Tommy’s Bar

Though technically part of the artsy UWIC university campus at Howard Gardens, Tommy’s Bar offers a deal more than the average drunken student union. A longstanding music venue popular with local rock and indie promoters, you don’t need to be an undergraduate to attend most the gigs they host, although it will probably help you locate the bar in the first place. Tucked away off Newport Road, you need to head down Howard Place then bear to the right of the bowls club, past the car park barrier and through the automatic doors into the campus (then ask the security guard at reception if it’s still unclear!). Once inside, Tommy’s may be poky enough that you could comfortably shout an order to the bar from the opposite end of the room between bands if you so chose. But that means the array of underground touring names it’s welcomed — some surprisingly well known — are close enough to touch. With an above-​average drinks selection often at student-​friendly prices, the mini-​adventure required to locate Tommy’s for the first time pays off in spades down the line.