[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]EALING:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E3[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.47 [BULL] Glass of wine: ú1.25[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]Students tend not to bother with central London all that often (it's more expensive and hassle to get back from late). Ealing itself offers quite enough by way of entertainments.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][BOLD]Cinemas:[EBOLD] 2 local cinemas with 5 screens between them.[PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] Questors is the nearest (about 5 mins) hosting [ITAL]quality [EITAL]rep with the likes of Dame Judi Dench (who helps run the place). Also the unpretentious, but arty Waterman's Centre (Brentford).[PARA][BOLD]Pubs:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The Queen Vic is a popular spit and sawdust pub, but the beer is expensive. The New Inn is slightly less popular but better, with a strict no 13-year-olds rule. Other [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: Haven Arms; The Grange (bottled beer, good view of Ealing Common, smart, but not tacky).[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The Broadway Boulevard is Ealing's classier venue. [EITAL] It is ú1 for students on a Tuesday night, [ITAL]but exorbitant otherwise.[EITAL] Hammersmith Palais is one of London's big venues[ITAL] in an Ibiza-lycra-Tarzan-Boy-Michaela-Strachan-Miss-Selfridge-Giorgio-perfume-expensive-gold-sales-assistants kind of way.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The best venues are pubs. Within crawling distance, is The Red Lion for good rock, or indeed, The Red Lion in Brentford (ú1). [EITAL]Students also disappear off to Acton and Hammersmith in search of the high life.[HDNG]UNIVERSITY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E3[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.34 [BULL] Glass of wine: ú1[ESTAT][PARA][BOLD]Bars:[EBOLD] (3) 1 [ITAL]dingy[EITAL] brown bar at Slough and 2 all-day bars (Olympic Bar and Freddie's, after Mr Mercury, a famous alumnus) at Ealing.[PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos and music venues:[EBOLD] Artwoods Hall (cap 800) hosts lots of 'tribute' bands, and the weekly, innacurately named 'Wot No Techno' bop. It's named after Ron Wood's brother's band.[PARA][BOLD]Cabaret:[EBOLD] Monthly cabaret nights have recently included Alan Parker, Jim Tavare and, erm, Tom O'Connor.[PARA][BOLD]Balls:[EBOLD] Each site holds an annual ball.[HDNG]EATING OUT:[EHDNG][PARA]The refectory run by the University is open from 9am to 7pm and the SU cafes serve [ITAL]decent [EITAL]dindins on each site from 11 to 8. There are also 3 training restaurants at Slough, and 1 at Ealing, [ITAL]for above average scoff at below average prices[EITAL]. There are plenty of sandwich and snack bars to choose from locally; [ITAL]Butler's is as good a bet as any and is the alternative lunchtime hangout to the SU. [EITAL] Ealing has a wide assortment of restaurants (Greek, Italian, Chinese and French). [ITAL]For Indian food Monty's is the best tandoori house in Ealing.[EITAL] [ITAL]Other[EITAL] [PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: Muswell's; Old Orleans; Nando's (Mexican); Jumpers (tea shop); the YMCA. [EITAL]Late night pizza, chips and cafes abound until the early hours and the 7-11 is open, ironically, 24 hours a day.[PARA][PARA]
