When arriving at Warwick, some students want to discover their clubbing options organically. Maybe you’d like to stretch it out over multiple nights with different people, getting to know your surroundings quite slowly.
I am not one of those people.
It took me until around Christmas in my first year to realise Kasbah – the Coventry club – was not a very popular bar called Caz-bar. On a similar note, my first Kasbah night was a Saturday. Warwick clubbers will understand that this is an almost blasphemous choice, and believe me, I wish I had been informed.
That’s why, for the incoming Warwick freshers who would like a cheat code list of clubs to make the most of the big week, here’s your comprehensive Warwick Uni nightlife guide. It’s important to note the focus here is on dancing and clubbing, rather than bars and drinks.
Monday nights are for Kasbah
Décor: 7/10
Smoking area: 9/10
Music: 7/10
Set in the concrete jungle of Coventry, Kasbah is a universally enjoyed club, known for its versatility and cheap drinks. With VKs and Jager-bombs only £1, Kasbah sells the cheapest drinks out of all the venues.
However, it being a 22-minute drive from the centre of Leamington means the trip to Kasbah is a commitment, both in terms of time and the cost of an Uber.
When you arrive, you’ll notice the outside smoking area is more of a decking. Spacious, floral and social, Kasbah has the best outdoor area of any Warwick club. Inside, the main room plays very nondescript pop music, which can’t accurately be defined by a certain era or style. All I can say is that the crowd almost always loves it. The adjoining indie room is also a favourite: Perfect if you love the Arctic Monkeys and Sam Fender, but it doesn’t play especially underground songs.
My first impression was a McDonald’s-themed night, where everyone flooded the stage for free individual nuggets and burgers, like a feeding at a zoo. Kasbah’s surrealism is unparalleled. Mixing with Coventry students introduces a whole new demographic, lacking in Leamington clubs.
Tuesday nights are for Smack
Décor: 8/20
Smoking area: 7/10
Music: 9/10
I’d have to say Smack is a personal favourite. With the iconic lit-up hallway complete with life-sized vertical measurements on the wall (perfect to determine whether the guy you brought is really 6ft) Smack is something of a Leamington legend.
Located in North Leamington and accessible by a short bus ride to the Upper Parade bus stop, Smack is beloved no matter what year or course you’re in, and definitely worth a visit. Upstairs, Smack is quite small, but it still manages to pack a whole lot of fun. The music on the upper floor ranges from mainstream rap and early 2000s white girl bangers to more current chart-topping tunes.
Smack also includes a downstairs area with twinkling lights and chairs that no one ever sits on, mainly because everyone’s too busy dancing on top of them. Downstairs mainly plays more drum and bass, but no matter your musical persuasion, definitely give it a go when it’s open.
The smoking area is not especially noteworthy, but it’s definitely not the most egregious on the list. It’s essentially just a concrete courtyard behind the building, but it does the job if you need a nicotine hit, some fresh air, or to talk to the cute girl you saw inside.
Wednesday: POP! or Bedford Street
Décor: 8/20
Smoking area: 7/10
Music: 9/10
Unlike other universities, the Wednesday POP! club night and the socials before it are not solely attended by sports societies. Almost every society will go to POP! at some point in the term, and it’s a Warwick rite of passage I would recommend to all.
Hosted by our on-campus club The Copper Rooms, POP! is easily accessible and slightly feral. Drenched in purple and with half of its members in the most criminal fancy dress, it’s an experience that nowhere else around can capture. POP! itself is hosted by the iconic DJ disco Dave, who plays (true to the name) popular pop music, including cheesy and nostalgic tunes that always seem to delight the crowd.
The second bar area, Rouge, offers a good place to sit and rest if you’ve drunk too much or not drunk enough. The smoking area at the side of the building really helps you feel like you’re a bunch of herded sheep, and the reality check of less socialable students walking back to their flats is something I’ve never experienced anywhere else. I would recommend taking a visit to the smoking area as the clock hits midnight (if you know you know).
If POP! isn’t really your scene, or you live off campus and can’t be bothered trekking in, Leamington’s Bedford Street Bar hosts live jazz music on a Wednesday, which anyone can sign up for to perform on the night. However, this is not your regular karaoke; these performers are wickedly talented and a pleasure to watch. Pints and cocktails can be on the pricey side, so I’d recommend a cheeky Spoons trip before you arrive.
Fridays are for Neon
Décor: 8/20
Smoking area: 3/10
Music: 9/10
The yin to Smack’s yang. The Lorde to Smack’s Charlie XCX. The Conrad to Smack’s Jerimiah (depending on which teams you find yourself on).
In all honesty, they aren’t very different, but as the only two official Leamington clubs and student favourites, they’ve been naturally pitted against each other.
Like Smack, Neon also has different rooms for different styles of music, yet Neon is much bigger overall. The main room plays lots of pop music, leaning towards the 2010s, but still features a wide range of songs.
The smoking area at Smack leaves a lot to be desired, though, and will definitely help you ditch the nicotine habit if you’re looking for a health kick this year. The alleyway is like something out of a horror film, and the ominous drips will make you ask yourself if it’s raining or if a bird has pooed on you.
Upstairs plays rap and some hip hop, and the windows overlooking the main dancefloor are perfect for people watching or finding lost friends. Sadly, my music taste leans towards the DJ in the bar/entrance area rather than the main dancefloor, but Neon is a quintessential Warwick night out. The top tip for freshers would be to use the bathrooms labelled “VIP”, as they’re never locked and there are usually no VIPs.
Saturday: Moo or Schooldayz
Décor: 8/10
Smoking area: 4/10
Music: 7/10
While on Saturday, most clubs previously mentioned are open and draw a decent crowd, these would be my recommendations. Moo was another club I discovered late in my first year, which is such a shame. Playing mostly white girl music from the early 2000s, Moo toes the line between being a club or a bar with a dance floor. However you want to categorise it, Moo regularly fills up on a Saturday night, almost to a disadvantage. A popular spot, the queue grows quickly, snaking down North Leamington’s Russel Street.
With furniture glued upside-down to the ceiling and bright wallpaper, the visuals are through the roof (or rather, attached to it). Contrastingly, however, the smoking area can barely be described as such; instead, it is simply standing on the pavement across the road under the watchful eyes of the bartenders.
Also on Saturdays, the Copper Rooms hosts Schooldayz roughly once a term, a club night built upon university students’ weakness for nostalgia. Advertised as a night where you “act your shoe size, not your age”, Schooldayz is a classic and known as a night where decorum and maturity are left at the door. The music is very similar to that heard in POP!, but there are many more songs you might find in a year six disco, like the YMCA or Reach For The Stars. To have an enjoyable time, you must lean into the nostalgia and the theme. If you’re someone who cringes at cheesy music, maybe stay at home.
Bonus: Altoria
Décor: 7/10
Smoking area: 8/10
Music: 5/10
The most hit or miss place in Leamington. With enough lights and smoke to make you think the building is on fire, Altoria leans towards early 2000s music, merging genres into an eclectic mix. The smoking area on the rooftop makes for a comfortable place to rest and bond with new flatmates. You will likely find yourself in Altoria on the nights when you just don’t make it into Smack, but are already dressed up and ready to club.
Now, go forth with your options and find your own perfect night out. Or, during freshers, plan for a nonstop week of partying to officially say you’ve done it all.
