Nightlife in Swindon

Nights out in Swindon are largely focused on two areas – the Old Town or Downtown.

If you’re heading to the OId Town to the south of the town centre, make sure to start at Baker Street. Spread over two floors with two bars and one of the largest beer gardens in Swindon, this is rightfully one of the most popular places on the weekends. Trendy and cool, the bar has an impressive range of cocktails, as well as regular 2-for-1 deals. And if you’re feeling particularly important that night, there’s a small VIP area and bar at the back of the venue, which you can try and blag your way into.

Another spot with great cocktails is Mackenzies Café Bar on Wood Street. With a full house most weekends, get down early to bag yourself a seat or a spot on the dancefloor, which soon fills up thanks to its commercial music policy.

Come for their hedonistic Espresso Martini but stay for their jazz soundtrack, making them a unique proposition in Swindon. Located on Victoria Road, 1801 is a cool and cosy bar that quickly fills up – partly due to the unique soundtrack, and also thanks to the regular 2-for-1 early evening cocktail deals.

Located next to Los Gatos, Old Town Thai and Marios Trattoria – three highly rated restaurants that we rave about in our eating out guide – The Bank is the perfect place for a pre- or post-dinner drink. Spread over three floors, The Bank covers everything from cosy cocktail bar to late-night dancing, while they also do a tasty range of thin-crust pizzas if you get the munchies.

Heading slightly out of Old Town up Victoria Road, Longs Bar is a deceptively large bar spread across their bare-bricked main room, while their cool conservatory and large outdoor patio are equipped with heaters. It’s popular with after-work drinkers and those who like a wide selection of wine, beer and tunes from the weekend DJ.

Another top option is Gibson’s, just a couple of doors down from Longs Bar. A colourful and easy-going Cypriot bar, the drinks selection doesn’t go far beyond wine, real ales and your staple spirits but that’s no bad thing. It’s just a good place to go if you want to enjoy a drink and a conversation.

Heading into Downtown, Boston Brothers Swindon has quickly become the go-to place for late-night drinking and dancing. A lively affair spread over two floors, the chain bar is just around the corner from The Parade and regularly throws themed parties. These include 90s nights and their long-running Swindon Rocks night every Saturday, covering everything from RnB and club classics to garage, hip-hop and grime across two floors.

At the opposite end of Regent Street is Rudi’s Bar & Kitchen. Open for breakfast from 9.30am, lunch and dinner, the food menu largely revolves around small sharing plates, while their four-page cocktail menu spans fail-safe classics, pitchers and an impressive range of single malt whiskies and boutique gins.

Head to our dedicated Swindon pubs guide to find out the best watering holes and public houses in town.

The Tree is a £1-million nightclub that opened in 2016, and is without a doubt the biggest name on the Swindon clubbing circuit. Located in the heart of the Old Town, you can dance the night away under a huge disco ball or get down early to enjoy the restaurant and bar, which serves up tasty Chinese dishes.

With a strong urban, hip-hop and RnB soundtrack, the two-room club is open until 3am every weekend and can hold over 1,000 clubbers. With booths for hire and table service, The Tree is an accessible but high-end club that still offers regular drink deals, meaning a night out doesn’t have to break the bank.

A short stroll away is Suju, a proper late-night club that opens until 6am on Sunday mornings. Now a decade old, the club has a wide playlist spanning urban, UK garage, house, and drum and bass, with underground staples like Terry Francis, Eats Everything and Hot Since 82 all having played the rave cave in recent years. Spread over several floors, including a glitter ball garden with canopy covers and heaters, this is the spot in town for clued-up clubbers.