Nightlife at Kent Uni

On campus at the University of Kent, students definitely have one thing when it comes to nightlife: Choice. There are five bars, a nightclub, plus a cinema and theatre to choose from…

Mungo’s

Modern, minimalist feel décor with mood lighting, Mungo’s sits in the heart of Eliot College. TVs line the walls showing news, sports and music channels. You can play pool in a small side room, or XBox 360 with multiple controllers. You’ll find quiz nights and comedy, and on a Friday the entire bar transforms into an ad hoc club for ‘Magic Mungos’ (expect cheese, and plenty of it.) Grab good hearty food, from burgers to salads, desserts to milkshakes, too.

Origins

A Tex-Mex themed bar with two pool tables, and funky retro décor. Found in Darwin College, Origins is famed for Texan burgers, Nachos and Mexican fajitas (as well as its curly fries.) Multi coloured comfy seating lines the walls, as do TV screens showing sports, music and news channels. You’ll find quiz night on a Sunday and ‘Ruby Tuesdays’ – a weekly indie and alternative night, open ‘til 1am. Every Saturday is Decades, themed for the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s – you get the idea.

K-Bar

Grungy, darker and a typical student hang out; K-Bar can be found in Keynes College. As well as its two pool tables and heated outdoor seating area, K-Bar’s walls are adorned with screens showing the latest live sports matches and music videos. Food-wise, it’s pizza (opposite is eatery Dolche Vita). You’ll find Back 2 Basics every Thursday (old skool, hip hop, RnB), Saturdays is Shuffle (chart music DJ) and you might just catch a live band or two in between.

Rutherford Bar

Rutherford Bar, named after the College, is a smarter more grown up place to hang out on campus. Think leather couches and low lighting; TVs showing films, music and news channels, and board games to borrow too. You’ll find karaoke events and some DJ nights plus snack-type food for eats.

Woody’s

As the name suggests, Woody’s is very woody (it’s located in Parkwood where there’s lots of trees, and inside there’s lots of wooden beams.) You’ll find TVs showing all the big games (even all-night wrestling marathons), a pool table, a quiz night plus good bar food (burgers, chilli, chips.) It’s a bit of a trek, though, as Parkwood is the furthest point to walk to on campus – but no further than getting from one end of Canterbury high street to the other in reality.

The Venue and The Attic

The student-only campus nightclub has two rooms with a combined capacity of 1700: The Venue downstairs and The Attic upstairs. Run by Kent Union, it underwent a £750,000 refurbishment in 2010. Acts who have played The Venue in the past include Zane Lowe, Annie Mac, Chase & Status and Nero. The Attic focuses live music, and providing a space students can use to put on their own events.

Gulbenkian Theatre and Cinema

Catch films, theatre performances, comedy, live music and more at the Gulbenkian. Set in the middle of campus, near the gigantic library building, the ‘Gulb’ has a full programme all year round. As well as the cinema and theatre listings, there’s freshly cooked food during the day (and evening meals) plus a cafe bar, and loads of seating.

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