Well, I lied. There are no clubs in Alnwick. At all. But that’s not to say there isn't anything to do in this little North East town, because Alnwick has pubs, restaurants and em.....that’s it.


I want a DRINK (Pubs)
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For such a small town Alnwick has a massive concentration of pubs. Some are solely for the over 50's, while others appear to be only for the under 20's.

The Tanners
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This pub is defined by its jukebox. Britney Spears is replaced by Limp Bizkit and Led Zepplin. Yes, this pub is filled by the Rock and Metal lovers of Alnwick. The people who wear black and the people with long hair all come in here, but the vast majority of people in here are normal. They just don't want to dance to cheesy pop like everyone else. And I say - Good on them!!

The Tanners is a small friendly pub which serves a wide range of drinks. You can buy the legendary Absinthe from here in all its potent glory. The bar staff are friendly and the whole place has a friendly warm feel. The only problem is that its lack of size means that on a Friday or Saturday night the place is packed, often to the extent where just trying to get in the door proves a bit of a problem.

Get there early and get a seat.

The Bottles
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The Bottles sits in the centre of the largest concentration of pubs in Alnwick, and often serves as the starting point for the night out. The thing is, everyone else thinks this too, so although busy from 7pm till around 8.30pm, come 9pm and the place is empty.

The pub is large so there is a lot of room, although not much seating. The range of drinks isn't anything special but they do have regular special offers. There's also a pool table and a few arcade machines, and a big screen TV for those footy matches.

Oscars
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Formally a more up market Wine Bar, Oscars has recently bec
ome more of a pub but still has that slightly more upmarket feel to it. Of course the prices match this, typically 20p more on a pint of lager. They do have some great specials though, including a deadly mix containing 6 shots of vodka and a can of Red Bull in a pint glass, for only £3. My friend once drunk two of these in about half an hour and had to go home by 9pm.

The upstairs of Oscars houses a small dance floor with a resident (dodgy) DJ. Being next to The Bottles, Oscars is normally the second port of call on a normal night out. By 9pm it too is usually quiet but if you're out in a large group then having a dance floor almost to yourself is probably a good thing, so we often spend a bit longer at Oscars after everyone else has left.

Oddfellows
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This is also quite close to Oscars and The Bottles, but unlike the others this place is full all night! It is certainly the place to be at the moment and is always full, although nowhere near as bad as The Tanners. They are just a normal small town pub, they have a pool table, throughout the daytime they serve lunch and they run a B&B above the pub.

The average age is perhaps a little higher than in other places, but this isn't an oldies pub either.

Good for a visit at any time of the night, although it has the habit of making you stay rather longer than you actually want!!

The Fleece
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A generic pub if ever there was one. It has a bar at which to buy drinks and seats at which to sit, there is a pool table at which you can play pool and a small dance floor where you can dance. It lacks a theme or atmosphere like the other pubs, or at least it does in my opinion. The drinks are also a little on the pricey side but at least it is one of the few places in Alnwick that sells Stella Artois on draught, at a reassuringly expensive £2.40 a pint.

The Fleece was once legendary for its lock-ins (or should I say sleep overs
!!). Unfortunately the good old Alnwick police, devoid of any real criminals to catch, put a stop to this.

The Falcons Rest
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One of Alnwicks' most popular venues, the fact that this place stays open till 2am means it is one of the only places to go in Alnwick to continue the fun after the traditional pubs close. The pub is split up in to two, there is a traditional bar and then 'Bar Zanz' which stays open till 2am. They have started to charge entry to 'Bar Zanz' but its only a couple of quid, depending on what time you go.

This is the closest thing Alnwick has to a club, but the music is far too cheesy for anyone to take it seriously. The drinks are also way overpriced, and it tends to get a little full on a Saturday night!

The George
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Smack bang in the middle of Town, the George is just a normal pub with no real defining features. It does sell Stella Artois on draught, which is a plus point for any pub (in my books anyway!!).

It does have a pool table too, but apart from that there is very little else to say about it.



I'm HUNGRY (Where to Eat In Alnwick)
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Alnwick has quite a few places to eat, but I only eat at a few of them regularly. Infact, I would have to say that Alnwicks’ best food comes from its take aways, so I'll include them here too.

Bienvenito's (Otherwise known as 'The Italian')
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Having just opened a few years ago, 'The Italian' as it is known has become very popular. It is an Italian restaurant which is run by Italians, so be prepared for singing waiters!!!

The food is great; they sell a range of dishes which include pizzas, pasta dishes, steaks and seafood. You always get plenty food and it isn't too expensive, a pizza only costs about £5 and even a plateful of
prawns with all the trimmings only costs around £12.

It can get busy, so booking is advisable. Just watch out for a group of 20 youngsters upstairs, it’s our favourite place to start before a night on the town!!

Sun Ho Chop Suey House
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A Chinese takeaway that sells absolutely delicious food!! I wrote an opinion on the shop itself, so I won't say too much about it here. I am probably a bit biased (I know the owner) but this is by far the better of the two Chinese takeaways in Alnwick. All they need is a sitting area and it could be a great restaurant.

Tandoori Takeaway
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I don't think this place has a name, its simple known as 'The Indian'. Again it is a takeaway, but there are no Indian restaurants in Alnwick so this will have to do for your curry needs.

The food is always great and the selection available impressive. You do have to wait a while before being getting your food, so it is a good idea to ring up and order, then collect your food.

Hot Bite
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For the after pub burger!! This place stays open 'till the early hours of the morning and sells the usual things, burgers, chips and kebabs!

The food is nice, reasonably cheap, but to be honest after a night out who really cares??

If you ever go, try their 'Hotbite sauce'; it is delicious!!

The Hotspur
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In reality a hotel, this place also serves meals to the public. It sells the normal bar food, fish and chips etc.

Its nice food and again reasonably priced. There is also a pool table to keep you entertained!



I Want Some CULTURE!! (Other Things in Alnwick)
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Drinking and grub not your cup of tea? Perhaps you prefer the cinema, or theatre? Bad luck then!!! Alnwick has only one cinema/theatre, which while good doesn'
;t exactly provide a lot of choice!!

The Playhouse
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The centre of civilised people in Alnwick, the Playhouse plays host to an amazing amount of events but always leaves me longing for something a bit more specialised.

I don't care much for concerts or theatre, but I do like to watch films. The problem is, the films at the Playhouse are a good couple of months old meaning that you have to go to Newcastle to see the latest blockbuster.

The few plays I have gone to see have all been good, and I must praise the Playhouse for getting the community involved in various schemes.



Overall
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A night out in Alnwick? I could think of better places, but then I could also think of worse.

Go out for a friends birthday and you could almost convince yourself you're having, starting with a meal at the Italian followed by a trip round the pubs, rounded off by a nice healthy cheeseburger from Hotbite!!

It might not rival clubbing in London, but it does me for a night out!!