Without doubt the biggest student pub on Gloucester Road. Every student has either been there or heard of it. It's cheap and cheerful and has bags of entertainment.

The Venue
The Rising Sun, which was once a large chip shop (probably the biggest in England!), is on the main section of Gloucester Road, so it's hard to miss. It was bright yellow to reflect its name, but sadly it's been repainted a pale mint green colour (or snot green as the staff put it).

Inside, the decor is bit out of sync with the vibe of the Rising Sun. It's slightly 'overdone' with its ceiling to floor red velvet curtains and plush sofas. It looks like it's trying to build character, but in the wrong direction.

Ignoring the interior though, the place is filled with huge TV screens in every direction you look, so you won't miss any big matches or the latest MTV antics of Britney Spears. There are also pool tables and fruit machines for even more excitment!

The People
One word - students. And maybe a few locals in the corner. Even the staff are students, so it's easy to imagine the type of atmosphere in here; lively, buzzing and friendly.

This is not the place to go if you want a quiet drink down the pub as it's usually rammed and very loud, especially on Sunday evenings when it's quiz night.

The Food
The Rising Sun is the best pub for cheap, flavoursome food. What you get doesn't reflect the price you're paying, and it's nice to know there's still a lot of effort put into preparation, even though it's essentially student nosh.

This is also the place to go for meal deals, the best so far being the burger, chips and a pint for £3.50. The menu features all good pub grub to fill your appetite, from jackets potatoes to sandwiches. And all at reasonable prices.

A word of warning - don't go out for a relaxing meal during its peak hours (nearly every evening), you'll end up having a side-order of someone else's elbow.

The Drink
Pretty much the main reason for being there is the cheap drink! Accompanied by a Yellow Card (the Rising Sun is part of the Scream chain) you can get them even cheaper and the card only costs £1. Pints and single spirits and mixers are usually around £1.95.

However, some of the beers (Fosters) taste a bit weird, but hey, the students aren't complaining, not at these prices. On Mondays the Rising Sun hosts the famous pound a pint deal, and it's usually so busy you can't even hear yourself think.

The Last Word
If you're the type of person who enjoys a cheap drink, or 10, and a bit of satisfactory grub then 'The Riser' is for you. On the otherhand, if you like your nights a little tamer then avoid this place during term time.

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