Going Out Out
The nights may be drawing in but there’s no need to hibernate when there are so many evening entertainments and activities on offer in Winchester. Here are some options with approximate costs for you to plan with your new mates. Enjoy!
DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
BOP. What’s BOP I hear you say? It’s only Winchester’s biggest student night. BOP is your club night held at the Students’ Union Vault on campus every Wednesday. Enjoy your favourite pop and cheesy tunes where themed fancy dress is heartily encouraged. Approx cost £5.
DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY, BUT QUIETLY
Silent discos have discoed silently in two of Winchester’s most iconic venues in recent years, the cathedral and the Great Hall.
GET YOUR QUIZ ON
Winchester Students’ Union hosts a quiz on campus every Thursday night. For £1 you can quiz to win the cash prize. Various Winchester pubs host quizzes too – O’Neills and Alfie’s currently quiz on a Monday evening (free entry) and the St James Tavern on Romsey Road, very close to the uni, quizzes on a Tuesday.
SCREEN TIME
The Everyman cinema, which is super close to our King Alfred Quarter, is at the more expensive end of the movie ticket spectrum. As it's quite fancy maybe save it for when you want to impress a date. A more budget-friendly alternative is the Vue cinema in nearby Eastleigh which has most tickets starting from the £5 mark if you buy them in advance online. On the edge of the city is Winchester Science Centre which screens Halloween and Christmas movies on its massive planetarium ‘all around you’ screen while you relax in their super-recliney seats. Tickets are approximately £8.
CRAFT ME UP
Bella Crafts is the best fun and affordable craft hub in Winchester. Check out their calendar of student-friendly evening events like ‘pottery and pizza Fridays’ (no explanation needed). Monthly ‘paint and sip nights’ have nibbles and a drink included in the £6 entry fee (you’ll need to pay extra for any crafting supplies you buy on the night). You can bring your own crafting project along and even bring your own bottle.
CRACK ME UP
If you're in the mood to laugh until you cry, head to The Arc on Jewry Street. Yes, it is the city’s main library, but behind all that shelving is a gig and comedy venue with tickets in the £13-£20 region.
MIKE ME UP
O’Neills pub offers karaoke on Thursday evenings with free entry (our favourite price). In saying this, karaoke at Alfie’s is also free to attend and our Students’ Union hosts karaoke and cocktail ‘n’ mocktail events in the Vault on campus. The Railway Inn hosts Winchester's longest running open mic night on Monday evenings. If you play an acoustic instrument you are welcome to come and play whatever genre of music you like.
MIX ME UP
And by this we mean DJ nights and live music. Overdraft offers up a winning combination of craft beer, Mexican street food and vinyl-only DJ sets. Other pubs around town like O’Neill's have a weekly programme of DJ nights and live music interspersed with quieter activities like quiz nights and the Broadway pub has a DJ on Thursday and Friday nights. And remember that the Students’ Union also organises the occasional DJ night on campus in the Vault. Your best bet for gigs is The Arc on Jewry Street where recent music events have included folk, blues and a free acoustic café. Still our favourite price.
LOCK ME UP
Bond with your housemates at ClueCapers Escape Room at the foot of town. It's a great way to get to know new friends - who's the competitive one, who's the clever one and who just tagged along for the pub visit afterwards? Prices are per game and start at £50 for an outdoor off-peak game and up to £110 per team for an indoor game.
FIRE ME UP
For a cosy night in a pub with a real fire, head to the Old Vine, the Wykeham Arms, the King Alfred or the William Walker. Fireworks Night in Winchester is usually the Saturday after 5 November and tickets are £8-£10. Winchester Cathedral lantern parade is at the end of November each year and is a free event where the good folks of Winchester parade through the city with their homemade lanterns finishing at the cathedral. Lanterns in previous years have included a panda, Rubik’s cube, Mickey Mouse, rockets, suns and stars. If making a lantern isn’t your thing, no problem. You can still take part and enjoy the spectacle.
The city’s main Christmas lights switch on is mid-November and sees the opening of the Christmas market in the Cathedral Close. This Winchester highlight is just a 10-15 minute walk downhill from campus.
Kingsgate village is a historic and atmospheric part of the centre of Winchester and their Christmas lights switch on is usually the third week of November and the independent stores open late that night. Perfect with a hot chocolate or mulled beverage.
FEED ME UP
Winchester arguably has too many places to eat. Choose your options carefully to ensure your main meal is nearer the £10 than the £20 mark. The Stable, specialists in pizza and mac 'n' cheese, always have one or two pizza options around the £10-12 price point. Three Joe's massive sourdough Margherita is around £10.50 and most of the tofu options at Wagamama are £12-13 but prices creep up pretty quickly for chicken or beef options. Overdraft do incredibly filling burritos for £11 which are also quite tricky to eat prettily. We recommend you go with mates rather than a first date. Head to the perennially packed Dispensary Kitchen where parting with £12 will deliver you the chonkiest burger in Winchester.
WHAT IS OUT THERE?
We mean this literally. Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium hosts science-based talks, stargazing events, planetarium shows and other space, science and astronomy themed events, some exclusively for adults, served with or without popcorn and cocktails.
AND FINALLY...HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.
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