‘Students give the place its buzz’ - Exeter high street feels holiday slowdown

Businesses across Exeter say the city centre becomes noticeably quieter when University of Exeter students leave for the holidays. 

Cafés, pubs and shops report takings falling almost overnight, underlining how much the city depends on its 29,500-strong university student population, which contributes hundreds of millions of pounds to the local economy each year.

A report by Oxford Economics, commissioned by the University of Exeter, found that during the 2020/21 academic year the institution generated £816.3 million of economic output within Exeter. 

This supported £509.4 million in gross value added (GVA) and 9,750 jobs, around nine per cent of all employment and economic activity in the city. The University is also Exeter’s second-largest employer.

Student spending alone accounted for £148.8 million in GVA and supported 2,810 jobs, with a further £1.6 million and 720 jobs linked to visitors coming to see them.

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That impact stretches far beyond the Streatham and St Luke’s campuses, feeding directly into city-centre shops, cafés, pubs and clubs.

For many businesses, the absence of students during holiday periods is immediately noticeable.

“You can feel it almost overnight,” said Sonya Ellis, a resident and shop owner of the Exeter Craft Hub on Sidwell Street. 

“When the students leave, takings fall straight away. We still have loyal locals, but it’s not enough to keep the same pace we see during term-time.”

City-centre pubs say they experience the same sudden drop. Staff at The Imperial on New North Road said weekday trade slows dramatically outside term-time.

“Students make up a big part of our midweek crowd,” a spokesperson said. “Once they go home, evenings are noticeably quieter and we have to rethink staffing and events.”

At The Old Firehouse, a long-standing favourite with students and locals alike, managers said student holidays can reduce takings by as much as a third.

“We still get regulars, but students give the place its buzz,” a member of staff said. “Without them, the atmosphere changes and it’s harder to justify late openings.”

Meanwhile, The Monkey Suit on Sidwell Street said student absences are felt most outside weekends.

“Friday and Saturday nights remain busy, but Mondays to Thursdays drop off sharply,” a spokesperson said. “Students are a big part of what keeps the city centre alive during the week.”

Residents living in and around the city centre say the seasonal shift is obvious.

James O’Connell, who lives near Fore Street, said the city feels “almost like two different places” depending on the time of year.

“In term-time it’s lively and busy, sometimes too busy,” he said. “But in the summer, especially midweek evenings, it can feel oddly quiet. Some streets just empty out.”

Students themselves are aware of the impact they have — and many say they notice the difference when large numbers leave the city.

“When most students go home, the city centre feels emptier,” said Ella Morris, a second-year undergraduate living in Pennsylvania. “A lot of the places we go like the cafés, pubs, late-night food spots, clearly rely on student trade.”

Others say students play a role in sustaining venues that locals also enjoy.

“We’re not just here for lectures,” said Tom Richards, a postgraduate student at St Luke’s. “We spend money in town, we work part-time in shops and bars, and we keep a lot of places going during the week.”

Some students, however, feel the relationship could be more balanced.

“It sometimes feels like the city is built around students nine months of the year, then struggles when we leave,” said Aisha Khan, a final-year student. “Maybe there needs to be more going on that brings in families and visitors as well.”

Local café owners echoed those concerns. Amir Patel, who runs a café near the Streatham campus, said weekend takings can fall by nearly half when students leave.

“Without students, it’s hard to maintain staff levels and keep the shop open as usual,” he said.

Others see both positives and drawbacks. Helen Moore, from St Thomas, said students bring energy but worries about over-reliance.

“I like the buzz they bring, and I’d hate to lose that,” she said. “But it does feel risky that so much of the city centre depends on one group being here.”

Not everyone views the city’s student reliance negatively. Some residents argue that Exeter would struggle to sustain its current range of shops, pubs and cultural events without the university population.

“It’s easy to forget how much the University brings into Exeter,” said Marcia Lucas from Heavitree. “Shops, buses, events - a lot of what we have wouldn’t exist without that population. The city would feel very different without the students.”

The student population has grown steadily over the past five years, rising 17 per cent between 2019 and 2024. 

Undergraduate enrolment increased from 19,760 to 22,856, postgraduate taught numbers from 3,807 to 4,937, and postgraduate researchers from 1,675 to 1,756.

That growth has helped sustain Exeter’s economy at a time when many similar-sized cities have struggled to rebuild footfall following the pandemic.

The University itself employs 5,630 people (around five per cent of all jobs in the city) and spent £22 million with 330 Exeter suppliers in 2021, supporting a further 330 jobs through the local supply chain.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Lisa Roberts said the figures highlight the University’s importance to the city and wider region.

“This report quantifies the contribution that the University of Exeter makes to the economy and reaffirms the important role we have to play in supporting jobs and prosperity in the South West,” she said.

However, as Exeter’s identity becomes increasingly tied to its role as a university city, questions remain about how to keep the centre lively when students are away.

“It’s not about blaming students, they’re part of what makes the city thrive,” said Sarah Kew. “It’s about finding a balance so Exeter still feels alive when they’re not here.”

Local business owners and hospitality leaders agree that the challenge now is futureproofing the city centre, ensuring growth benefits the wider community and that Exeter can sustain a thriving high street and night-time economy.