Today’s big topic: Students in Copenhagen are struggling to find housing
Julie Thomsen has four and a half years left in her veterinary studies in Copenhagen and still dreams of finding a more suitable student apartment.
What’s happening?
Thousands of young people are beginning new degree programs in Copenhagen these weeks. For 24-year-old Julie Thomsen, a veterinary student from Central Jutland, the excitement of starting school was quickly overshadowed by an acute housing hunt.
»It was incredibly hard to find a place to live. I was messaging with a few different people in Copenhagen, but there are a lot of people trying to scam you out of money. One man wanted me to transfer 1,000 kroner for a viewing before I’d even come to the city, just to make sure I showed up«, she recalls.
Why it matters!
Every year, thousands of new students move to Copenhagen, many of them needing to secure housing before classes begin. But it can be very difficult to find a place, and even if you’re lucky enough to do so, it is often expensive.
Luckily for Julie Thomsen, her father had a connection to someone affiliated with the student housing complex CPH Village, so about a month into her new program, she moved into one of the small container homes in Nørrebro. But the roughly 10-square-meter room cost a little over 6,000 kroner, stretching her budget thin.
»I worked both at a bar and at a nursing home because the rent ate up almost all of my student grant, and then I borrowed from my family to pay the deposit«.
Still curious? Read the full article here.
In other news
– Employment in Denmark is rising
For several years, employment has been a sturdy cornerstone of the Danish economy, and it continues to be. Figures from Statistics Denmark show that 3,091,300 people were in paid employment in June, according to the news agency Ritzau. That is 3,600 more than the month before, and 34,400 more than in June last year. This continues a trend in which employment over the past five years has grown by more than 300,000 people.
– Five hearts for Daniel Lanois
As a producer, Daniel Lanois has helped bring out the best in the biggest stars — from U2 and Bob Dylan to Peter Gabriel. As a musician on Thursday night, he brought out something in the Tønder Festival itself, Politiken’s music critic Simon Lund writes.
»Lanois was a smiling older gentleman of 74 who, with his cap pulled low over his eyes, led us into the sound wizard’s workshop. Inside, he wrung bluesy, echoing tones from his guitar, let his pedal steel lift instrumentals up out of the fog, and more murmured than sang about ’Fire’ and ’The Maker’«, writes Simon Lund in his review where he gives five hearts.
– Alternativet wants a 30,000-kroner parking permit in Copenhagen
The green political party Alternativet in Copenhagen wants to raise the price of parking in the capital to 30,000 kroner a year. The aim is to force car owners to consider whether they really need a car in Copenhagen, so the city’s public space can be used better. That is what Karoline Lindgaard, group chair for Alternativet in Copenhagen’s City Council, says.
»We have too many cars in Copenhagen, and that has pretty major consequences for what kind of city we have«, she says.
A parking permit currently costs Copenhageners an average of 2,500 kroner a year. That expense should be hiked sharply so that the most expensive parking permit comes in at 30,000 kroner, Alternativet argues.
This weekend’s itinerary
Where to eat?
You choose your own toppings, and according to the American burger joint itself, you can end up with several thousand combinations. My advice: Don’t overdo it.
If you need a good fast-food place for the weekend, you can go to the newly opened Five Guys in the shopping mall Fields on Amager. Politiken’s food critic David Dyrholm tried the new place and has mixed feelings about his experience.
»The burger at Five Guys is unquestionably sturdy and without a doubt one of the country’s best fast-food burgers. Emphasis on fast food. But at the price of 212 DKK for the smallest combo and 227 DKK for the regular, there are now plenty of other places in Copenhagen that take the burger far more seriously. At a much lower price«, writes David Dyrholm.
Read his full review here.
Where to drink?
With Jeffery’s on Nørrebrogade, Copenhagen has gotten its first true English pub.
Earlier this month, Bar Pinotto opened with something of a bang, pouring riesling across the counter for 10 DKK a glass and welcoming guests to a »tipsy Wednesday«.
But before you get FOMO, hear me out. Going forward, the prices will be 50 DKK for a glass of wine, 275 DKK for a bottle, and beers for 35 DKK.
On the drinks menu, you’ll find carefully selected wines from Lieu-Dit, beers from Kølster Brewery, and a menu of snacks and smaller dishes made with seasonal ingredients. The owners of Bar Pinotto are also behind the popular wine bar Bar Pineau in Vesterbro, which is likewise known for its attractive prices.
Still curious? Read the full guide here.
This newsletter features stories originally published in Danish. AI was used to shorten and translate the articles into English, after which a member of the editorial staff reviewed and refined the content.