There are four different union bars, three in the SU building itself. The main bar is the focus of attention and holds events and live music. It also plays host to the twice monthly Welsh music night. Given that Welsh language and culture is taken very seriously at Bangor, and that it has a large amount of Welsh students, this is a popular event.
There is also Jock's Bar. This is smaller, quieter and has a more relaxed atmosphere. At Ffriddoedd Site, one of Bangor's three sites there is The George Bar. Pride of place however goes to Time/Amser, which is also open to the public. This is the union nightclub and is the venue for all major functions. The Time/Amser club cost around one million pounds and is considered one of the best nightclubs in North Wales. Its important to note that the union is run as a limited company and thus trades as one. Despite initial concern from the students, this arrangement is working well and has brought some considerable benefits.
The union also runs three catering outlets. These provide an excellent range of food and their fry-ups are particularly good. These outlets do well when compared to the University refectory.
From incoming mail to Unofficial-Guides:
I have never had any regrets about coming here, and got
quite offended that it is portrayed as a second rate university when actually, it's departments like psychology, linguistics, ocean sciences and sports science are amongst the most respected in the country. Regarding the lack of nightlife, it's pretty much just a matter of getting into the pub culture which is what north wales is so good at (i'm biased though, being a north walian and coming from just 40 miles away). If you come here from a large city, yes you might well find it ridiculously remote and expect sheep to be grazing outside your hall (it's that close to snowdonia), but because of this and the fact that it's small, i found it really easy to meet loads of people and find the student population really friendly.
Oh, and regarding the locals of bangor, well there aren't that many when you compare them with the amount of students. I'm sure many of them hate the student population,the majority of students being seen as unemployed aloholics who puke outside peoples houses at three in the morning (which is only partailly true). I'm sure in most university cities people have problems with students, but in Bangor, the place is so small that they
don't go ignored or unnoticed. Regarding the oh so high cost of booze in bangor, well I'm going out tonight to a couple of pubs and to Time (you know, the one with absolutely no atmosphere), and am going to console myself for being in such a second-rate university with £1 pints and doubles for singles shots.
In Wales, there will always be some extent of a
Welsh-English divide, but it's not that important when you're here, and doesn't mean that anyone not from wales has to be constantly on their guard from welsh language activists threatening you in the middle of the high
street with, erm, leaflets. Okay, I've finished my rant for now, I think.
