Navigating the UAL campus nightlife

by Chloe Charlesworth

The scattered UAL campuses can be a chore to travel to and from, but the great thing about being a student there is the benefit of the many different areas of London.

Many of us have deadlines piling up for the end of term and socialising is the last thing on our minds, but we all need time to take a breather.

Here is a rundown of nightclub hotspots for all the UAL colleges.

LCC

For LCC students, Elephant and Castle has a sparse nightlife and there aren’t many places to go for a drink, except the on-site Students Union (SU) bar, the Darkroom.

There are a few clubs, such as Corsica Studios, the Coronet and Ministry of Sound. Club night, Church at Corsica Studios on Thursday nights seems to be popular with LCC students.

For a change, why not try heading towards Borough and London Bridge where there are copious amounts of bars and food including Borough Bar, which is great for cocktails, and chain restaurants like Nandos along the waterfront.

CSM

For CSM students getting to know King’s Cross, The Big Chill House is a great option.

One of London’s leading music venues, it is owned by the Big Chill Festival and boasts a large café, cocktail terrace and study room that is perfect for an afternoon drink or a break from uni.

Regular DJ's turn the pub into a vibrant club on the weekend and with its friendly bar staff and its yummy food this could easily be a student favourite.

Camberwell College of Arts

Camberwell College of Arts is located in a popular student area, with many interesting bars to choose from.

The Grand Union, Hermit’s Cave and The Tiger are three pubs favoured by students, all located around the Camberwell Green area.

LCF

London College of Fashion is spread out over six different locations; the most famous being just off Oxford Circus, which is only a short walk away from the vibrant Soho.

The Roxy features regular student nights throughout the week, with Panic! on Tuesdays being a definite highlight boasting pop and post-punk songs that force you to sing your little hearts out.

Madame Jojos features live music and burlesque shows. Punk, which is only a short walk from the two, is known for its great music, cheap drinks and celebrity visitors.

Wimbledon

Wimbledon College of Art is the furthest UAL campus from central London, so for its students living locally, it is important to know a good place to drink.

The UK-founded American style bar and grill, Henry J Beans, is situated on The Broadway a 10-minute walk form university.

The bar has a daily cocktail club and other various themed nights aimed at having fun but not breaking the bank.

Chelsea

With Pimlico being the closest tube station to Chelsea College of Art and Design and Millbank around the corner, pubs like the Morpeth Arms and others close by tend to have a relaxed, corporate atmosphere.

So if you’re looking for something more lively you are best heading south towards Vauxhall or north to Victoria, to clubs like Pacha.

Chelsea’s SU bar, Frame, holds students nights and offers UAL students a slightly more up-market experience than the other SU bars.

More places

Everybody commutes to university and with a pub on every corner of London there are plenty of places to choose from.

For the majority of first year students and post grads at UAL, home is at university accommodation, and with UAL halls scattered all over the city, there will be plenty of good pubs in your area.

For those of you living at Ewen Henderson Court or in or around New Cross, The Hobgoblin is a great student-friendly hangout for UAL and nearby Goldsmiths students.

The busy but friendly pub is great for Sunday lunches, watching the latest football match or just kicking back and relaxing with your friends.

BA Fine Art student at CSM, Edward Gillman, 19, said: “It has a great outdoor smoking area in the summer, although the lack of music being played in the pub can make it a little dull at times.”

Other places include the newly refurbished New Cross House and The Royal Albert.

London’s East End is renowned for its thriving art scene and trendsetting residents, and with clubs like Alibi in Dalston and the Hoxton Pony, Shoreditch at the moment East is the place to be.

Students living in UAL halls, such as Will Wyatt Court in Hoxton; although it’s quite an expensive area there are many fun nights to be had in pubs including The Macbeth and The Haggerston.

The Macbeth is a trendy pub and music venue, artists like Florence and the Machine, Annie Mac and Pete Doherty have all played there.

The Macbeth presents a regular night called Cat Face, where you have to paint whiskers on your face.

The club night is popular with students for its cheap entry and unusual photo opportunities.

The National Union of Students estimates that the average student spends £675 a year on socializing and for London students a large proportion of that is spent on traveling.

As for central London there are a few easy option bars, such as Kink, Leicester Square and Vodka Revolution, Soho, where you can get two-for-one cocktails in a lively atmosphere without paying entry fees.

If you’re looking for a more expensive night out at say Funky Buddha Club, Mayfair you are best looking for club promoters.

Students are usually good promoters and you might find someone from university who works for the club.