Beer, beer, beer! (Bars & Entertainments)

Member Name: The Duke

Product:	Bars & Entertainments
Date:	18/08/00 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of pubs

Disadvantages: Liver isn't big enough

Well, look at the facts - Queens is a university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Ireland is famous for it's alcoholic tendencies. If you want to fail all your exams, and spend all your loan and time in the pub you can, and this is just the university at which to do it! For the purposes of this opinion, I'll give a brief overview of what's on offer – for more detailed information on any of the pubs mentioned here, you'll have to look at their respective categories.

The university (and unofficial student accommodation) is situated right in the middle of Belfast's bar district. Within 200 meters of the main building, there are 6 pubs/hotels, with lots more just a bit further away.

The Students Union has built up a reputation as being a very good club, called Shine, on a Saturday night where big DJ names are known to play on a regular basis. There are two bars within the Union, both of which charge student prices (woohoo!) and even if you're a non-student, you can still sneak in during the day for a few cheap drinks. – although I never told you, right?

One of the hotels closest to the main building is called Dukes Hotel (no relation :P) and it too caters for the student with entertainment of one kind or another (i.e. pub quiz, disco, live entertainer etc.) on at least 5 nights each week during the term. Just down the road is the newly refurbished Renshaws Hotel, which is quite a nice bar as well with a jukebox and sometimes a disco. Both of these are frequented mostly by students.

Other good student bars include The Botanic Inn (The Bot as it is known locally) and the Eglantine Inn (The Egg to locals) where there is a disco, with The Bot concentrating on like a 70's, 80's mix. Generally, the Bot hosts a mixed crowd with students mixing with people around the thirties, whilst The Egg straight across the road is generally a younger persons hangout.

The Parlour is a pub which has opene
d within the last few years beside the Students Union and is an excellent pub with excellent atmosphere and very pleasant bar staff – generally at the weekend, it's always full, and upstairs is a disco which is possibly too full, but still great fun.

Just down the road from the Union is a bar which used to be called "The Elms", but has recently been refurbished, and is now called "The Globe". It serves food daily, and has a pleasant atmosphere, although I've yet to be in it at night.

The Empire bar is also another excellent student bar. It hosts the best (and until recently, the only) comedy night in town, on a Tuesday night. You are advised to arrive early if you want a seat because it's always packed to the rafters. The Empire also has live bands on on Friday and Saturdays, with food running until 8pm every day.

Another good student bar is Laverys Gin Palace, which has an intriguing mix of characters. Insode the one building there are 4 bar areas over 3 floors. It shows most football matches, has pool tables, runs a disco at the weekends, and is open until 1am most nights of the week.

For English readers, it must be stated that Northern Irish licensing laws are different to England's, so it is possible to find a pub in Belfast city centre every night of the week, that will stay open to 1am. English people who are missing home can visit our local Wetherspoons which serves the cheapest beer in Belfast, but closes early (i.e. 11pm) so that you don't get homesick.

For the simple reason that the university is right in the middle of Belfast's social pub area, all bars are student friendly, and there are no problems with the 'locals'. It may get bad press from the terrorists, but Belfast is a cracking place to go pubbing in.

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