Loughborough may be a small town, situated in the East Midlands, but this busy market town has built up a reputation for providing a great student experience and a buzzing nightlife.

Whether you’re after a night out dancing your socks off, a catch up over a few cocktails in a trendy bar, or just fancy a pub crawl, this place has it all. With the Loughborough student community being just under 20,000 you’re guaranteed to make some friends who love going out as much as you! Plus, whilst staying in our luxury student accommodation in Loughborough, you’ll be in easy reach of all the best late-night venues. Don’t stop here, you may just discover your regular hotspot from this list of the best 10 places to experience Loughborough nightlife! We guarantee there’s a place you haven't visited yet featured within our rankings.

1. The Basement

If you’re a student at Loughborough University then you really must experience a night out at the iconic Student Union Nightclub, The Basement. With its campus location and lively atmosphere, it’s been a top choice for partying students for over 40 years. Its stages have hosted the likes of Scouting for Girls, Craig David, The Wombats, Becky Hill, Chase & Status, and tons more big-name artists. Hosting regular weekly events such as FND where resident DJ’s drop the best of Disco, House, Drum & Bass and R&B until 4am every Friday, you’ll be loving life, especially with the cheap drink prices. You can even go up to The Treehouse room to party it up on the neon-jungle dance floor to show off your late-night dance moves to the rest of the student community! What makes it even better is that there’s a whole programme of events throughout the academic year, so you’ll certainly find a nightlife experience to suit you.

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Address: Loughborough Students Union, Loughborough LE11 3TT

2. The Generous Briton

The Generous Briton is one of the oldest pubs in the town, conveniently located between the town centre and Loughborough University, making it a great place to kick off your night-out. Having recently been refurbished the venue now has two new lounges and an outdoor seating area. You can have a few tipples outside in the garden area with touch operated heaters under each table cover - how cosy! The stylish interior of the venue is just part of what makes this place so great, along with the variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to choose from. So, we're sure they’ll have your favourite beverage. This pub is a great place to catch up with friends and meet new people, and they’re open till late on the weekend so you can drink up before heading on to a nightclub.

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Address: 85 Ashby Rd, Loughborough LE11 3AB

3. Echo’s Night Club

Head up to Biggin Street in the heart of the town centre and you’ll find Echo’s Night Club. This two-room venue is the place to be every Friday and Saturday night, boasting a 4am closing. Each night is different with Friday hosting underground DJs and Saturday playing all the best club classics as well as house and tech-house. Their weekly ‘Disco Jam’ event offers students an amazing night out with DJs playing the best disco, house classics, funk and 80s tunes. You can expect mirror balls, confetti machines, glitter, lasers, UVs and festival décor throughout. If you love a good boogie, then you’ll love this event. Trust us, a night out at Echo’s is gonna be one to remember!

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Address: Biggin St, Loughborough LE11 1UA

4. Jam Garden

Boasting one of the best beer gardens in Loughborough is Jam Garden, a late-night hangout which is a must-visit for students studying in the town. If you’re like us and love nothing more than chilling in a pub and having a good time with your pals, then this place needs to be a top choice. First of all, they offer a Happy Hour every Sunday to Friday between 5pm-10pm where all their cocktails are 2 for £10. So, if you’re wanting some nice and affordable bevvies before heading out, you’ve simply got to head here – they do a killer Espresso Martini! They even have a Happy Monday's deal where they offer 2‐4‐1 pizzas so you can get some tasty scran. This pub even hosts Quiz nights on Wednesdays which will be an absolute laugh with your flatmates.

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Address: Bedford Square, Loughborough LE11 2TP

5. Slidertown

Another firm favourite for students and locals looking for a late-night hotspot in Loughborough is Slidertown. You’ll find this quirky venue on Clay Pipe Jitty, dotted right in the town centre. This independent cocktail bar might be small, but the atmosphere is great, and their creative cocktails are a must-try. Our fave is their Sayulita Margarita with tequila, grapefruit cordial, lime and cucumber. Although, their menu is extensive, so you’ll find a bevvie to suit your taste-buds. You must try their famous sliders too, what is a slider you may be wondering? It’s a small sandwich, classically a beef burger served in a mini bun. There’s nothing better than some comfort food after a few drinks! They’re open 6 days a week until late so you and your friends can unwind after a busy day at uni and have some well deserved fun.

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Address: 1 Clay Pipe Jitty, Loughborough LE11 5AY

6. Fire-Fly Club

Fire-Fly Club on Swan Street is a new contender to Loughborough’s vibrant nightlife scene, but nonetheless it’s still a popular choice for partygoers. There’s plenty to keep you entertained all night long with their two-floor venue, huge sound system, cheap drinks deal’s, VIP tables and celebrity and guest DJ appearances. Every Saturday is their Diablito event whilst Sunday nights are Pounded Sundays, you can expect a mix of tunes from hip-hop to house to dance to R&B. If cheap shots and drinks are a deal breaker for a good night out, this place offers some banging student deals. They’re also open through the week where you can meet other students and dance all night to old school anthems, cheesy throwbacks and all sorts of other tunes.

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Address: 55 Swan St, Loughborough LE11 5BJ

7. John Coopers

Whilst living and studying in Loughborough you will undoubtedly have some cracking nights spent at John Coopers. This bar and restaurant on campus within the Students Union is open 7 days a week so you can get the party vibes flowing no matter what day it is. They serve up a variety of drinks, including cocktails, spirits, wines and craft beers. There's so much going on at John Coopers, one day you could be watching the latest sports matches on the tellies, whilst the next you’re attending a society event, a quiz night or even a film night! Although, this place is typically buzzing with tons of people so booking a bench in advance might be a good idea (yep, the SU do suggest this).

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Address: Students Union, Ashby Rd, Loughborough LE11 3TT

8. Revolution

If you’re wanting to experience the boujee side to Loughborough nightlife, then head to Revolution. This cocktail bar and restaurant is one of the busiest in town located on Baxter Gate, serving up a collection of drinks and great vibes seven days a week from noon until late. When we say late, we really mean it, on Thursday’s, Friday’s and Saturday’s they’re open till 4am so forget about having to go elsewhere to let your hair down. You can get the best student experience with club nights, live DJs, bottomless brunches, weekly quizzes and lively events featuring celebrity appearances. Not only do they offer a 2 for 10 cocktail deal here until 9pm, but there’s also some student deals to make the most of using their app.

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Address: 13-14 Baxter Gate, Loughborough LE11 1TG

9. The Organ Grinder

Located on Westgate in the town centre, The Organ Grinder, is a quaint little pub with a big character which is well-known for hosting live music. As a Blue Monkey Brewery pub, this place offers award-winning craft ales so if you love a good pint then you’re sorted, they do offer tons of other drink choices like ciders, wines and spires too. The warm and welcoming atmosphere is what makes this venue somewhere to return to again and again. Every Wednesday is their pub quiz where you can win cash prizes and bar tabs so, get your team members and head on down. They also have a beer garden with patio heaters which is perfect for a winter evening!

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Address: 4 Woodgate, Loughborough LE11 2TY

10. The Wheeltapper

Lastly within our guide to Loughborough nightlife is The Wheeltapper, a micropub situated on Woodgate at the centre of town. Enjoy socialising over a few drinks with choices such as spirits, real ale, craft beer and cider on the well-curated menu. The interior of this place is super retro with posters of the Great Central Railway and other railway memorabilia are on the walls. They’re open till 1am Friday and Saturday so if you prefer chatting with your mates in a pub rather than dancing in nightclubs, you’ve gotta give this place a try. There’s still a lively atmosphere to be expected here don’t get us wrong, their tunes are the best and there’s even live music events some nights. Plus, their beer garden is just the cutest with a patio covered in fairy lights and benches which makes some great snapshots!

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Address: 60 Woodgate, Loughborough LE11 2TZ So, as a student in Loughborough you can expect a vibrant city that offers everything, from lively pubs to large nightclubs to stylish bars. No matter if you’re a party animal or someone who likes a quieter atmosphere, there’s somewhere to be enjoyed in this town. Are you wondering about changing courses or university? We have a blog on How To Change Courses or University During The Academic Year.

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