[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] Formerly Coventry Polytechnic[EBOLD][PARA]Coventry has a much longer history than most cities in the [PARA]Midlands and, what with good connections all over the country, [PARA]being sent to Coventry is far from the isolation it's supposed to [PARA]be. This is where Lady Godiva did her famous bare back horse [PARA]ride, but trotting naked through the streets has fallen off [PARA]somewhat as a local sport since the city was almost completely [PARA]destroyed in a single night's bombing during the 2nd World War. [PARA]Despite the speed with which it was resurrected, there was [PARA]some thought involved and [ITAL]it's interesting to look at if not exactly [PARA]attractive - a huge futuristic machine with giant chimneys, vast [PARA]boiling pots and intestinal roads woven amongst the buildings. [EITAL] [ITAL][PARA]The city's heart is a shopping centre maze and getting lost is an [PARA]inevitability at first.[EITAL] This is where the University campus is [PARA]spread, across 25 acres (only about 10 mins walk), near other [PARA]civic buildings like the sports centre, the Art Gallery and Museum [PARA]and the very impressive Cathedral opposite the SU Building. The [PARA]University buildings are made of red bricks and look modern, [ITAL]but [PARA]are not brash or brutal. An effort has been made to make them [PARA]blend. [EITAL]There are lots of sculptures, flower beds, paved squares [PARA]and, bizarrely, gravestones.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Town/gown relations aren't so brilliant, but it's mainly those who [PARA]act like pillocks who get picked on. Students are stoical about it [PARA]however, and friendly amongst themselves. The large [PARA]percentage of mature and part time students sets the tone - the [PARA]silly but fun, first-freedom-from-home attitude is less common [PARA]than the serious-minded, laid-back enjoyment of work and play.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]COVENTRY:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Population: 322,573 [BULL] London: 88miles [BULL] Birmingham: [PARA]16miles[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA][ITAL]Rebuilt, Coventry's a new city with an old spirit which doesn't let [PARA]the modern design interfere with the ancient heritage. [EITAL]There are [PARA]archaeological digs on view close to the campus and in the city [PARA]centre. There's a mile-long pedestrianised shopping centre, big [PARA]enough to provide more shops than a student grant can withstand[PARA](including several bookshops and a number of stores open after [PARA]10pm). The local heritage can be viewed in the city's museum [PARA]and tourist attractions ([ITAL]although Coventry is hardly what you [PARA]might call 'a holiday resort'[EITAL]), notably the Herbert Art Gallery, the [PARA]Toy Museum, the Museum of British Road Transport, the [PARA]Cathedral (restored and built anew by Basil Spence), the olde [PARA]world shops, Lunt Roman Fort and statue of Lady Godiva (you [PARA]may not recognise her with her clothes on).[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] Coventry Station is about 1 mile from the Coventry [PARA]campus and on the main London (1:10mins, 3/hr) to Birmingham [PARA](20mins, 3/hr) line. It has other services to Bristol, Edinburgh and[PARA]elsewhere.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express services all over the place, including [PARA]London (ú9, 2hrs, 9/day), Newcastle (ú22.50, 5:30 hrs, 3/day), [PARA]Liverpool (ú8, 3.20 hrs, 6/day). Other services from Bharat, [PARA]Harry Shaw and Flights.[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] The usual Midlands ease of accessibility, via the M6, M69 [PARA]and M45/A45, and just a few miles from the M1, M40 and A5. [ITAL][PARA]The one-way systems aren't good for the blood pressure.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Coventry Airport isn't terribly helpful[EITAL], but Birmingham [PARA]International is a big one, 91/2 miles away.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD] Apart from the student park'n'ride scheme (shared lifts),[PARA][ITAL]Coventry is excellent for roving thumbsters, with all them big [PARA]roads and jumping junctions.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] There are 3 BR trains stops within the confines of [PARA]Coventry, but the [ITAL]reliable [EITAL]local bus services are [ITAL]more useful for [PARA]getting to places students haven't got the welly to walk to.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] Coventry's small enough to mean ú2 will get students a [PARA]worthwhile whack across town by taxi.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] The roads are busy, the thefts frequent. But it's flat.[PARA][BOLD]Others: [EBOLD]Summer brings 'Lady Godiva Topless Tours'; for ú3.50, [PARA]you can tour Coventry in an open-topped bus.[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 250,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 2,000 [BULL] Study places: 1,000[PARA][BULL] Computer workstations: 1,500[ESTAT][PARA]Apart from the main Lanchester Library, which also includes a [PARA]specialist collection, there's the Art and Design Library. [ITAL]Together [PARA]they provide a large but insufficient answer to a massive demand.[PARA]Computers are more readily available, including 3 UNIX multi-user[PARA]systems.[EITAL][HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 15full/5part [BULL] Unemployed [PARA]after 6mths (1992): 12.7%[ESTAT][HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL][ULNE]Warwick University[EULNE] is only 3 miles outside town on the [PARA]number 12 bus. [ITAL]Not a very special feature, but there you go.[EITAL][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Mark Chase (TV presenter); Jerry Dammers (of The Specials); [PARA]John Kettley (weatherman); Steve Ogrizovic, Alan Smith [PARA](footballers).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for full-time and part-time undergrads, postgrads, [PARA]and guides for international students and students with disabilities.[PARA][PARA]
