Royal Holloway Total Nightlife Complete Overview

Any Gay clubs and bars?

Does SURHUL organise any House/techno/electronica/electronic music events? I'm sure that there are parties, but I'd really rather not attend something too commercial and trite, ha.

How is the electronic music community around there. I can't be the only one who derives pleasure from Aphex Twin, minimalist stuff such as Plastikman and so on and so forth, can I?

Too bad that the train service ceases to operate after 00:00, if I'm not mistaken? I'd greatly appreciate clarification on this matter. Thanks in advance.

I like your taste in music. Though it's not the sort of thing you'd find being played in the SU, unfortunately...The music played in there tends to be your usual Top 40s and pop hits (though it does seem to be diversifying a bit this year). I can't think of any electronica music events, as such.

Um, well it depends on where you're getting the train from/to, I guess. Some trains run past midnight, but not many.

EDIT: Just wanted to add something about Freshers' Fortnight (yes, it is a fortnight now! :O Though lectures are still starting on the same date, so I guess it's hangover city for all of us.)

These are the events currently planned and advertised by the new manager of the SU:
19th: Black and White Party.
20th: Malibu Beach Party
21st: Ibiza Foam Party
22nd: Tommy's Cocktail Party
23rd: Lethal B
26th: DJ Luck and MC Neat
28th: Beat A Maxx
30th: Labrinth

This is pretty amazing considering what is was like last year! Freshers' this year is going to be AWESOME.

Interesting, good to know. Guess I'll have to make the treck into London for some reputable music. A shame, because that's going to be mighty difficult if I can't catch a train back — I'm sure you're aware of the extortionate taxi prices if I were to travel alone or with one other. I may sadly have to miss out on FourTet/Hessle Audio on the first week and Border community the second. I know people will tell me to go to a SU party to socialise, but it's really not my thing, the socialising at parties, that is.

Any events ran by anyone outside the SU? Cheers.

Worst comes to worst, you could be all hardcore and catch the first train back (though it's a very painful thing to do, haha).

In a way, I wouldn't say the SU is the best place to socialise anyway...Like, you may go there with your flatmates or something, but it's difficult to make new friends there (unless you're after something) because obviously it's a bit different to sitting down and having a chat. Still, I can understand it not necessarily being your cup of tea.

As for events outside of the SU, aside from the other stuff on campus (e.g. Medicine, Stumble Inn...that's about it actually, haha) and pubs nearby, you'd have to go further afield again. There are these nights out in London organised by some companies, and a ticket includes coach there and back and entry to a club.

It depends what kind of events you're going for, but yeah, the majority of stuff aside from your usual pubs and clubs will be in London.

Any events ran by anyone outside the SU? Cheers.

I have been at the uni for a year (going in 2nd year) and i was extremely worried about the nightlife before i came (seeing as my other option was glasgow where the night life is siiiick) and these boards don't help matters really! Holloway was described as having more of a pub cluture..this is true of in the day to meet up for a casual pint. I do not mind the occasional night where you just go to the pint and chill (Monkeys on a monday - although worlds most over ratted thing as so packed it takes like 50 years to get a drink) but i dont really consider going to the pub as a night out.. firstly the SU is good if u get some good pre on the go. You will find that mostly the best part of going out is pre drinks in your halls, and coming back from going out and having banter in the halls. There are also parties quite often , they cant be overly loud but when arranged properly and if moved around different flats (move on to another persons flat when security kick you out) Then it can be pretty deece. Also liquid in winsor...Liquid is known for being a ****ty club , i am familiar of the one in Aberdeen .. and it genuinely couldnt be any more of a ****ty minky club. Altho the one in Winsor is rather big! and is actually a pretty good night as you get mostly students (Rather than mostly pikeys, as seen in most towns) Similarly oceana in kingston is OKAAAAAYYY but its usually full of underage maggots. If you see everyone saying nyeeuuuuhhh London is so far away form holloway we were lied to oh my god , its a total , exaggeration , sure it seems surprising that it still counts as a london uni! but it is in greater london , and for getting in to london on the train , 40 minutes really isnt bad during the day if u wanna go shopping or whatev , it goes by very quickly. Also taking the train into london for a night out really is pretty sweet as pre drinking on the train is good, and will go by very quickly. And then to get home a taxi if pre booked £50-60 , get a 6 seater thats a tenner each...thats a pretty priey option , but still not redic , just pre drink ALOT and save £10 you would spend on drink..then it works out a pretty cheap night in london. There is also a shuttle bus that takes you from holloway at like half 8 , into central london and leaves at like 4/5 back to egham for like 10-15 quid return... thats extremely good considering. Similarly if ur wanting a cheap way to go to places like fabric , pasha , ministry etc , there is UNION nights, where a bus leaves from outside the front of uni at 8 , comes back at 5 , £20 !!!! for travel there and back , entry and queue jump...For £20 that is such a deal . All included! all u gotta pay for is drinks , And tbh seeing as you can pre drink on the bus , you only have to spend a bit of buck when your there. Deffinately worth checking this out , even if a couple of times , it happens every two weeks.
So pretty much the people that complain about lack of nightlife are boring and would rather complain than bother looking into it.
So summary ,

- if you want to have a chilled pub night...Egham is full of bloody pubs (foresters , happy man , monkeys forhead..to name a few!)
-if you are looking for pre drinks/a party , ruby wines is like a ten minute walk from founders , just go up harvest road (ask around they will direct you) and hook a left at the activity hall..bottles of vod for under a tenner etc , alll different types of drinks from Buckfast to Belvedire) Or tescos , usually £15 for a litre of russian standard , or like £15 for a big crate
-if you want a night out in london , take the train pre drinks , look around facebook or ask on campus for guest lists to movida,china white,taman gang,raffles etc etc or brick lane shorditch etc and then split an addison lee taxi back , Or use the shuttle servies (search rhul shuttle in facebook)
-If you want a heavy night out with some sick music , hit the UNION london nights , look on facebook again or www.union.clubtickets.co.uk fabric/ministry/pasha/(That new club thats replaced matter £20 entry , bus journey there and back , and queue jump/
-SU on firday and wednesday , And medicine on a saturday , all good for a comedy night with plenty of folk you know these will make up the majority of your nights out and are really a sweet night if u just chill and have fun.
-Most of the people who say on this site that holloway is boring etc and isnt for them , didnt fully intergrate into it , you have to just go to stuff in the first few weeks, if it seems boring or you think it may be totally awkward standing there and meeting people that you will potentially never speak to again at uni , it is 100% worth it and you will 100% naturally meet people that you will get on with. But you have to go out and do stuff , people wont just come bursting through your door trying to be mates with you. You dont wanna be that guy/girl thats in there second term with only a few loose aquaintances staying in watching master chef every saturday whilst you can hear people in the flat above you have a sweet time getting ready to go out.Go out and meet people!
- My main point though! To make the most out of the su nights and overall your uni experience , i would deffinately suggest joining a club or society , it may seem like something that everyone says just to get people to bulk up numbers of clubs , although not to everyones taste! it really is something you wont regret. Just have a look round the activites fair in freshers week and you will find pretty much anything that you would want to do. And you will instantly meet mates , and your mates will know your other mates and you will soon see that everyone knows everyone! Some of your best nights of your time at uni will be Socials for these Activites societys , and going out after the socials with the societies , i would deffinetly suggest it .

Thats pretty much all you need to know about RHUL nightlife

Other than the night life topic, does Egham have anything that's just sort of like a normal town? Stuff like shops or a cinema or similar?