Why pubbing is more fun than clubbing

Edinburgh is a great city for many reasons. Our buildings are beautiful and we’ve got great scenery but something we should not forget is the diverse pub scene that we have.

Whether you prefer the laid back and classy pubs of Rose Street or the cheap yet vibrant student-packed bars such as Malone’s, Tron and Finnegan’s Wake, there’s something for everyone  to enjoy.

We’re spoilt for choice for pub nights out, so much so that they make going to the pub a lot more fun than clubbing.

No effort needed to plan them

Heading down to the pub takes literally no effort. You don’t have to make plans with your mates about who’s going to be hosting pre’s and you don’t have to spend any time on how you look.

You can rock up to your local in a hoodie and tracksuit and you won’t get judged for it. There’s no pressure to go at a particular time as well. No one has ever said, “Oh but if we get to the pub at 10:30 it’s gonna be empty and shit.”

Your next day is ruined

Most pubs close just before midnight but sometimes you can get lucky if they stay open until 1am. As a result, you will always get home at a semi-reasonable hour at the latest. This means you can still have a good night and it shouldn’t affect your next day at all.

They didn’t wake up until 3pm

You probably won’t have got as drunk as if you went clubbing and you certainly won’t feel as tired. There is no need to get hammered in a pub (you still can if you want) because the evening is reliant on your ability to speak coherently.

Not drinking as much combined with the earlier end to the night makes turning up to your 9am is still a genuine possibility even after a solid pub sesh. So, you haven’t wasted the next day as you otherwise might have done.

You actually get to know people

Now, I’m not denying that nights out clubbing can provide brilliant memories that can help bond a group of friends. But this doesn’t necessarily get to know them that well.

“I’m having this much fun”

An evening at the pub gives you time to have proper meaningful chats with your buddies.

Once everyone’s had a few drinks as well, it’s also quite a fun place to meet new people. People will be tipsy enough to be friendly and talk to new people, yet not too drunk that they can’t hold a conversation.

Flexibility

There’s a lot of flexibility with pub nights.

You can either head down to the local for a quiet one with your mates, or you can get take part in a pub golf event. It’s up to you, and you can go whatever your mood and energy levels are like.

Clubbing when you’re tired isn’t that fun and you can forget about going at all if you’ve got lots on the next day.

Different pub nights

Pubs are very good in Edinburgh at putting different events on most nights. Whether it be a classic pub quiz, karaoke or an open mic night, there’s always something fun to do when you’re there.

Live performers in particular can be a lot of fun to watch too. Thursdays at the Tron have become famous for the music and chat of local cult hero Graeme E. Pearson. Hoards of students come to see Graeme and others like him play every week.

Graeme in action

Yes karaokes can be painful to watch if you’re fairly sober, but seeing your mate belt out ‘My Heart Will Go On’ to a packed pub is more memorable experience than most antics that take place in a club.

In a pub, people aren’t trying to be anything that they’re not. They’re just there for a casual and good time with their friends.