The Its A Scream chain is my favourite pub chain. Its really supposed to be a student pub but unfortunately the ones near me are becoming increasingly scallyfied.

Inside its main decor is pale wood with red and green walls. There are also big yellow posters on the walls advertising the Yellow Card so there is a bit of yellow there too. The logo is the fancy, scary writing and the painting from which it takes its name. I did know the name of the artist but it escapes me, you know the one with the face and all the colours. It did used to just be stools and benches around tables but recently they branched out into sofas. It manages to look hip and cool as well as quite cosy and pubish, in a youthful sense.

The music is generally good. There is NO dance (woohoo) just mainly indie-ish with the odd pop. It creates a chilled atmosphere and is the perfect starting off pub. Or if your my mates the staying all night pub. There is a big screen which plays either MTV (or a similar music channel), Big Brother live streams from E4 in the summer or football. Apart from the football there isn't actually any sound coming from the screens so its for visual purposes only.

The Yellow Card is a card they liberally give to students (although I know many non-students who got their hands on one) and it is a discount card. The discounts are only adequate but they are good enough. Anyone who's a regular has one.

The drinks are typical as well as having interesting things like a few cocktails and alcoholic slush puppies. There's quite a selection of lager so if you don't want Carling you don't have to have it. Don't know about bitter because I don't drink it. The prices are reasonable, cheaper than the posher places anyway. A pint is £1.10 (cheaper with Yellow Card I think).

Its a Scream pubs are best for sitting in a group and having a loud natter. I don't like having to stand up there. You can go for an evening on
any night or make it a starting point for a night out. There are two of these in my home town and the one at the top of town is always the one my gang meets up at. Its great for students because its relaxed so you can just have a chilled night without getting dressed up and just playing pool or whatever. The one in the centre in Liverpool is big and I really liked it in there. The £1 a drink night on thursdays were particularly popular.

This pub is particularly known to me because there is one across the road (ish) from my old school so it became a main meeting place for the 6th formers there. They would meet there at dinner times and after school. I remember being sat in there before an A Level desperately trying to revise whilst eating a chip and cheese butty (yummy) with Big Brother playing (with no sound) on the big screen.

One of the best bits is the giant Connect 4 and Jenga games. They can be great fun especially if you've had a bit to drink. Bit scary when the big noise comes and your not expecting it though!

There are also IAS clubs, one of these being in Preston that I know of. This is basically a bigger version of the pubs. You have to pay to get in but the best bit is that its mostly students and its very chilled. People aren't all tarted up and the music is mostly indie.

I have spent many a happy night there and it is the becoming a dying breed of good student style pubs - the Firkin lot being another one. Ours gets a bit towniefied on weekend nights but they are the prodominant group in my area so what can you do. If they are in big cities with large student populations, though, then they are great. Much recommended.