New rector stunned by guest rooms woe

THE newly-appointed rector of Edinburgh University is calling for a review of student accommodation after discovering that rooms are being used for guests attending conferences while more than 60 first-year students are being housed outside the city.

Peter McColl, who was announced as the new rector last week, said he was shocked to discover conference guests appeared to be taking priority.

The Evening News revealed in September that 66 Edinburgh University students were offered accommodation at Queen Margaret University on the outskirts of Musselburgh because it had run out of space in the city.

Mr McColl believes that the university should reinstate the rooms being hired out commercially at Masson House within the Pollock Halls of Residence to accommodate students.

“When I lived there over ten years ago, Masson House was the most luxurious house and it is now being used for guests at conferences,” he said.

“I was really surprised to find this out.

“I could kind of understand it if there was a surplus of accommodation and they had to find something to do with it, but when it gets to the point where we have students needing accommodation, like what’s been happening, then we need to bring it back into use as student accommodation.”