The best night out in Warwick

Congrats! You made it through freshers’ week! I always think it is such a strange experience, suddenly living with a group of strangers, but often the best way to break the ice is with the help of a few drinks. For me, learning about the best places to go was essential, as it can make all the difference to the quality of your nights out, but I wished I had someone to tell me sooner. Luckily, the more experienced have a few words of wisdom for you, hopefully helping you to avoid a wasted night out on an empty dance floor.

I think Kasbah Mondays will always have a special place in my heart – what other club gives out free toast at the end of the night?

You will probably have paid a visit to some of the establishments on campus by now, but a few honourable mentions are the Terrace Bar and The Dirty Duck. Open Monday to Saturday until late, ‘T-Bar’ is a safe spot for a night with good music, without the pressures of standing on a dance floor for hours, so heels are a safe choice here! All drinks are pretty cheap, with cocktails being a popular choice at £4.50 – I highly recommend the Passionfruit Martini. If you prefer a more traditional pub setting, ‘The Duck’ is also a popular choice for a cheap pint and some pub food. Both are particularly popular with first years who can’t be bothered to travel off campus, with the ease of a short walk back to halls being very appealing if you are looking for a more chilled night out.

But what about going out-out? One piece of advice I have to any first years who love clubbing is to make the most of Coventry while living on campus! Getting into the city centre only takes about 15 minutes, making Ubers home super affordable. The best club to visit by far is Kasbah. The club itself is huge, with three separate rooms dedicated to different music, so there is literally something for everyone. I don’t smoke myself but, on many occasions, I have spent my evenings in Kasbah’s smoking area. Decorated with fairy lights and artificial foliage (a good place for an instagram post) you can get cheap drinks from one of the two bars outside, or even a burger or hot dog from the food shack! I think Kasbah Mondays will always have a special place in my heart – what other club gives out free toast at the end of the night?

If you’re into grime and RnB though, this is a good place to hit up; top tip would be to try and get hold of a golden Q-jump ticket

Personally, Smack in Leamington has never been a favourite of mine. Any freshers who haven’t ventured out on a Tuesday or Thursday yet – three words that jump to mind: sweat, queues and more queues! If you’re into grime and RnB though, this is a good place to hit up; top tip would be to try and get hold of a golden Q-jump ticket. That goes for all nights out at Warwick, as finding a promoter who sells entry and queue jump tickets for club nights is the key to avoiding long lines and the heart-break of not getting in – trust me I’ve been there.

I would say some of the best nights I have spent in Leamington would have to be a Friday night at Neon. If you are looking for a night out with everyone from your flat this is probably the best place to go, with Spoons or Kelsey’s both great places to go for pre-drinks, especially if you’re a fan of pitchers. If you’re living on campus, get a return ticket on The Uni Express which offers transport to Leamington and entry, as the queues can get pretty long. But, fear not, once you’re inside you’ll have plenty of space to dance in one of the three rooms, underneath some pretty cool neon lights.

The final piece of advice I can offer is probably the most essential part of a night out in Leam: pay a little visit to heaven, which goes by the name of Vialli’s. Walking past sober, you would probably cross the road and look the other way, but after a handful of jaegers at Neon, chicken and chips is the ultimate end to a night out.

Of course, if drinking really isn’t your thing but still want to spend some time getting to know your flatmates, there is so much more on offer around Warwick

Of course, if drinking really isn’t your thing but you still want to spend some time getting to know your flatmates, there is so much more on offer around Warwick. A flat day out to the cinema or bowling and crazy golf is always a safe bet, but if you are feeling a little more adventurous, a train ticket to Birmingham from Coventry station is very cheap so the possibilities are endless!

I will admit, when I first started at Warwick, I was worried that it would be, what my friends at city uni’s called ‘dead’, but once you know the where’s and when’s, I can assure you, this isn’t the case.