Nightlife in Mancs!

With 85,000 students, the social scene in Manchester is vast and caters for everyone. There are a few hubs in the city which are the best places to head to for a night out.

You will soon become familiar with Oxford Rd known as the Student Quarter. It is 2 miles long stretching down to the Curry Mile; and littered with great venues. The Font is nestled down an alley next to Oxford Rd station – laid back & decorated in a funky style which gives your eyes plenty to feast on, cocktails start at just £2. Next door is one of the 5 chilled New-York inspired bars, Black Dog Ballroom, found across the city offering cheap drinks. Pop round the corner to their newest addition - Dog Bowl - and you’ll find a 5 lane bowling alley! Nearby Zombie Shack may be new on the scene but is a superb place to go for a cocktail – an exotic tiki bar, expect lots of colour, graffiti and flaming drinks. You can’t miss the bamboo-staircase entrance and huge graffiti sign under the railway tunnel. A traditional student haunt just down the road is The Footage; a little grubby but very cheap with drinks for just a £1 on Wednesdays. It’s always packed, shows lots of sport and is full of students. Stop by The Temple, a converted public toilet transformed into small but popular bar renowned for its huge array of foreign beers. If clubbing is your thing, check out 5^th Avenue - indie-inspired Wednesday nights are cheapest with drinks starting at 90p but there are deals all week.

Northern quarter is another lively part of Manchester, well worth a visit with a bewildering choice of bars to choose from. Check out TV21, a television, film and music themed bar, you can eye the great posters and artwork on show centred round a cool circular bar. It’s a cheap & quiet during the week but becomes very busy at weekends. Walrus offers nice cocktails for a fiver in happy hour with live music performed but if you’re splashing out, sample the best cocktails in the city at the relaxed Apotheca Bar! The name comes from the antique pharmacy cabinets decorating the front bar and it is found in a beautiful listed building. Another grade II listed building worth partying in is the neon-glowing cocktail lounge NoHo – you’ll find impressive floor to ceiling windows and an eccentric but inviting style. Terrace bar is an awesome place to meet your mates with bare brick walls, original wooden flooring and vintage school furniture –it’s literally too cool for school! Pick your tunes on the free jukebox at converted pawn shop Dusk till Pawn, or view the ever-changing art displays at Kosmonaut which boasts its own ping pong league! Whatever you like, the Northern Quarter has something for everyone.

It doesn’t matter if you are gay or straight, the Village – scattered around the famous Canal St – has over 25 bars & clubs offering friendly, tolerant venues with great music. G.A.Y boasts £1.50 drinks Sunday to Thursday. Alter Ego gives us Poptastic nights on a Tuesday and Saturday with cheap entry and shots for just 50p! Cruz101 is one of the most popular & livelier clubs – but Thompsons will give you a more laid back vibe & makes a great starting point for a night in the village. Be sure to also venture into Queer, Baa Bar, New York New York and AXM for great nights out. They may be gay venues but most are straight friendly and the village is hugely popular with straight people. It shows how open-minded and tolerant Mancunians are – and it’s always fun to check out the fab drag queens partying here!

Elsewhere in the city, Bijou Club in Deansgate is an upmarket venue popular with the elite, celebs & footie players of Manchester. There are great bars to be found at The Printworks alongside Tiger Tiger – a 2000 capacity club boasting a Moroccan themed bar, 70’s/80’s disco room, swanky cocktail lounge, private karaoke pods and an Ibiza themed nightclub. Waxy O’Connor’s is a fun Irish pub with great music & friendly staff. The Met Bar on campus is reasonably priced and hosts lots of events so keep up-to-date with the goings on. With so much choice, you need to visit as many places as possible to find your favourite drinking destinations!