[HDNG]TOWN:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E2[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.20 [BULL] Glass of wine: 95p[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]Manchester could hardly be hotter to trot, busting with top clubs, the country's most vital venues, other musical amusements and diverse diversions.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Cinemas:[EBOLD] (23 screens) A multiplicity of multiplexes and sundry cinemas, everything from mainstream to art-house. There are 8 screens at the Salford Quays complex and the [ITAL]ultimately trendy[EITAL] Corner House (3 screens) shows many an arty flick. With a gallery and cafe thrown in,[ITAL] it's a poser's paradise and a sophisticate's dream.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] (6+) The old Cotton Exchange is now the [ITAL]nationally renowned[EITAL] Royal Exchange theatre - some of the country's [ITAL]best [EITAL]shows for under a fiver on student standbys. The next [ITAL]boldest [EITAL]are the Palace, the Opera House and the Library Theatre, which show ballets, musicals and touring plays. For other touring productions and dramatic distractions, try the Green Room [ITAL](also does nifty veggie grub)[EITAL] and the University's Contact Theatre.[PARA][BOLD]Pubs:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Historic pubs in the truest tradition of the working men's dive: bitter with bite, beer in gear. The recent rise in Manchester cred has spawned a few pubs for the more whiney wine bar clientele with video screens and limes in the beer bottles. These tend to be more expensive and, generally, eminently avoidable, but if you must be a victim, pose in Manto and the Dry Bar. [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs go to The Old Garratt, The Clarence (Irish pub), The Whitworth, The Flea and Firkin, The Old Stream Brewery, The Salutation, Dukes, The Peverill and the Lass O'Gowrie [EITAL]which are all within a few minutes of the universities and UMIST.[ITAL] Further afield there are The King's Arms (Chorlton-on-Medlock, home brewing in the cellar), Chorlton Green (Chorlton), The Barley Corn and Dog and Partridge (Didsbury), Queen of Hearts and Yate's Wine Lodge (Fallowfield) and The Whitworth (Rusholme).[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] [ITAL]When God created Manchester, she created clubbing. A student night out is often a euphemism for dancing and a curry. Our only problem is listing the best bop spots. The music is alive and the clubs come and go. Read 'City Life' for the latest. The Haìienda has to be included - clubbers come from as far as London to queue from as early as 8.30pm for the legendary experience which has now turned into a bit of a Manchester Scene theme park and costs up to ú20.[EITAL] [ITAL]Other [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: The Board Walk (popular with students, Glam nights Fridays); The Brickhouse (cheap and cool), Home (pretty hip); The Underground; The Venue (for every Indie dance pilgrim); Man Alive (rave and 70s retro); The State (ragga rave); No1, Rocky's, Paradise Factory and It (gay); and The Discotheque Royale (take the piss at the setting for the terminally terrible 'Hit Man and Her'). Every night is student night somewhere, check for these cheaper NUS-only nights. Watch also the flyers for the alighting points of fly-by-night clubs.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] G-Mex has hosted [ITAL]some of the most meetless musicians [EITAL]including Simply Red, The Happy Mondays and Madness. [ITAL]The Apollo, by most towns' standards, would be a best bet[EITAL], however, all over town there are live venues of every size -[ITAL] the Band on the Wall (for Latin, Roots, etc) must be mentioned. Among the many others: Gilly's (rock); Chorlton Irish Club (folk); P J Bells (jazz); NIA Centre (world music); The Free Trade Hall and the Royal Northern College of Music (classical)[EITAL]. Many of the clubs stage live bands (Haìienda, The Boardwalk and so on).[PARA][BOLD]Cabaret: [EBOLD][ITAL]Manchester is a breeding ground for stand-up talent. Live comedy lives and is usually high octane value fun. Bernard Manning is a local boy. Well, the exception that proves the point, I suppose.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Others:[EBOLD] Millionaire students, or at least lucky or stupid ones, will, no doubt, not want to miss Manchester's many casinos. The more cultured will find many a fond hour to spend in some of the city's splendid galleries (The City Gallery, The Corner House and The Whitworth, which has many of L S Lowry's best paintings, particularly of Manchester, his home turf).[HDNG]UNIVERSITY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E2[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú 1.20 [BULL] Glass of wine: ú1.10[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]The 2 universities host some pretty swinging times and UMIST students often take their funky stuff strutting off to them. In return, other students often strut down to UMIST ents.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bars:[EBOLD] (4) There are 2 bars in UMIST Union's well-used Barnes Wallis Building and the Renold Tavern in the Renold Building.[PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] (1) When not being used for student productions, and films, The Renold Theatre is one of UMIST's largest lecture halls.[PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] 4 times a week students get up and get down in The Underground (cap 600), a new venue run by the Union.[PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] Live bands also play the Underground (open till 2am) and at LAH (cap 550) in the Union, including, of late, BjÜrn Again, Urban Species and Terrorvision. The Main Bar (300) is often used for jazzy/bluesy/folky stuff. The Institute itself lays on organ recitals and lunchtime concerts.[PARA][BOLD]Cabaret:[EBOLD] Every fortnight, there's a cabaret night in The Underground or Main Bar with some [ITAL]talented [EITAL]titter tempters from the circuit such as, recently, Hugh Lennon.[HDNG]EATING OUT:[EHDNG][PARA]During the day, the Barnes Wallis Refectory (above the Union) provides [ITAL]cheap [EITAL]chomps including veggie options, [ITAL]but for students who want to use food as an excuse for chatting to friends and avoiding work,[EITAL] try the snack bar in the Renold Building or the [ITAL]wittily named[EITAL] 'Readers Digest' snackerie in the Main Building. Or, [ITAL]for a bite with a beer[EITAL], there's the Renold Tavern and The Swinging Sporran (which UMIST is threatening to turn into a hall bar). The Union has its own cafe too (cap 70) open all day, and the city has grub stops galore. [BOLD]Eating out in Manchester: [EBOLD]see [ULNE]University of Manchester[EULNE].
