Nightlife in Peterborough

When it comes to pubs in Peterborough, we shouldn’t receive too many complaints for kick-starting our list with The Brewery Tap on Westgate. Allegedly, it’s the largest brewpub in Europe. Inside, you can take your pick from up to a dozen real ales on tap, fridges brimming with bottles, a decent wine selection, crafted cocktails, and – curveball – a menu of Thai cuisine that’s surprisingly good. To top it all off, it boasts a quality location in between the train station and the Queensgate Shopping Centre.

If you’re looking for a classic, plain-and-simple British pub, make your way to the Palmerston Arms on Oundle Road. It’s a Bateman Brewery pub with a top selection of up to 14 cask ales, live music every week, and a pub quiz on Sundays. It’s not far from the ABAX Stadium, so if we’ve piqued your interest with our guide to entertainment in Peterborough and you’re planning on seeing The Posh play, this pub is as good as any to wet your whistle before and after the final whistle.

The Draper’s Arms is a Wetherspoons on Cowgate, right next to the Queensgate Shopping Centre. As far as Wetherspoons go, this pub’s wood-panelled walls and stained-glass windows set it apart as one of the most characterful in the area. Fear not, though beneath the veneer you’ll still find comfort in the cheap food and drink deals that make the nationwide chain so popular.

We’ll round off our pub crawl with a couple of honourable mentions. Puzzles? is a chilled out drinking den on Bridge Street. It’s a small space with live music, open mic nights and an ever-changing selection of ales, cider, top-shelf spirits and whiskies. The Bumble Inn is a micropub on Westgate with excellent ales, wonderfully helpful staff, and bags full of character.

You know what to expect from Turtle Bay: Caribbean food and myriad cocktails. Make the most of their 2-4-1 drinks deals and it’s as good a place as any to begin your night. You can find it in the Queensgate Shopping Centre. If it’s not your cup of tea, a hop, skip and a jump away you’ll find yourself in The Stoneworks Bar. It’s Peterborough’s craft-beer emporium with shuffleboard and a bottle shop offering every kind of beer under the sun.

If you fancy something a little different, make your way to Charters Bar. It’s a converted Dutch barge moored to the Town Bridge. Inside you’ll find eight cask ales on tap. It annually serves more guest ales than there are days in the year. There’s also a decent range of wines and spirits. It’s a bit of a novelty. Nevertheless, it’s earned its place on our list of recommendations thanks to a lively atmosphere and unique setting.

Last but not least, let us tell you about Solstice Bar. It’s open seven days a week with a late license that lets you stay out long past your bedtime. It’s the biggest nightlife venue in Peterborough with several rooms, one retractable roof, live bands, club nights, and a crew of resident DJs.