The Continental is Preston's indie-culture destination — a riverside pub on South Meadow Lane (PR1 8JP), just out of the town centre, that draws visitors from across Lancashire. Alongside its bar, restaurant and beer garden by the river it runs a busy year-round events programme through the adjoining venue 'The Boatyard', which stages live music, theatre, literature, comedy, arts, festivals and fortnightly film screenings. The venue also hosts open-mic and poetry nights, book clubs and creative-writing classes, and offers step-free access throughout. Programming spans indie, folk, rock, acoustic and tribute acts.
Preston · Every 1st Thursday of the month · Free
New Continental Open Mic
Preston open mic at New Continental — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance New Continental · Preston
Thursday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Preston open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
New Continental Open Mic — Quick Facts
Preston open mic at New Continental — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic · Comedy · Poetry
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
New ContinentalS Meadow Ln
Preston PR1 8JP
Preston — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music, Comedy, Poetry welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
What’s on in Preston this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About New Continental
About This Open Mic
Every 1st Thursday of the month in Preston
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Preston open mic directory
The Night
The Continental is one of Preston's best-loved indie venues on South Meadow Lane, and its open mic lands on the first Thursday of every month. Hosted by Typhaine & Colin, it's an all-comers night — you can sing, play guitar, try stand-up or read spoken word — so it draws a genuinely mixed, welcoming crowd. Drop the venue a line at info@newcontinental.net to confirm sign-up details before you head down.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How New Continental’s Thursday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
23:00Venue closes
Every 1st Thursday of the month 12-min slots Free entry
Find New Continental
S Meadow Ln, Preston PR1 8JP
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Preston live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Preston's New Continental open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Preston open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Preston mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
S Meadow Ln, Preston PR1 8JP.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Preston regulars across the Preston open mic scene. Preston open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
Keep up with Preston
One email a week with live music near you. Free, and it keeps grassroots rooms full.
Help keep grassroots venues open in Preston
—A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Preston. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
See what’s on in Preston over the next four weeks →
Booking or playing in Preston? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
Run an open mic in Preston?
Add yours to the directory free. 2-minute submission, verified within 48 hours. Reach 1,000+ Preston musicians.
Looking for paid gigs, not open mics?