Belfast ranked the UK’s fourth-best city for pubs, clubs, and nights out
Looking for a good night out? The UK has no shortage of cities where you can grab a pint, hit a club, or spend the weekend hopping between bars. Some cities make it easier to find a lively crowd, affordable drinks, and plenty of places to stay, while others can leave you searching for the right spot.
A new study by Ireland Prestige Tours looked at which cities give you the best mix of nightlife, hotels, and prices so you know where to go for a proper night out. To figure out the UK’s best party cities, they looked at five things: number of nightclubs per 100,000 people (30%), number of pubs and bars per 100,000 people (30%), average hotel price for two nights for two adults (15%), average pint price (15%), and number of hotels per 100,000 people (10%). All the data came from Google Maps, Booking.com, and Numbeo, and everything was combined into a total score for each city.
Belfast ranked fourth in the study with a total score of 50.95. The city has 49.1 nightclubs per 100,000 residents, the highest in the top 10, giving clubbers plenty of late-night options. Pubs are fewer at 11.6 per 100,000 people, so the city’s nightlife is more focused on clubs than casual drinking spots.
Hotels are easy to find, with 89.9 per 100,000 residents, though a two-night stay for two adults averages £228. Pints cost around £6, making drinks one of the pricier options in the UK.
For those looking for a busy club scene and a lively night out, Belfast offers a unique nightlife experience that keeps it high on the list.
Brighton is the UK’s top city for a night out, followed by Newcastle in second and Manchester in third. Brighton has lots of nightclubs, pubs, and hotels, while Newcastle is full of pubs and clubs at slightly cheaper prices. Manchester is known for its music and clubbing scene, though hotels are a bit more expensive.
Belfast comes fourth with the most nightclubs per person in the top 10. Aberdeen is fifth and offers a more affordable mix of bars and clubs. York is sixth, combining nightlife with historic streets. Worcester is seventh with plenty of pubs for a smaller city, and Leeds is eighth with lots of late-night options. Edinburgh is ninth, blending nightlife with a historic city feel, and Exeter rounds out the top 10 with a smaller but lively scene.
List of the top 20 party cities in the UK:
| Rank | Area | Number of nightclubs per 100,000 people | Number pubs and bars per 100,000 people | Average hotel price (2 nights, 2 adults) | Average pint price | Number of hotels per 100,000 people | Total Score |
| 1 | Brighton | 41.73 | 43.17 | 164 | 6.00 | 166.91 | 75.08 |
| 2 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 28.59 | 46.78 | 183 | 4.90 | 62.90 | 66.65 |
| 3 | Manchester | 25.28 | 32.87 | 256 | 5.00 | 152.71 | 57.21 |
| 4 | Belfast | 49.13 | 11.65 | 228 | 6.00 | 89.89 | 50.95 |
| 5 | Aberdeen | 21.86 | 17.29 | 104 | 4.00 | 54.41 | 50.07 |
| 6 | York | 14.96 | 30.58 | 211 | 4.90 | 110.59 | 48.96 |
| 7 | Worcester | 12.79 | 33.45 | 175 | 4.50 | 39.35 | 48.44 |
| 8 | Leeds | 14.28 | 26.81 | 192 | 4.65 | 33.18 | 43.10 |
| 9 | Edinburgh | 17.20 | 23.44 | 191 | 5.35 | 76.13 | 42.29 |
| 10 | Exeter | 18.68 | 19.53 | 177 | 5.00 | 45.01 | 40.91 |
| 11 | St Helens | 10.73 | 16.58 | 188 | 3.00 | 15.60 | 40.72 |
| 12 | Middlesbrough | 11.21 | 15.42 | 127 | 4.13 | 47.65 | 39.92 |
| 13 | Peterborough | 14.08 | 16.53 | 134 | 4.50 | 36.11 | 39.71 |
| 14 | Oxford | 19.26 | 23.92 | 259 | 6.00 | 104.45 | 39.58 |
| 15 | Lincoln | 13.93 | 19.15 | 186 | 4.65 | 48.75 | 39.06 |
| 16 | Milton Keynes | 12.18 | 12.61 | 131 | 4.00 | 29.14 | 37.90 |
| 17 | Chelmsford | 16.14 | 24.21 | 255 | 5.00 | 20.63 | 37.22 |
| 18 | Dundee | 10.83 | 16.93 | 160 | 4.20 | 20.99 | 37.12 |
| 19 | Kingston upon Hull | 8.92 | 14.65 | 144 | 4.00 | 22.93 | 36.18 |
| 20 | Cambridge | 14.52 | 23.98 | 208 | 6.00 | 57.44 | 35.96 |