The best student bars and clubs in Plymouth

So you’re heading off to Plymouth for uni. Congrats! It’s time to get preparing…

As everyone and their grandma knows, going out and having a laugh is one of- no, actually, it is the most important and definitely the most fun part of the uni experience. Making new mates, chatting rubbish, and dancing all night while drinking bomb after bomb is what makes uni uni. 

To give you a bit of a hand, we put together all the best Plymouth student clubs and bars so you can get familiar with the city’s nightlife scene and ensure you hit up the right venues for you and your crew. Have a look at where you’ll be spending your student loan below. 

 

Plymouth student bars

 

University of Plymouth’s The SU 

Photo: UPSU / Instagram.com

Where: Students' Union, Drake Circus in Plymouth PL4 8AA

Kicking it off with a proper student venue, Uni of Plymouth has a student bar and club on campus. The Main Room is full of tables with a chilled-out atmosphere before becoming a club on Fridays and Saturdays that hosts weekly student-only club nights Boom! and Throwback ft. DJ Jozzy on Saturdays.

There’s also the SU bar. All pints are less than a fiver with the cheapest being Carling or Thatchers Gold for £3.50, VKs are £3, and cocktails are £6. Shots are between £1.50 and £2.50. They also do a Pint of the Day deal for £3.25. 

Hosting all sorts of fun like karaoke, club nights, silent discos, and quizzes, and with those budget-friendly prices, this is one to remember. 

 

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Bar Rakuda

Photo: Bar Rakuda / Instagram.com

Where: 11 Quay Rd in Plymouth PL1 2JZ

At Bar Rakuda, the atmosphere changes from a chill spot to eat pizza and wash it down with a drink while watching the sunset to a lively bar with shots and dancing in the evening. 

Found on the Barbican waterfront, Rakuda has lots of outdoor seating, live acoustic music and DJs, homemade pizza and pasta, cocktails, wines, beer, and spirits. They do a pizza and pint (or wine) deal every day from 11am to 7pm for £15. Remember this when you get sick of Pot Noodles. 

 

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The Bank

Photo: The Bank Plymouth / Facebook.com 

Where: Old George Street in Plymouth PL1 2TG

Find live sports screenings and cheap drinks in this Grade-II listed pub that was built in 1889. Owned by Mitchells & Butlers, the pub has multiple floors with plenty of seats and tables. 

Showing all major sporting events, the pub shows footie, rugby, darts, F1, cricket, boxing, and more. The Bank also has live music, quiz nights, and themed weekenders to get stuck into. 

Happy hour at The Bank, which includes a bottle of Prosecco for £12.99, runs from Monday to Friday, 5-8 pm. Sign up for the newsletter or download the app to see what offers they have on. 

 

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James Street Vaults

Photo: James Street Vaults / Facebook.com

Where: University of Plymouth, 24 James Street in Plymouth PL4 6EQ

James Street Vaults is one of the most popular Plymouth student bars with drinks deals that’ll make you go, “Yeah, go on, we’ll have one”, before stumbling into an Uber hours later while singing your heart out. 

Head over for Thirsty Thursdays which offers double spirit mixers for £2.50 or singles for £2. It runs all day and all night, with the bar opening at 2pm and closing at 2am. So yeah, Thursdays are about to get messy! Tuesdays are for quizzes with cash and drink prizes, plus free food during the break. 

 

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The Skiving Scholar

Photo: the.skivingscholar / Instagram.com 

Where: 1 Tavistock Pl in Plymouth PL4 8AU

Super close to the Uni of Plymouth, The Skiving Scholar is definitely one to check out. The drinks deals are plentiful, and it stays open until 6am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 4am every other night. There’s even a cosy basement bar for when it gets a bit busy. 

With a casual and friendly atmosphere (and who could forget super cheap drinks), it’s likely one you’ll spend a lot of time in. Enjoy their two-for-one cocktail menu, grab a pint of Guinness for £3.95, or a Carlsberg for £2.95 until 7pm!

 

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The Pit and Pendulum

Photo: The Pit and Pendulum Plymouth / Facebook.com 

Where: 50 Ebrington St in Plymouth PL4 9AF

Not everyone wants to hear ABBA or banging beats all night long. If you prefer your music to be of the heavier persuasion, The Pit and Pendulum, named after the Edgar Allan Poe story, is a rock, metal, alternative, and punk bar. It also has a jukebox, so you know you’ll hear a song you love. There’s also a pool table and a regular quiz that’s only £2 each to enter. The winner gets a cash prize, but if you aren’t on your A-game, there are lots of other prizes to win too. 

 

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Revolution 

Photo: Revolution Plymouth / Instagram.com 

Where: Unit 1 in Plymouth PL1 2SW

Cocktails? Cocktails. Revolution has lots of deals that’ll appeal to any budget-conscious student. Winner of Best Overall Venue, Best Late-Night Venue, and Best Cocktail Bar at Best Bar None Awards Plymouth 2023, you can trust Revs for a solid night out. 

Download the Revs app before you head over to unlock a bunch of great deals and offers. Happy hour - which includes a bottle of prosecco for £20, £3 spirit mixers, and £3.50 pints - runs from 3 pm until 9 pm on Sunday to Friday, and from 5 pm until 10 pm on Saturday. But if you have the app, you can extend happy hour discounts for two hours! 

Register with your student email address in the app for two-for-one cocktails, 50% off food all day, every day, and more deals. If you use these discounts, Revolution is easily one of the best Plymouth student bars for saving money.

 

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Plymouth student clubs

 

Strobe 

Photo: Strobe Nightclub / Facebook.com 

Where: 6 Union St in Plymouth PL1 2SR

Love a good dance? Prefer a more intimate venue? This is the haven for you! Opening in March 2023, Strobe is relatively new on the scene but is already leaving its mark. 

Not a smidge genre-phobic, the venue hosts events covering basically every dance genre. We're talking house, tech house, techno, disco, trance, hardstyle, club classics, UKG, grime, DnB, jungle, reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, hyperpop, and even donk, Bollywood, and cheesy dance parties. They’ve also got plenty of parties with free entry. 

Head over here to enjoy underground sounds booming over a Function-One sound system, with music brought to life by the stage LED screen, and top-notch lighting and production.  

 

Find tickets for events at Strobe

 

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THÊ DEPØ

Photo: THÊ DEPØ / Facebook.com 

Where: 33 Union St in Plymouth PL1 3LU

This 750-capacity club is undoubtedly one of the best clubs in Plymouth. Covering house, techno, hard techno, DnB, garage, and more, the venue's hosted some pretty massive names like Ben Hemsley, Bou, Hannah Wants, Luke Dean, SHERELLE, and Mike Skinner. 

When not hosting some of the hottest DJs and artists, The Depo lures students in with club nights like the weekly Indie Tuesdays, Motion Mondays, and themed parties 2010s music nights. At Motion Mondays, you can enjoy deals from £2 on vodka mixers, Budweiser, Fireball, Sourz, and more. Depo also brings in tribute acts to giants like The Prodigy and Linkin Park. 

 

Find tickets for events at THÊ DEPØ

 

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Jesters

Photo: Jesters Nightclub / Facebook.com 

Where: 39-43 Union St, Stonehouse in Plymouth PL1 3LU

If you love good times, cheesy tunes, and don’t mind a slightly sticky floor, Jesters is the one for you! Born in 1991, Jesters is Plymouth’s longest-running club and is naturally a much-loved venue. Especially for students with those £3 and £2 bombs.

There’s a lovely rooftop smoking terrace perfect for facilitating the chatting sh*te and two bars indoors. Jesters is one of the most legendary Plymouth student clubs you just have to visit. Even if it's just once. But we reckon you’ll be back for more. 

 

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Fever

Photo: Fever Plymouth / Instagram.com 

Where: 33 Derrys Cross in Plymouth, PL1 2SW

Open until 3am on Tuesday and Thursday, and 4am every other day (except Sunday, when it's closed), you’ll likely end up spending a few weekends at Fever. 

On Fridays and Saturdays, they do two-for-one drinks, including cocktails, from 5pm until 10pm. The club also offers four shots for £10, two bombs for £6, sharer cocktails, and pre-mixed AU Vodka on tap. You’ll find two rooms - Core and Hideout - at this winner of Best Late Night Venue ‘22 and runner-up in ‘23 from Best Bar None Awards Plymouth. 

 

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OMG

Photo: OMG PLYMOUTH / Instagram.com 

Where: 142 Vauxhall St in Plymouth PL1 2JL

OMG is the go-to Plymouth student club for the LGBTQ+ peeps! But it’s also a favourite of allies since it’s so fun, and students love it because of the deals. 

Open Thursday to Sunday, Poundemonium student nights on Thursdays are free to enter. All drinks are £1.50, and shots and bombs are a quid each. Then there’s TGI Fridays and karaoke on Sundays. And of course, it’s drag queens galore. 

Get the club’s app for two-for-one cocktails on Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm until 12am, as well as a bunch of other deals and queue jumps. Get in there and have a go on the pole! 

 

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There are so many incredible Plymouth student bars and clubs just waiting for you to splash your student loans in. Get ready to grab your new uni mates, hit the town, and end the night smashing a kebab! 

Want to kick off your uni life with a bang? Secure tickets for Plymouth freshers’ events now! 

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

 

 

  

 

 

Header: THÊ DEPØ / Facebook.com