Nightlife in Gloucester

There are few finer things to do in Gloucester when the sun’s shining than to head down to the docks and grab a drink. You’re spoilt for choice when you get there, but one of our favourites is Dr Foster’s Waterfront Bar. Enjoy a local ale in the oak-lined bar downstairs or grab a bite to eat at the restaurant upstairs, which is at the posher end of pub grub. They take their ale very seriously, so they’ll encourage you to try before you buy and will also attempt to match up beer to their dishes, including their delectable smoked haddock fishcakes.

A short stroll from there is the Blue Bamboo Sports Bar. Founded by a group of Gloucester sports fans, the bar does the basics very well. From the spacious booths, relaxed but attentive service and a wide range of sports they screen to an impressive drinks menu spanning cocktails and craft ales, plus a cultured range of sharing platters, it’s a well-conceived bar that will appeal to sports fans and beyond.

Established in 2007, Coal Grill & Bar on Merchants’ Road is now a firm favourite on the Gloucester bar scene. The chain bar offers up a BBQ-heavy food menu and a range of 2-for-1 cocktails and pitchers that are as tasty as they are good value for money. With its exposed brickwork, timber beams and waterside views, the Gloucester branch is one of the city’s favourite local spots.

The smallest bar in Gloucester, it’s well worth getting down to Angie’s Bar on Bull Lane early to bag a seat, or if the sun is shining, to get one of their highly prized tables on the street. Drinks range from guest ales, local ciders and boutique gins to a surprisingly large wine list, while their upstairs room is kitted out with chess boards, board games and cards, making it the perfect place to while away an evening.

A little further towards the city centre, just off Northgate Street, is The Abbey, a cool pub that boasts all the mod cons you’d expect, including baby-changing facilities, live music, a decent cocktail menu, good pub grub, a pool table and a beer garden. Close to the Gloucester Cathedral, and busy on Gloucester match days, the pub doesn’t offer any clever gimmicks or concepts and is all the better for it. 

We’ve rounded up our favourite drinking establishments, including The Pelican Inn and The Tall Ship, in our dedicated Gloucester pubs page. 

From 20s-inspired superclubs to retro dance floors and £1 million clubs, Gloucester has an impressively diverse range of nights out.

Atik, the aforementioned 20s-inspired club, is the best place to start. A popular student haunt on Eastgate Street, the club also caters for an older crowd with its mix of urban and dancefloor classics spanning the 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond. With two bars and 11 booths, Atik is Gloucester’s biggest club and, thanks to early-bird ticket prices and drinks deals, remains one of its most popular.

Jax Bar and Nightclub is the newest club on the block, and cost over £1 million when it was launched at the end of 2017. There are two dancefloors and bars to choose from and plenty of suck-you-in sofas to chill out and watch the action on the floor. The club is opposite the Eastgate Shopping Centre and is open on Friday and Saturday nights until 3am.

One of Gloucester’s oldest bars, Butlers also doubles up as a late-night dancing den thanks to its 2.30am licence. The bar, which is also on Eastgate Street, recently underwent a huge facelift, with a new and improved beer garden, as well as a second room, Bar 103.

Chain club Fever knows its crowd, and it’s one that’s in love with the sound of the 70s, 80s and 90s. With free entry and regular drink deals, a night out here won’t break the bank, while with two rooms to choose from – including a Saturday Night Fever-style dancefloor – you’re guaranteed to find the right dancefloor for you.