Of all the places, Preston has been picked to host this year's Radio 1 Big Weekend. Don't get me wrong, I love Preston (I grew up in a nearby village), but I was still shocked because they usually pick bigger, more popular places. Nobody has been confirmed for the bill yet, but there are sure to be some BBC Radio 1 favourites on there. I wonder what they'll think of Preston...
The 'city' (yes, we are actually a city now) has a thriving indie and rock scene with loads of excellent alternative nights out and tons of great local bands playing every weekend.
So if you are thinking about coming to the festival, here are a few things you can do around Preston.
- Go to the Warehouse nightclub, just off Church Street by the church. The first nightclub I ever went to (aged 15, ahem), this place has three floors and plays indie, rock, metal and retro stuff.
- Eat a butter pie! I didn't know this, but only Prestonians (and other local, enlightened people) know what one of these is. Invented in Preston, the butter pie consists of potatoes, butter, salt and pepper, encased in pastry. I was quite frankly shocked when I discovered that nobody else knew what a butter pie is.
- Go to The Venue (near the bus station), an alternative club which has thrived in the last year or so. You'll find most music-loving Prestonians down there on a Friday night, drunk.
- Pub-wise, why not try my traditional pub crawl? It's mostly all on Friargate. Start at Roper Hall, a scream pub, for cheap wine and food to start your evening. Then pop down the road (towards town) to the New Brit(tania Inn), where you'll find a decent jukebox plus lots of lovely ales and ciders. Cider-wise, try a pint of Ruby Tuesday (pink!) or Greensleeves (green!) if they've got them on. Next is the best pub of them all, the Dog and Partridge. Excellent rock/metal/indie jukebox, guest ales and general atmosphere. This place is my all-time favourite pub and I go there way too often. By the time you leave the D & P it should be chucking out time, which is when you head up towards the uni to go to the Mad Ferret which is open till one. Next day, you'll inevitably have a bit of a shocking hangover, so it's back to the D & P for their perfect and very cheap 'something-with-chips' meals.
- Visit the football museum, if that's your kind of thing.
- Boycott Subway and go to Scof sandwich shop down Friargate, mmm yummy.
Here's hoping that every one of the 30,000 festival-goers enjoy their stay in Preston!
Things to check out:
What next?More features? More pop?