Student Life

Nightlife in Exeter

With a high proportion of students, Exeter has a lively nightlife despite the relatively small size of the city’s population. 

While the city’s nightclubs aren’t numerous, a culture of outdoor events offers a surprising amount of variety, and a range of (literally) underground music venues ensure there’s plenty of choice for a great night out.

Crowds at a gig

Live music

Exeter has a buzzing live music scene with a wide selection of pubs and music venues hosting bands and artists. The underground Exeter Cavern regularly hosts live music and the venue has seen some of the world’s biggest bands launch their careers, including Muse, Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, Biffy Clyro, Scouting for Girls and Kaiser Chiefs.

You can find one of the largest entertainment venues in the South West right on our Streatham Campus, The Great Hall. Catch the big names playing here or at our other live music venue, the Lemon Grove (Lemmy).

Regular concerts of choral, classical, operatic and contemporary music take place at Exeter Cathedral, and since 2011 Cygnet Theatre have hosted a monthly jazz club, The Blue Vanguard, dedicated to bringing the finest national and international guests to Exeter.

Large-scale concerts are held at Powderham Castle 24 miles outside Exeter, with its capacity of up to 25,000 people per day. Past headliners have included Basement Jaxx, Sir Elton John, Coldplay, and Little Mix.

Nightclubs

While Exeter might not compete with the likes of London or Manchester if you want to dance all night, the city is home to several great nightclubs. Timepiece (TP) is Exeter’s self-proclaimed “half-decent nightclub” and caters for both the city’s more discerning club-goers and an inordinate number of sports team socials.

Other popular clubs include Fever & Boutique, Cavern, The Vaults, and Move all offering an array of fun nights out. Exeter Cathedral also hosts occasional Silent Discos.

Pubs and bars

A number of independent local breweries feed the city’s varied pub culture, which stretches from big chain venues to curio pubs tucked away on side streets. There are pubs a-plenty within mere minutes of both our Exeter campuses, including one on our Streatham Campus, The Ram Bar.

Student favourites include the Imperial (or Impy), a giant Wetherspoons with rolling gardens between St David’s train station and Streatham Campus, and The Old Firehouse, famed for its excellent range of beers and ciders, and giant late-night pizzas.

If you are looking for cocktail bars, Exeter has some great options. Visit The Bootlegger for some incredible cocktails and live music or enjoy a drink on The Botanist's rooftop bar. For something a bit different, visit Board and play a board game from their vast library while having a drink or bite to eat.

Festivals

Exeter hosts a number of festivals throughout the year. The Enchanted Garden Ball is an annual Summer Ball event synonymous with decadence and magic, while dance music fans won’t want to miss Hijacked Festival, a popular springtime music festival. Celebrate diversity through the performing and creative arts at Exeter Respect Festival.

Oktoberfest at Exeter Castle is another fun event to enjoy with friends. With live music, German beer and street food, you can have a taste of Bavarian culture in the heart of Exeter.

Theatre

Northcott Theatre is an organisation whose purpose is to bring people together for brilliant creative experiences, to tell extraordinary stories, and to help people understand each other better. It runs two theatres in Exeter:

  • the Exeter Northcott Theatre on the University's Streatham Campus, which seats 460.
  • the Barnfield Theatre located just half a mile from St Luke's Campus, which seats 280.

Events for both theatres can be found on the Northcott website.

Established in 1980, Cygnet Theatre is an independent company with a 100 seat venue, who also run courses for professionals and the local community. Exeter Cathedral hosts plays, typically in the autumn, performed by its Cathedral Players. Exeter Corn Exchange seats 500 making it the largest venue in Exeter city centre, providing a variety of events and shows. Exeter Phoenix hosts regular theatrical productions, including a summer season which usually includes a work by Shakespeare performed in Rougemont Gardens, also in the city centre.

Cinema

Exeter has three cinemas, all located in the city centre:

Exeter Corn Exchange sometimes hosts film festivals. Exeter Phoenix also shows films, and in the summer these can sometimes be screened outside in Rougemont Gardens.