Whether you’re a bright-eyed Fresher or a veteran Third Year, Exeter can be a little confusing, especially when it comes to nightlife. First Years are bombarded with flyers and Facebook events telling them to attend club nights, resulting in a Wednesday night trip to the Lemmy dressed as a school girl (Freshers, speaking from experience, you will very quickly realise this occurrence can only be excused by your lack of knowledge and will become a one-time-only faux pas). Second years are fast learning that Freshers week planning has to commence in August if they stand any chance of getting tickets for the majority of clubs! While some third years, naming no names, are mourning the tragic demise of Rococos, and the realisation that they can no longer circulate the dance-floor hoping to catch some fresh meat – girls you’ve been warned. So here is HCX’s Rough Guide to Exeter Nightlife – complete with a Mean Girls’-inspired map (at the end of the article) to help confused Fresh and to remind inebriated Second, Third and Fourth Years of Exeter’s after-dark delights.
Preppy Kids/Cheese Lovers – Arena
Three things summarise Arena: cheese, VKs and the smell of feet. In previous years, Arena has been best known for the solid cheese-fest that is Cheesy Tuesdays. If Aqua, Cotton Eyed Joe and Westlife are your thing then look no further: you’ve found your nightlife haven– and if it isn’t your idea of a great night out then their infamous ‘jungbomb’, the humble sister to the jagerbomb, most certainly will twist your arm. However, the wizards at Original Sin have put Arena firmly on the map as the place to be on Monday night’s with ‘Dirty Sexy People’. In their words, a night that combines an immense portfolio of dance anthems with commercial mash-ups. Dominating the Exeter club scene, Arena also holds Fuzzy Logic on a Thursday. The club is also within staggering distance from the drunken delights that always seem to occur in Subway and the mecca of the cheesy chip world, Mega Kebab. Arena is a guaranteed great night out and often holds weird and wonderful themed evenings; just don’t attend the UV Paint Parties unless wearing a boiler suit. I’ve sadly had to learn to embrace fluorescent yellow stains on a variety of clothing items due to the heady mix of vodka and paint ending in chaos!
Jocks – Timepiece
Anyone who plays sport at Exeter knows that Timepiece or ‘TP’ is the only place to be on a Wednesday night – and even if you don’t play sport (shock horror) the allure of Wednesday TP is bound to draw you in, eventually. Outside, the tables in the courtyard provide a great place to chow down on the infamous TP Burger and socialise, if it isn’t chucking it down with rain that is. Inside, there are three levels to choose from. On the ground floor there’s a chilled out bar and live music venue featuring some of Exeter’s hottest talent. Go up a level and you’ll find a dance-floor where you can jump around to the latest chart toppers, along with the traditional drunken slur to ‘Total Eclipse of The Heart’, with some of the biggest sports clubs in Exeter donning an array of fetching fancy dress numbers. The top floor is a whole different ball game. A sweaty hotbox, crowded with randy sportsmen and women in fancy dress; look at someone for more than 4 seconds and you may find their tongue down your throat (rumour has it that TP was voted third easiest place to pull in England). Almost as famous as ‘top top’ floor itself is the infamous ledge; the stomping ground of an ample amount of hockey lads busting some questionable moves, and using the added height to scout for their next pull (there seems to be a bit of a pattern emerging doesn’t there?) Timepiece is one of the most popular places to go on a Wednesday and Friday and always guarantees a good night, even if you don’t remember it…
Varsity Jocks – Walkabout
Home of the pre-drinks for many sports clubs in Exeter, Walkabout is usually full of Rugby boys trying to out-drink each other, vomiting in to industrial sized bins and relishing in their top notch ‘banter’- enough said.
Sexually Active Bandies/Indie Kids – The Cellar Door
Introduced last year as a new addition to Exeter’s nightlife scene, The Cellar Door has claimed Tuesday night with its ‘Thick as Thieves’ club night. You know a club is ‘Indie’ if it invites patrons to paint the walls themselves, and you can’t move for converse and vintage Levis (the essentials in any ‘edgy’ wardrobe). Situated by the river on the Quay, away from the other main nightlife venues in Exeter, The Cellar Door offers something a little different. You’ll find live music, they’ve previously had big names such as Duke Dumont perform, as well as Drum and Bass, Hip Hop, House, Dubstep and Breakbeat (whatever that is) in this underground music mecca. Tickets to The Cellar Door are like gold dust but well worth getting hold of. What with its distinct waterfront location, and converted chapel turned wetherspoons handily within walking distance, this is the perfect alternative night out – excuse the pun.
The Populars – Mosaic
Anyone who’s anyone, apparently, goes to Mosaic on a Monday night for 4Play Events, and/or on a Thursday for Dirty Beats. Host to Ski Club Socials and Jack Wills parties, as well as sports club pre-drinks on a Wednesday, Mosaic is another club with three levels of fun – however, unless you have the powers of Regina George, be prepared to brave a mammoth queue for the top floor (also dubbed as the best floor of the club, convenient). Club highlights: appearances from Spencer Matthews from Made in Chelsea and Joey Essex from TOWIE, and of course the HCX launch party last year.
Other – EX4
The only club in Exeter with a pole. I rest my case.
This guide only features a few of Exeter’s most popular nightlife spots. The Cavern, The Old Firehouse, The Lemon Grove and Mama Stones are all great places to see live music, and the pizzas at Firehouse are legendary. The Monkey Suit (still known by many as Amber Rooms), Pitcher and Piano, Hatts (formerly Coolings) and 44 below, to name a few, are perfect for a chilled drink with friends and have a wide range of cocktails – check out more options here. So whether you’re Fresh or not, you’re sure to find somewhere that suits your musical and drinking needs.
Photo Credits: www.tumblr.com, www.thejanedough.com
Map drawn by Caroline Butten
Note: All opinions expressed in this article are those of the author