Exeter’s most popular student nights out
Lifestyle Editor Gracie Moore gives Freshers a run down of the most popular student nights out in Exeter.
Becoming a university student is often associated with nights out at clubs, bars and (perhaps lesser anticipated) stints at the local bingo! It can be overwhelming at first to organise a schedule for the nights out you want to participate in, especially in Freshers’ Week when there are multiple events every night. The positive thing about this is that there is something for everyone. The following suggestions are in no way exhaustive but they may help you plan your next night out!
Timepiece Wednesday
Timepiece on a Wednesday is generally considered the holy grail of nights out (if you can get your hands on a ticket.) The ticket obtaining app, Fixr, infamously crashes every week when Timepiece tickets are released. The club has it sewed up in terms of catering for all needs: two floors with great music and an outside bar and seating area where you can purchase incredible cheesy chips when the night eventually starts dragging on. The sports socials ending the night here add an atmosphere that isn’t replicated anywhere else.
Batty Bingo
If you’re up for combining a good night out with your competitive streak, Batty Bingo is for you. While many students go purely for the social side of drinking, chatting and scribbling all over their friends with the Bingo pen, winning the bingo will often see you skipping back to your flat with prizes such as boxes of teabags, crude but hilarious ‘toys’ or even a trampoline.
Cheesy Tuesday
Cheesy by name and cheesy by nature. On Tuesday nights, Unit 1 offers us music that wouldn’t be out of place at an alcohol-fuelled wedding reception. Think of slightly overplayed pop music and you can guarantee it will be played here. Some classic examples are Sweet Caroline, JLS and anything by Taylor Swift. Topped with cheap drinks at the bar and confetti at the end of the night, Cheesy Tuesday is the most happening place when you have the mid-week blues.
ABBA Night
Don’t be fooled, this isn’t a weekly occurrence but if there’s one thing about Exeter students, it’s that we can’t get enough of ABBA. Roughly two or three times a year, Move nightclub on the Quay hosts my favourite event – ABBA Night. People who attend are encouraged to wear flares and shiny tops and the music is mostly by Abba but many other 80s ‘bangers’ are added in addition to these. While the drinks are expensive, the decor and the atmosphere are unmatched because you will find that the people there are very similar to you – being an ABBA super-fan is a separate demographic of students here in Exeter.
Spoons and an early(ish) night
Of course, not everyone likes to go out, drink alcohol and go clubbing until the early hours of the morning. If you are one of these people but still thoroughly enjoy socialising, a ‘Cheeky Spoons’ might be just for you. Although many students will still be drinking alcohol, there is no obligation and many drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are extremely affordable even for a tight student budget. Exeter boasts its fair share of scenic Wetherspoons: The Imperial (affectionately known by students as ‘The Impy’) has one of the biggest beer gardens in the UK and the Chevalier has its beer garden on the roof! Also, these pubs shut at midnight during the week, allowing you to have an earlier night if you have a dreaded 8:30 lecture the next day rather than stumbling home from a nightclub at three in the morning.
