For those who haven’t been there before, Call Lane is a strip of bars in town, around the corner from Mook and Space. I visited with some friends on a Saturday night, and as a result mixed with a very different crowd to the usual clubs I go to: there were fewer students, with the majority of people in their twenties. Depending on what you’re looking for in a night, Call Lane could either be good for pre-drinks or just as a night out in itself, as it had a very buzzy atmosphere. The bars are free entry, which has the alternative of allowing you to switch locations without worrying about wasting the entry fee! Some bars seemed a lot quieter than others – we tried to get into Jake’s Bar, as it was highly recommended by a friend as a more dancey bar, but at eleven it was packed with massive queues to get to the bar so we gave it a miss.
The first bar we went to was Oporto, or the Dogging Club as its windows label it. A bottled beer was £3.80, and Bulmers was the cheapest cider at £4.20. As we arrived relatively early, music was still being played on the barman’s ipod. He picked a good selection of well-known rock music, which people seemed to enjoy, but apparently house DJs come on later in the night. There are two bars, and although it was busy, we got served quickly. The venue has a good atmosphere, with low lighting and comfy chairs around low tables for those who get there early enough to bagsy a seat. The crowd was noticeably younger than in some of the other bars, so as students we didn’t feel out of place at all.
Oporto
The next bar we went to was Bar Room Bar (BRB), slightly further down the road. This was via an accidental trip into REDs, the grill on the corner – my only advice is don’t go wandering in there looking for cheap cocktails, because the chances are you won’t be well received by the men on door! They blocked us as we opened the door, informing us that this was a food only restaurant thank you very much and cheap drinks would be found elsewhere on the road! However, they were kind enough to recommend BRB for cocktails. Unfortunately, its 2 for 1 offer was only for Thursday nights. Whilst we weren’t prepared to pay £5.50 for a cocktail, people suggested that we return pre-Tequila one week, as the menu offered a good alternative to Mook’s classics! BRB was slightly emptier, and played late-90s/early 00s house music to an older crowd, so didn’t give the same kind of buzz. However, it did have a lot more seats available so seemed a good location for a quieter drink with friends. It’s also a restaurant the day (hence the name) if you’re ever in the area and feeling peckish!
Bar Room Bar
After leaving BRB we had all spent the ten pounds we’d taken out for the night, so decided to head home. Getting cabs took a while – the road was packed and they were all either booked or dropping people off as it was only about half 12, so in the end we went around the corner and got one outside McDonalds. Overall, Oporto seemed like a better location for students than BRB. However, other bars also looked good and if I was returning would definitely try new ones. But as a night out, Call Lane provides a great atmosphere and is somewhere slightly different so we enjoyed it a lot!