The Loft

You'd be forgiven for walking straight past the Trent Students' Union building without realising what's tucked inside. The Loft sits upstairs in the Shakespeare Street campus, and it's where you'll find the kind of cocktail knowledge you'd expect from somewhere charging three times the price. It's genuinely good, which matters—this isn't just cheap student drinks, though the prices are fair. The space has that buzzy energy that comes with a proper student crowd, but it's never chaotic. Pop in on a weeknight and you'll find regulars nursing quality drinks; come Friday and it transforms into something properly lively. The rooftop element gives it a slight edge over standard union bars, and the fact they actually care about what they're pouring makes it worth the trip to this part of the city centre.