Durham Student Union
Offers events every friday and saturday during termtime, including the popular planet of sound, with three floors of different music genres. the union also holds other events; the misfits and pendulum are just two acts to have featured recently. note: you must either be a durham student, or be a student and a guest of a durham student to be permitted entry.
Colpitts Hotel
For the cheapest non-student pint in Durham, try the wonderfully unadulterated Colpitts Hotel at the top of Allergate, where you can pick up a pint of Samuel Smiths Old Brewery bitter for £1.28; the larger Swan and Three Cygnets also sells Sam Smith's at a slightly higher price, with a beer garden overlooking the River Wear.
The Woodman
For the most interesting pint in Durham, try one of the plethora of local real ales on sale at The Woodman at the bottom of Gilesgate Bank around one kilometre from the Market Place, past the Gala Theatre and up Claypath. Be warned that they will not be to everyone's taste and may be considerably stronger than your standard tipple!
Durham is equally as well-served when it comes to watering holes, with more than forty within a mile radius of the Cathedral. Drinking is a major pastime of Durham residents and students alike, and alcohol is very reasonably priced due to competition for student custom:
For the cheapest pint in Durham try one of the College bars if you have student ID £1.20/pint for lager.
Try the Victoria Inn on Hallgarth Street near Durham student's union for a slice of victoriana and raging fires in the winter. A fantastic range of whiskeys and real ales lead The Campaign for Real Ale CAMRA to vote 'The Victoria' the best pub in Durham.
Durham isn't fantastically well endowed with nightclubs, but should this be your scene then worth a mention are: