[HDNG]IN LONDON:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E3[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.50 [BULL] Glass of wine: ú1.45[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]For a weekly guide to the Capital's entertainments, 'Time Out' magazine is a must. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Pubs:[EBOLD][ITAL] London is a bitter blow for bitter lovers. Some London pubs water down their ridiculously expensive beer (sometimes over ú2 a pint), but one of the few sparkles in your glass is the rise of the Weatherspoon chain, dedicated to good ale and food, at superb prices (regular 99p a pint specials). Look for the blue and gold livery. [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs in Bloomsbury area: Jeremy Bentham; Rising Sun.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Cinemas:[EBOLD] [PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: many repertory cinemas offer student discounts and The Prince Charles Cinema just off Leicester Square shows films from ú1.99.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Theatres: [EBOLD]Student standby tickets are sometimes available for West End shows, but they're still around ú8. The National Theatre on the South Bank is cheaper and features some of the country's top talent. Also, don't forget the Fringe (the collective title for all the smaller theatres around town, ranging from back rooms at pubs to full size auditoria)[ITAL] where you can often see high quality at low cost.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos: [EBOLD][ITAL] [EITAL]Although London clubs are always at the very nub of any fashion scene, you pay for the privilege. At top nightspots, admission starts at around ú5 and drinks can be anything up to 5 times pub prices. There is, however, an ever-changing set of cheaper hang-outs where the latest sounds are available without the latest prices. [ITAL] [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: Heaven (mostly gay); Camden Palace; Maximus; Ministry of Sound; Fridge; Subterania. These are the venues; individual events move between clubs, and disappear like cliches in the night, so don't blame [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH] [ITAL]if our recommendations for Smashing, Pleased, Billion Dollar Babes and Kinky Gerlinky send them off into the memory-zone of the groove.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Cabaret: [EBOLD]London is a hot-bed of alternative laugh-mongers[ITAL]. [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: There's the just-moved Comedy Store or, more cheaply, Jongleurs (Camden, Battersea, Shepherds Bush), East Dulwich Cabaret, Hackney Empire and many, many more.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Music venues: [EBOLD]Many of the country's biggest and most famous, including Wembley Stadium and Arena, Hammersmith Apollo (was the Odeon), The Marquee, The Forum (was the Town and Country), The Garage (was TandC 2), The Astoria, The Hackney Empire, The Brixton Academy, The New Cross Venue, as well as innumerable pubs, warehouses, cardboard boxes, and, of course, Tube stations.[HDNG]EAST END :[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E3[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.40 [BULL] Glass of wine: ú1.25[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]At the risk of creating an East-West incident, [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL] would like to point out that the West End is a better bet than the East End for entertainments.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Cinemas:[EBOLD] Multiplexes at Barking and Gant's Hill, Ilford (10 screens in all). Barking's pic house has student discounts.[PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] The Theatre Royal Stratford East has many productions which transfer to the West End - those who have the foresight to see them here first, see them cheaper.[PARA][BOLD]Pubs:[EBOLD][ITAL] In the East End, there are plenty of pubs passing cheerfully for the stereotypical (and fictional) Queen Vic; Viz's Cockney Wankah would be comfy in many. In Barking every pub's a pitiful pulling joint for Essex Men and Girls. These are outrageously unfair generalisations and at least they're cheaper than most London pubs. [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: the King Edward, Princess Alice and The Pigeons are all earmarked as student pubs.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD][ITAL] There are endless nightclubs in east London that score high on the vomit and snog factor. Most students avoid them like a sewage dump in summer. They flock instead to Benjy's on the Mile End Road, the Princess Alice (indie nights) or The Pigeons pub, which tends to deliberately compliment SU events and has indie, gay and lesbian and student nights.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]UNIVERSITY:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][GRPH]E2[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.25 [BULL] Glass of wine: ú1[ESTAT][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bars:[EBOLD] There are 3 bars on different sites, one of which is run by the University. The bars in the SU's West Ham centre in Maryland House (cap 800) and in the SU building (C Block) at Barking (500) are more popular.[PARA][BOLD]Cinemas[EBOLD]: The Film Club recently showed True Romance, Reservoir Dogs and Cyrano de Bergerac.[PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] Maryland Bar has recently been renovated for discos (adm free-ú2.50). Students also bop the night away at Barking Bar. 80s discos every fortnight.[PARA][BOLD]Cabaret:[EBOLD] Monday cabaret acts in Maryland House, often starring top wits and wags like Harry Hill and the Rubber Bishops.[PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] Bands can be handsomely hosted at Maryland, including recently, PWEI and Jools Holland.[PARA][BOLD]Others:[EBOLD] Quiz nights, Freshers and May Ball, occasional human bowling.[HDNG]EATING OUT:[EHDNG][PARA]There are refectories and snack bars at several sites, namely the A Block at Barking, one half of the SU bar in C Block, the top floor at the West Ham Main Building ([ITAL]where the mural is more memorable than the food[EITAL]), [ITAL]the friendly coffee bar[EITAL] at Greengate House, Holbrook House, the Green and [ITAL]the best one at the swish [EITAL]management course centre at Duncan House. Students otherwise eat in local pubs and cafes and sarnie stands and anywhere else where the products sold are edible. Some of best local cuisine is Indian and Chinese. [PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: Sombrero Steak House in Ilford, the Raj in Barking, and the Brick Lane Bagel Bakery ( see above).[EITAL] There's an all-night 7-11 in Barking.
