The Hancock is part of the student-pub chain It's A Scream. It sits between the city's two universities, and it's a stone's throw away from the main student residential areas of Jesmond and Sandyford. Yes, it's wall to wall students.

If you're part of the undergraduate crowd then the Hancock is heaven. If, however, you graduated some time ago and think everyone should 'grow-up and get a job' then this is hell. And you won't be entitled to the discounts.

The Venue
Tucked away behind Newcastle Civic Centre, the entrance onto the premises takes you past its best feature: a decent sized beer garden with plenty of seating and pool tables at the far end. In the main bar, you'll see the long bar stretching across one corner and half of the back wall, and next to that, plenty of tabled seating and incredibly comfortable settees. These are situated next to glass windows which help to brighten the place up.

There are more pool tables and quiz machines towards the back, with TVs dotted about throughout, usually showing music videos when the football isn't on. Upstairs has both games and small dancefloors alongside a DJ booth, as well as some lovely large windows which overlook the beer garden. The Civic Centre obscures what might otherwise be a decent vantage point of the city centre's north end.

The People
Its chilled out atmosphere, mix of DJs in the evenings, and competitively priced drinks make it attractive to those already paying off their student loans, and students from both universities head here. Everything in the Hancock - from the food to the large gangs of messy haired youths in rugby tops - reminds you that this is first and foremost a student bar. That's not to say it's unwelcoming to non-students, but merely a warning that it will almost invariably be busy. Legal and civil service workers head here straight from their offices as well as regular city drinkers looking for a slight change of scenery.

In summer, the beer garden fills up quickly, and when there no tables and benches left people resort to sitting on the small wall running round the edge. In a country like England, with its famously inconsistent weather, al fresco drinking is seized upon at every opportunity, so be prepared to stand during the busier times. Sporting events, especially rugby tournaments like the six nations (there’s never a shortage of student rugby fans), see big crowds.

The Food
Served until 8pm daily, The Hancock sticks to the basics on its menu, with salads, vegetarian options, and jacket potatoes on offer. Unsurprisingly, it's the various versions of burger and chips which are by far the most popular.

Their kitchen is fairly busy most of the day so expect a wait, but not too long. The meals are presented on large plates, making the paltry side salad seem rather pointless. The burgers, when they stay in their bun, are quite tasty and at these prices (from £2.25 to £7.50) they're pretty much what you would expect. They also run a two meals for £6.50 offer which is a good price if you're in need of something to soak up your pint.

The Drink
The Hancock has a decent range of wines and bottled beers. On tap, there's Caffrey's, Carlsberg, Fosters, Grolsch, Carling, Budweiser and a rare treat in the form of popular Czech beer Staropramen. For ciders, there's Strongbow and Bulmers.

The bar also has a very good cocktails menu, with all the classics and contemporary mixes you can think of, starting from £3.50 during happy hour. On occasion, the beers on tap don't taste as good as they should, probably down to lazy line cleaning. It's hit and miss, which is a real shame, but the benefit of being in a student bar is you won't waste too much money paying for it.

The Last Word
The feel of the bar is good on all fronts, and it's a great place to enjoy your drink in the sun on a hot day, provided you can find a seat…

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