University Of London Union

I just took a beginner’s session of fencing and enjoyed every minute of it.
I went to the «Library Food & Bar» and ordered nachos with Sex on the Beach cocktail before my fencing session.
The pre-​workout exercises of running in a circle, catching & throwing a softball to my teammates was fun. It forced us to concentrate. Although, I occasionally go for a few walks during the week. I was still out of breath when we had to actually face off against one another. We practiced with foils (type of fencing sword) Our instructor kept yelling to us «Don’t be afraid to stab one another»
I have to admit, I was a bit afraid to poke my fencing partner in the beginning but then I got bloody loose and kept going for the chest target.
I learned to lunge, align my feet properly and pretty much just balance my body.

Now I’m no longer a student, but I have a valid student card and friends that still go to UCL. So whenever possible we meet up here to take advantage of student priced drinks in an otherwise much more expensive London.
As far as student unions go (I’ve been to a few) this is a winner. Lots of space, different bars to get drinks and in term time always busy which is good. The typical student selection of drinks, Jäger Bombs anyone? Usually that’s my line, always starts a night well. Doesn’t end it as successfuly though!

A great place to come and hang out. Noisy and lively. Much cleaner then last time I was here 20+ years ago. It has a café on the main floor along with a STA office (Student Travel Agency). On the 1^st floor and the roof top is where the bars are located. I prefer the roof top. You don’t have to be a student to take advantage of the bars (where the drinks are real cheap), except maybe on the weekends when some event is going on.
As a former U of L student I have many a great memories of this place.

Wifi, my gym in the basement, bar upstairs, good selection of snacks. My only issue with ulu is that they seem to be baking brownies every time I leave the gym! Bring cash.

Dang, I really miss this place. The beers and food were good and so cheap.
I remember that for lunch I would often get the jacket potato with cheddar. Watching the server squeeze open a buttery-​soft potato and pile mounds of fresh cheddar was such a delight. Later, I would always dress it up with some pepper, ketchup and a splash of tabasco.
Before I get anymore nostalgic, ULU is a great place to unwind in between or after classes. Just keep in mind that it does get full during popular times, so come early if you have a large party.

The café downstairs has a generous amount of seating and tends to have a nice low level of activity in the late afternoon: perfect background noise for studying. Plus, fairly cheap refreshments close by.

This is where I hung out before and after class. It was a okay building. The food was kinda pricey. I did see some pretty crazy protest in December going on while I was there.

So its not the most sophisticated of surroundings but it really is a useful place to go if you want a few cheap drinks before you move on to somewhere else. On a Friday all spirits and taps are £1.50 and throughout the week there are really good value drinks deals. There is plenty of space to sit if you are in a large group although the Gallery is rather cold. If your visiting London and want to have the student experience it’s definetely worth a visit and the friendly bar staff will be able to provide you with information as to where to head on to next. Ideally situated just off Tottenham Court Road.

My mates and I spent a lot of time in ULU while at uni in London… we got to know it as another member of our group.
The café downstairs (the Lunch Box) has Pret-​style sandwiches that are cheap and reasonably tasty. I’d still go to Pret, but when you only have 10 minutes between classes, it’s not a bad backup. The coffee is cheap, and tastes like you’d expect cheap coffee to taste, but it gets the job done between (or before) lectures. Try pulling a shot and adding it to a cup of hot water. 90p americano!
Upstairs are two pubs, the Duck and Dive and the Gallery. The Gallery is more like a restaurant, serving burgers, fish and chips, pasta, and pints… starting at 11am. The food is better than college cafeteria fare in the States, though the man serving the burgers up tends to be pretty surly in the mornings. Be warned.
Duck and Dive is where we’d go for our appropriately named ‘shakesBEER’ nights (after Shakespeare lecture), and hell, half our other nights too. The pints are cheap (£2.50 for Strongbow) and the specials kept us participating in the British drinking tradition. £6 jugs? Two-​for-​ones? Sign me up. It was the cheapest pub we found in London, and that’s spot-​on for a student union pub (since none of us bums have any money).

Ok as far as Student Unions go and trust me ive studied at far to many unis (no im not a serial drop out!) for my own good, this one has to top the lot.
Its a federal union of all the University of London’s colleges so it boasts the biggest, baddest, oldest, and best of all services. Including the largest indoor pool in central london (im weak for stats :|)
Now apart from all the societies on offer, the numerous eateries and and and the superb central london university gym (energy base) my fascination lies with the jacket potatoes available ot the ground floor Lunchbox Café. They’re so popular that you have to time your arrival right to get one! the café uses one of those Aga looking type ovens and man they are majestic marvels (the potatoes). I like mine with cheese n beans mmm. The skins on them are so thick the bloody flimsy wooden cutlery frustrate the hell out of me, they cheat me of gorging on them with table manners of the ferral kind straight outta the gym!!! one rating star — gone.
The international nature of the university is reflected here in the choice of chocolates and ‘candies’ they have candies from Japan and American and other places, you’ll find stuff like Tootsies, Twizzlers, Reeces, and special M&M varieties i dont even recognise.
The building itself deserves nothing less than knocking down and starting over, but great location!

I LOVE YOUR SANDWICHES that you sell in The Lunch Box. I miss them.
As if the student union is a person…

Bar? What bar? It’s a rather not existent entity for what is meant to be a staple for gigs. The location lacks any real charm and even after excuses for being a student’s digs was quite cluttered with rubbish. Went here for an Aqualung gig which managed to light the place up, but I wouldn’t be one to return in a hurry. Maybe some decent acts might get the place buzzing.

Studied here about 4 years ago. They have a pub with cheap drinks and a poor attempt at Mexican food (I’m a native Californian… Guacamole isn’t supposed to be more fluid than beer). The classrooms are a bit run down but it’s a decent university with good facilities. I saw my first Bright Eyes performance here too. Pretty neat that that old sap would perform here.

If you want cheap drinks, gyms or cafes in central London then ULU is the place to go. It is a deceptively huge complex with all the facilities and services an impoverished student could ever need. OK so there is no cheap supermarket, but this is one of the few weaknesses, and given that expanding the building is unlikely to be an option, a Warwick University-​style monstrosity of a union is not really an option. Of course, if you are not a student, then ULU is likely to be below your usual standards on multiple counts including cleanliness, classiness and attractiveness, but you can always pay an extra couple of quid a pint/​swim/​meal and opt for somewhere more salubrious.

Dirty, messy and cluttered. And no, that’s not the students. Even for a student bar, the ULU bar isn’t great. I went for a quick one at lunchtime a few weeks ago, and despite it being quite, the staff were being lazy, there were glasses and empty food wrappers everywhere, with dirty tables and a shabby appearance. The food is mediocre, although cheaply priced. Won’t go back unless dragged or fancy something dirt cheap to drink.

dont really like this uni. city is much better

ULU is a homeground for many students in London universities. It has a few bars and shops on the ground floor as well as meeting rooms further up. This place is popular for meeting with other students or drinking. There are lots of events happening in this area such as bingo and quiz.