Wearmouth Hall was a much loved and well cherished feature of student life for thousands of Sunderland students over the decades. This popular hall of residence became a hub for student life (and love) at the University and its predecessor institutions when it was opened in the 1960’s.  Over eleven floors high, the residence towered above campus next to the Edinburgh Building and was home to a shop, canteen venue hall and of course student bar.  Originally opened with 154 bed spaces for male students it was heralded as a venue for a ‘united nations’ of Sunderland because of the many international students who stayed there. It was one of the very first halls of residence in the country attached to, what was then, a technical college.

By the 1990’s Wearmouth Hall was well known for fairly priced lager, just enough room to wield a pool cue and had a 10pence charge for ‘non-members’ to enter the building.  Some of the most well known bands of past decades performed there including the Boomtown Rats, Slade, Prefab Sprout.  To some it was a 1960’s concrete barnacle on Chester Road, to others it was home to fun, frolics and long nights of studying in the run up to finals.

Do you have any special memories and photos of Wearmouth Hall? Please tell us your memories in our dedicated Wearmouth Memories page!