with plenty of ways for students to get involved, whether they compete seriously or stay active for fun. University clubs and teams offer competitive and casual options, while the city and surrounding area provide activities to suit everyone.

  • Soma Club Durham

    At Prince Bishops Place, Soma Club combines high-intensity training with relaxation. It offers Hot Yoga, Reformer and Mat Pilates, coached boxing circuits, a Finnish sauna, ice baths, and an infrared sauna. A private flotation tank is also due to be introduced.

  • PureGym Durham

    PureGym offers affordable, flexible gym access at locations around Durham, including Durham City Retail Park. Contract-free memberships provide 24/7 access, with more than 200 pieces of equipment, fitness classes, personal training, and dumbbells up to 50kg.

Stay Fit & Relax

Make time for yourself.

University life moves fast, and having somewhere to exercise or switch off makes a real difference. Durham has a solid range of gyms, fitness studios and wellness spaces, several of them close to the city centre and to our properties, so staying active can easily become part of your routine rather than an afterthought.

  • PureGym Durham Arnison

    PureGym Durham Arnison at the Arnison Centre offers students 24/7 access and modern equipment. It also includes functional training areas, sled tracks, fitness classes, and personal training with professional trainers.

  • Sport in Durham

    Durham has a strong sporting scene, with plenty of ways for students to get involved, whether they compete seriously or stay active for fun. University clubs and teams offer competitive and casual options, while the city and surrounding area provide activities to suit everyone.

  • Soma Club Durham

    At Prince Bishops Place, Soma Club combines high-intensity training with relaxation. It offers Hot Yoga, Reformer and Mat Pilates, coached boxing circuits, a Finnish sauna, ice baths, and an infrared sauna. A private flotation tank is also due to be introduced.

  • PureGym Durham

    PureGym offers affordable, flexible gym access at locations around Durham, including Durham City Retail Park. Contract-free memberships provide 24/7 access, with more than 200 pieces of equipment, fitness classes, personal training, and dumbbells up to 50kg.

FAQs

Got a question?
We've got you.

Is Durham a good city for students?

Genuinely, yes. It is compact, safe, walkable and full of things to do. And the student community here is tight-knit in a way that larger university cities rarely manage.

How far are the Cabana properties from the university?

All four are within easy reach of the university and the city centre, most on foot. Exact walking times vary by property, check the individual location pages for more detail.

Is Durham safe?

Durham is consistently rated as one of the safer university cities in the UK. All Cabana properties have CCTV throughout and out-of-hours emergency cover every night.

What is there to do in Durham beyond studying?

Quite a lot. Riverside walks, independent cafés, a surprisingly good nightlife, societies, sport and events throughout the year. The city is small enough to feel familiar quickly and interesting enough that you keep finding new corners of it. Check out our Student Life page for a snippet of what Durham has to offer.

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See all FAQs