Our love affair with The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury’s finest establishment

If you’re from Shrewsbury, nay even Shropshire, and you’re over the age of 18, you’ll have probably gone to The Buttermarket at least once in your drinking aged life.

The first time I set foot in this glorious venue was for the mother of all underage nights out- Nitro (pre ‘Reloaded’ for you youngsters out there). 16 and, no doubt, dressed in questionable attire, I was fascinated by the sheer size of the place- especially the immense main room with VIPs leering down from above.

Untz, untz, untz

I even worked there for a stint and bared witness to the wonder that was the X-factor tour, back when Ryland got his big break. You can rest assured I wore my best ear plugs that night.

There is however, one aspect of the club with which I have a love-hate relationship: The Butter Bus. The idea’s great. Honestly, a free bus from the town centre to the town’s biggest nightclub, ideal right? Well, yeah it would be if it wasn’t for a few glitches. First of all, the bus’s own personal anthem forces me to physically recoil in reaction every time I hear it. If you’ve not yet enjoyed its sweet melody, please allow me to share it with you…

Next of all, there’s the animalistic fight to get onto it at peak times. However, you’ve got to give a credit- the idea is a brilliant way of closing the gap between the main hoard of bars and the town’s biggest nightclub.

And then there’s the queue.

Queues for days

Nowadays, the cellars are by far my favourite part of the venue. Perhaps they remind me of the dingy basements I adore at uni. Or, perhaps it’s because they’re darker and therefore I can’t recoil in disgust at the state of fresh 18-year-olds enjoying their newfound freedom.

Space to boogie is essential

The main area upstairs never quite lives up to my expectations. For one, the music’s a little mainstream for my taste (I’m just so hipster y’know). Saying that, the venue’s pretty impressive on a busy night with it’s bright lasers and crowds of revellers bopping along to teen classics- expect Cotton Eyed Joe at least once.

Pretty in purple, the outside area has certainly improved over the years. With purple lighting that does wonders for your Snapchat and ample sheltered space to smoke, what is there to complain about?!

Last but not least, the drinks deals aren’t too shabby either. With plenty of cheap shots and cocktail buckets on offer, The Buttermarket clearly aims to get punters pissed on a tight budget. And, after all, who doesn’t like suck fruity concoctions from a nostalgic beach bucket?!

Takes me back to my childhood trips to the beach

I can’t deny that even having experienced the incredible nightlife a university city has to offer, I still admire The Buttermarket for the service it offers to the small market town that is Shrewsbury. If located elsewhere, I truly believe it could even be the stuff of legend. For now, it gives a taste of city nightlife to the masses that hail from nearby Telford and prepares college students for the night life to come.