What's it like these days? Is it still rammed? It must be 10 -15 years since I've been out in town on a Friday. Is it still half dressed teenagers staggering about in stillettos, and short fat married bald blokes letching at them? Is the Theatre still there? Does everyone still do the same trail? In my day it started at Treadles, then that one on the corner by the Post Office, above Chennells, then up to the Theatre to watch the turn, then maybe further on pub street. First drink of the night was a Castaway, which was just too revolting to drink more than a couple. Don't worry I'm not planning a night out any time soon, just curious. Seems like a lifetime ago.
Saturday night in town. I went into town for the first time in years a few weeks ago and it was awful.
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These days, if you want 'decent' night out in Barnsley, you have to coincide your planned evening with payday for the majority. Otherwise, it's like most others have touched on - dead. You still get the half dressed teenagers staggering about in heels, but by that same token, you also get the 60 year olds staggering about half dressed in heels. You still get the short fat married blokes and overall, probably the clientele isn't much different, apart from these days instead of getting into a fist fight, you're more than likely to not even throw a punch, and just get stabbed or bottled instead, by some chav in a baseball cap. Treadles went down (even further) hill drastically around five or six years ago, and never really re-covered. Whereas before you'd have people bouncing around on the tables having a great time, now it's just full of down and outs, chavs and scroats. Last time I was in I nearly threw up after drinking about a third of a pint of San Miguel - it just tasted like cleaning fluid. Chennels is pretty good for a pint these days as too Silkstone and Bramahs if you're into your real ale. Courthouse is good on matchdays if you fancy a few swift ones. I don't go into Barnsley all that often anymore. I tend to stick to the local pub villages or venture further afield into Wakefield and Leeds where the beer selection is better, and the quality of the beer is better. Leeds has sprouted up some very good pubs over the last 24 months, and the restaurant selection is fantastic. Barnsley's nightlife is on the ropes and it's staring out threw blurred, blood shot eyes, and its not going to be long before its down on the canvas and struggling to get up. It needs an injection of life, fast.
It's a shame as a few years ago you could go out pretty much every night of the week and there would be good numbers of people out with only Tuesday being quiet, but even then there was Chicago's open and fairly busy (so I'm told )
As others have mentioned it's nearly always dead on a Friday these days. I remember when I first started going out regularly about 6 years ago it was still a decent night out but it's got quieter & quieter. Went out recently & all the bars that've changed names on Wellington street are awful, everywhere seems the same.
Yeah the best atmosphere tends to be the week those paid monthly are out, which I think is early 20s in a month so would have been last week...It can be rather dead. Places don't help themselves with prices when bottles can cost 3.60 after queuing for 10-15 minutes in understaffed places like Walkabout and Bramahs. Londoner has the right idea with a bottles only till so you can avoid waiting ages for those wanting pints or cocktails. Nobody can make a success of the old Escapade/House building and it's a shame. Surf when it first opened was good for music but now has a thing for playing crap electro stuff. There isn't enough variety around either. It's very easy that if you go into 3-4 different places you are going to hear a song for the 3rd or 4th time of the night.
Totally different to what it was when it was voted one of the top 10 towns for a night out. The route used to be something like Walkabout, Lucorum, Bla Bar, Yates, Esmeraldas, Livingstones then onto Wellington Street pubs. Now everyone stays around the Town Hall area and Wellibob Street has died on its arse. Voodo/Silvers has live local bands on at the end of every month and it makes a refreshing change. Trouble is it's three floors and the bands are on the top floor which means walking past two deserted floors to get to it. Hence, it's not as well attended as it should be.
I agree it's not a patch on what it was years back but it's not nearly as dead as some seem to suggest on here. You have to know the "run". Wellington ST before 10pm is absolutely dead, however, hit Chennels and blue room etc from 10:30 onwards and it's banging busy. Most tend to start later these days, Soul lounge and Londoner from 9pm is excellent although the music does get a bit repetetive after a while. After these 2, head to Brammah's (very busy at this time) for a swift one before heading onto Wellington ST. All in all a good night awaits you (If you're in good company you'll have a great night regardless). It's when there's no beer that you need to worry.