Leeds University Union

The best Union in the country. (Legit is, it has 2 gold stars!).
LUU is just great — such happy vibes and so many different places to go. In the day time it is centre point to the University, with people buying lunch, coffee or a cheeky midday drink. You can sort housing, banking and go shopping there too.
I went to the Union every single day I was at Leeds, I just loved it.
The Terrace is the place to go, whether you just need a pint, are celebrating end of exams or are making the most of the brief spells of sunshine!
The Hidden Café is great to get some work done in a more chilled out space from the library, and also rammed at lunchtimes as an ideal meeting spot for friends. (Also does some delicious cakes and hot chocolate — got me through many a revision session).
At the weekend, the Union opens its doors for Fruity — its 14 year old, and ever as popular club night. The 3 clubs are open, as are The Terrace and Old Bar. Some people judge fruity, but if you want a night where its guaranteed cheap, fun and some great sing-​a-​longs then its the place to go. You also always see someone you know, and I have never not had a great time!
I love the union, and I really miss those times I spent with friends whiling away the hours!

Supporting UOL students since 1877 LUU has c. 32,000 members.
A little maze this building has shops, clubs, banks, event space, performance halls and toilets all over the place. As a fresher I found myself lost most visits but after the first semester it’s easy to take pride and enjoy what the union offers!
The building is due for a MASSIVE Refurbishment over the next two academic years, sadly I graduate this summer so will have to come visit to see the new wonders of the LUU!

It’s a bit odd writing a review for a building that I never actually used during my student years, which admittedly were some time ago, but having frequented the Union in recent years I thought I’d add my two penneth. (I was one of the old school chaps based at Bretton Hall back in the day.)
For students, this is a fantastic hub. There are tons of spots to purchase lunch, coffees, and of course a beer or several, many of which being good quality. I’ve had my fair share of pasties and the like and have always managed to find something tasty to grab swiftly when in need. The refectory does the job nicely, but there’s a small flurry of shops in another area where you can pick and choose from a number of other options.
As well as that there are so many events that are housed in the space. Judy’s Vintage Fair regularly make an appearance, and if you’ve not seen or heard of those guys you’re missing a trick –they’re a fantastic vintage fair company who hold regular lovely festivities, so keep an eye out! There’s also the club nights, Wendy House and Rock Of Ages are two that I’ve enjoyed aplenty, with drink offers and all of that sort of gubbins. As a student, post-​grad, mature student and even someone totally un-​related to the University, it’s a good place to check out.
So, yes. I’m a fan. Beware though, it’s quite labyrinthine.

If this is the right part of the uni i went to Damnation Festival there last year and found it to be a quality place… a good place to see multiple bands and a good place to go to uni by the looks of it…

As an exchange student, I found Leeds University Union to be exceptionally easy to orchestrate around. New to not only the school, but also the country and currency, I enjoyed the variety of options the union had to offer. The Refectory was convenient and cheap. I loved their jacket potatoes and chicken baguettes. In addition, the Old Bar was a nice place to stop by for a break and enjoy pub food, good music, and a couple drinks without having to travel too far.
Overall, I was very impressed with the layout of the union as well as the options. In fact, I wish American universities laid out their campus accommodations as well. Around each turn, the union had little shops full of convenient surprises. Well done, Leeds!

I’m in third year and I’m still getting lost in the union. I remember the first day I entered the union and could not believe what it held inside, it’s an actual maze of bars, clubs and shops, no wonder it’s been voted as on of the best unions in the country!
One of my favorite places in the union is Old Bar; it’s a traditional English styled pub with amazing drinks offers and great music. A pizza bar is also attached to it, which makes for the perfect location when you get those mid-​night munchies induced by alcohol. I also love the union shop, which is partly a co-​op, unlike a co-​op however they sell ethnic noodles and sweets which I always love to have a browse at. It’s also the perfect location for a few pens before an exam, I buy at least 5 just to be sure!
I’m still finding places in the union I have never been, there is a maze of rooms to hold society meetings and areas to just hang out with pool tables. Food wise there is a pasty shop, noodle bar, pizza shop and you’ve also got the option of The Refectory, which sells hot and cold food, which for a university is surprisingly good. Oh and cheap!
The union also has three clubs… I think, I loose count, there’s Pulse, Stylus and Mine. Its great for club nights and gigs. I’ve been to some great gigs in Pulse which have been really intimate with a great crowd.
I recommend you have a look around the union, as it is very impressive, just don’t get lost as you will never find your way out!

Leeds University Union seems to be constantly being awarded best student’s union in the country status, and it is pretty damn good! It’s a pretty huge building with loads going on, with a huge range of societies. The union is run mainly by the students themselves, with a committee of student executives elected by the student population making key decisions on the Union’s activities as well as regular Union Council meetings attended by many student reps from different areas. The facilities in The Union include a wide range of shops selling food, day to day essentials, clothes and gifts. There are also several bars and nightclubs.
As a student my favourite aspects of the Union were the Green Action Food Co-​op (details in my review) and the Peanut Gallery, which is a social centre for all students with a kitchen, library and computers which is used for meetings, socialising and events. This is one of the few non-​commercial establishments in the Union and represents a calm, welcoming space away from the comparatively frantic transactions taking place constantly in the surrounding area. Love it. I also love the Union Music Library, hopefully still up an obscure staircase on the 2^nd floor, which appears to have been forgotten by the refurbishments that have taken place in the rest of the building and has real character with a retro carpeted corridor and tiny floor-​boarded room packed with a motley crew of loveable indie music geeks and a great selection of CDs and vinyl.
I must admit I didn’t regularly frequent the clubs and pubs in the union, but many students practically lived in them… there’s something for everyone at LUU.

Leeds University Union is practically overflowing at the brim with everything they have managed to cram inside. Saying that, you’d expect a cluttered space full of tiny shops/pubs…but no.
It’s literally like stepping into Dr Who’s Tardis. Tiny looking from the outside with plenty of space and surprises on the inside…
Go check it out and have a look around. They have everything from places to eat, a convenience store, a larger grocery store (which sells specialist magazines also), a hairdressers, card shop, tanning salon and plenty of bars.
The bars they have go from the traditional pub — The Old Bar. Cool underground club — The Mine. Club space — Pulse & Stylus. And finally, The Terrace where you can step outside and enjoy a drink on the… er…terrace…enjoy!

Before I start I should state that this is just a review of Stylus, the club within LUU, rather than a review of the entire Union itself.
Stylus is a massive venue inside the union, and plays host to big bands and DJ’s fairly frequently, as well as providing students wit randomly themed nights such as silent discos and the like.
The best thing about Stylus, however, is it’s regular weekend nights — Fruity on Friday and the less frequent Wax On on Saturdays.
While Wax On plays house music and all its siblings, Fruity is more of a free for all in terms of both music and actual events. Wax On often ‘presents’ big names in the DJ world — Simian Mobile Disco being the most recent example of this, and as such, prices are usually steeper than the £4 Fruity night.
To me, Fruity is the perfect student night, and has been for many years, mainly because it keeps it simple — good music, good people, good cheap booze, and very few idiots — it’s most definitely worth going, student or not.