Guide to Glasgow Nightlife

I'm in Glasgow for a conference, and arrived on Friday to check out the nightlife in the second city of the empire. My impression after 2 days is very very positive. I must admit I've had the most friendliest clubbing experience in my life with everyone from the bouncers to the drunk guys on the street being extra polite. The music was not all that great, but the lovely Scottish girls compensate for that.

In order not to forget the places I've been to and be helpful to those who might visit Glasgow (which is something I definitely recommend), I've decided to create a quick guide to Glasgow nightlife. All the locations mentioned in this guide are also shown on this Google Map I prepared.

Basics:

• Timing: As far as I could observe Glasgownians start the night early in a pub around 6 (maybe earlier), move onto a restaurant/bar or restaurant/club about 8. The restaurants close on 10 pm sharp. They move on to clubs around 12.
• Types of Locations: Of course pubs. There are also quite a number of fancy restaurant/bars especially on the Bath Street for pre-clubbing venues. Then there are dance clubs. Dance clubs charge bout 5-8 pounds, the others are free.
  
• Transportation: Busses and subway to go downtown. Subways and busses stop around 11:30 pm. There are night-buses following the subway routes with 20 minute intervals. 701 for the clockwise ring, 711 for the counter clockwise ring.

Main Areas and Clubs:

• Sauchiehall Street: This is the main entertainment street with a university type of crowd, that reminded me of Austin's notorious Sixth Street. Studio and Garage are dance clubs which fill up on weekends. There are many pre-clubbing venues. On the western edge I came across few live music venues.
• Bath Street: Parallel to the Sauchiehall, is filled with upper class bars, restaurant/bars and few clubs all at the basements of office houses. I recommend Bunker for pre-clubbing and Kushion for clubbing. As a matter of fact Kushion is THE club to be. Go early to avoid the line. Best thing about the locations here is that there is no cover charge.
  
• City Centre: Get off on Buchanan Street subway station. Walk down West Nile Street, then Agryle Street, then go up the Queen Street. You will see many clubs, which are more for tourists, and wanna-be-seen teen crowds. My recommendations Visit the bars and clubs around Glasgow Modern Art Museum (BLO for example), November and Arches if there is a party. Avoid Tunnel.
• Merchant City: Just east of city centre this is more for 30 years and above crowd. Most of the bars and clubs are located on Virgina Street. My recommendation is Polo Club.
• West End: Located next to the Glasgow Uni, serves a more younger crowd. Haven't checked the clubs yet but they are situated on Byres Road, served by subway station Hillhead.

Remarks:

• Advantages of No-Smoking Glasgow: In addition to coming home without the disgusting smell of cigarettes, not having to inhale nicotine and all the mess, the people who go smoking outside the club pr bar gives you a sneak preview of the type of crowd to expect inside. And contrary to tobacco industry propaganda people ARE going out and enjoying night life without cigarettes. And those innocent souls like me who don't smoke spare a few days from their livs by not inhaling the toxic waste.