Cambridge secrets?

crana999

Hi, I moved to Cambridge as a student in October, and while I know my way round OK, I haven't discovered many of the cheap shops etc you get to know if you are local to an area.

Stuff I know about is the discount warehouse (now sadly closed ), the similar shop by Argos, the market (obviously!) and some of the ethnic grocers on Mill Road.

Does anyone have any good cheap food shops/houseware shops/cafes/similar to share?

rotate

Cambridge does'nt do cheap,it must be one of the most expensive towns in UK,even the market charges rip off prices compared to markets in other towns especially if you go up North.Every cheap area is developed and gentrified by the council and the cheaper shops forced out.
The city centre has one v small Sainsburys that is full of students having social chats in the middle of the isles.The rest of the town is being taken over by ye olde gift shoppes and restaurants to cater for the visitors.Cambridge residents get a poor deal out of the city.Newmarket Rd area now has a Tesco and an Asda and there is an Aldi along Histon Rd near the Esso garage.I still like life in Cambridge though

VickyA_2

Have you been to the local secrets website? Local Secrets It has various offers on and reviews of cafes and restaurants.

My favourite cheap cafe for lunch is Tatties - all they serve are baked potatoes (with a wide range of toppings) and baguettes. It's just near the SPCK bookshop, close to Lakeland Ltd.

In the summer, we sometimes buy a baguette (they have a couple of stools in the shop) from "Bridge Cafe" - or something very similar - next to the Greek Orthodox church. Can't remember the street name, but it's close to Fat Face and Park Street car park (Round Church). We take the baguette and sit on the banks of the Cam opposite Trinity College Library, watching the punters go by. It's great entertainment and you get to hear all about the university from the guided punts (did you know that A A Milne was a student at Trinity and there's a first ed Winnie the Pooh in the Trinity Library? And did you know that Prince Charles' bodyguard got a higher degree than PC?)

I hope you understand that garbled message!

By the way, have you found the Jesterlarf comedy club that is held on the first Friday of every month at the University Centre? Jesterlarf

jockettuk

take the train into peterborough loads and loads of cheap shops here

crana999

rotate wrote:

The city centre has one v small Sainsburys that is full of students having social chats in the middle of the isles.The rest of the town is being taken over by ye olde gift shoppes and restaurants to cater for the visitors.Cambridge residents get a poor deal out of the city.Newmarket Rd area now has a Tesco and an Asda and there is an Aldi along Histon Rd near the Esso garage.I still like life in Cambridge though

you're telling me? - I'm a cambridge resident too! I know residents (including students) don';t get a good deal out of the city, which is why I was hoping to find out about any lingering hidden bits of goodness that exist..

I apologise on behalf of students who have nothing better to do than gossip in sainsburys. they infuriate me too, but not as much as the staff do.

I made it up to Asda last week but it took me so long to get there and back and carryinge verything was such a pain (I don't have a bike) I don;t think i will bother again.

I think the Aldi is a bit far out for me..

To other posters:

Vicky - are you at cam uni or studying elsewhere in cam? I seem to remember you're a student teacher/PGCE - but may be confusing you with someone else, sorry!

jockett, I don't think getting the train to Peterborough would be that time or cost effective for me, but thanks all the same!

Addy

Kailash on Mill Road - over the bridge, going out of town does cheap everything - bit like Poundland!!

CRC used to have a restaurant on the Newmarket Rd site where you could book and be catered for by the catering students, nice 'posh' food at a good price, not sure if they still do.

The Local Secrets website that Vicky posted is good - reviews and money off vouchers for lots of eating places.

The new Cineworld on the Cattle Market site has "Bargain Tuesdays", all seats £3.80.

I love living in Cambridge but it ain't cheap and public transport is a farce. Very interested in hearing other local's tips!!

VickyA_2

Hi Crana,

Yes, I'm a student teacher (PGCE), but in Bedford. I travel there from just south of Ely every day - the commute is shorter to Bedford than it would be to Cambridge, time wise, NO JOKE!

Cambridge is my local big town, and I use it alot for entertaining/shopping. My friends always want to visit Cambridge when they visit me and have a walk around the colleges etc.

Have you been to stuff at the ADC? It's where they hold the Footlights and many "famous" people have started off their careers - Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson blah, blah, blah.

Cambridge is lovely, but it's just so expensive (as you've found out). No chance of buying a house round here at the moment...................... Plus I'm a student again so definitely no chance

Vicky

crana999

Addy wrote:

The new Cineworld on the Cattle Market site has "Bargain Tuesdays", all seats £3.80.

Several colleges also have film nights that are much cheaper than cinemas (although show older films) e.g. http://www.srcf.ucam.org/robfilms/ price £2.

As far as I know these are open to everyone. John's and Christ's also do film nights.

I haven't been to the ADC yet but often go to plays in my college (so convenient ) and went to a play at Robinson last week.

I have to say I haven't had that much chance to explore Cam too much because of my horrible timetable and work (hence me wanting to "short cut" to finding the local secrets )I do try and get round and have a look about some slightly different places though.

To be honest we very rarely go out to eat and we dont even go out for a drink that often, it's just too expensive, we normally go to the bar in college or just hang round in someone's room.. lol, so exciting, i know. to be honest I think I prefer that most of the time.

Addy

crana999 wrote:

I made it up to Asda last week but it took me so long to get there and back and carryinge verything was such a pain (I don't have a bike) I don;t think i will bother again.

Crana, there is a bus stop at Asda...and what's more I've even seen buses at it!! (Do you get a discount on buses with a student card?).

Reed_Richards

Excellent range of reduced price books at Gallway and Porter.

Addy

Reed_Richards wrote:

Excellent range of reduced price books at Gallway and Porter.

Oooh, now you've reminded me - they have sales at their warehouse on Cherry Hinton Road once a month on a Saturday morning - books around £1. I've been once and see the adverts in the local rag occasionally. It's a bit of a jumble sale!! The cheap book shop in Bradwell's Court (opposite Argos) is worth a ferret round if you're passing as well.

Didn't know there were so many M.S.E.r's in Cambridge!!