Manchester Universities are second cheapest in the UK for a round of drinks

Manchester students may be saved from dipping into their overdrafts just yet as Manchester was this week revealed as being the second cheapest place in the UK to buy a round of drinks in a student union bar.

According to the ‘Price of a Student Pint’ index, a round—defined as a pint of lager, small glass of wine and single vodka and mixer—came in at just £6.35 in Manchester, a figure beaten only by Leeds where a round came in at £6.00.

The annual survey, conducted by market researchers One Poll and published by discount voucher website VoucherCodes.co.uk, compared the prices charged in the union bars of the UK’s 20 most popular universities as defined by UCAS.

The Manchester universities took two of the crowns for individual drink prices, with Manchester Metropolitan claiming the cheapest pint of beer at £1.70, and the University of Manchester claiming the cheapest vodka and mixer at £1.50.

It would appear the cost of a round in Manchester is pushed up by the price of a glass of wine, which questions whether the index takes into account the two for £5 deal on bottles of wine available in certain Fallowfield off-licenses.

Its findings will likely come as a relief to Manchester’s enthusiastic student drinkers, beleaguered by the ever-rising cost of living and mountains of student debt. Anita Naik, lifestyle editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk, had the following to say about the survey’s findings:

“With the burden of high tuition fees and rising living costs, it’s good to see union bars are still helping students have a good night out without breaking the bank.”

Elsewhere, long-time leader Bristol was knocked off the top spot, falling to sixth place at £7.10 for a round, while Ulster University was found to be the most expensive, coming in at £8.60; a figure still well shy of the £12-and-up average in ‘normal’ bars that we all have to look forward to come graduation.