Disclaimer

These reviews are provided for entertainment purposes only. They reflect the opinion solely of the named reviewers. In no way do they represent the views of the Institute of Geography, School of GeoSciences, or the University of Edinburgh.

New Town and Stockbridge

• Abbotsford Bar
• The Bailie
• Café Royal Circle Bar
• The Guildford Arms
• Kay’s Bar
• The Oxford Bar
• Rick’s
• Standing Order
• Star Bar

Abbotsford Bar 

8 November 2005. 3–5 Rose Street, EDINBURGH, EH2 2PR. [Map]
New Town
0131 225 5276

Taking its name, in a patriotic nod, from Sir Walter Scott’s baronial mansion, the Abbotsford Bar has been a Rose Street fixture since the turn of the twentieth century (when it replaced the earlier Abbotsford Arms, which was demolished to make way for Jenners). Like The Guildford Arms, the Abbotsford has a wonderful interior; its Jacobean ceiling, and Spanish-mahogany central bar are particularly impressive. The Abbotsford has attracted the great and the good of Scottish cultural life over the years, including actors, politicians, and poets (Norman MacCaig, Hugh MacDiarmid, Sorley Maclean, Iain Crichton Smith, George Mackay Brown, Sydney Goodsir Smith, Edwin Morgan, and Robert Garioch were all regulars). On the night we visited, however, the pub was virtually empty, but the bar staff were friendly and the beer was good (except the signature Abbotsford Ale (4·1%) which was off). — Innes

From Robert R. Calder:

Where on earth did you get the notion that Edwin Morgan was a regular among poets long ago in the ABBOTSFORD bar? This is nonsense, and the presence of Morgan in Sandy Moffat’s painting of poets in Milne’s is definitely painterly licence. I’m not sure that all of the poets who went there regularly and are in the painting even thought that well of Morgan’s poetry.

Morgan was Glaswegian, and had no real connection with the Rose Street poets and drinkers. Nor had Kenneth White, who ludicrously gets a photo and a blurb in Milne’s.

I knew some of the poets well, including Tom Scott, who gets written out of the story. Please don’t perpetrate an echo of disinformation—you’re a pub guide, not an advertising feature!

The Bailie 

15 March 2005. 2–4 St Stephen Street, EDINBURGH, EH3 5AL. [Map]
Stockbridge
0131 225 4673

Formerly The Grand Bar, The Bailie is something of an Edinburgh institution. Arranged around a near-circular bar in the basement of an elegant Georgian tenement, The Bailie is as smoky as it is atmospheric. In addition to good beers, The Bailie also has a solid, unpretentious menu (although trying to get served at busy periods requires patience and persistence). The forthcoming ban on smoking will do a lot to improve this pub. — Innes

Café Royal Circle Bar 

22 November 2005. 17 West Register Street, EDINBURGH, EH2 2AA. [Map]
New Town
0131 556 1884

The Café Royal Circle Bar is, almost effortlessly, the finest pub in Edinburgh. Since 1838, in various incarnations, it has been dispensing beer to Edinburgh’s thirsty. A splendid interior, with a wonderful island bar and stunning polychrome Doulton wall tiles (from the 1886 Edinburgh International Exhibition), is spotlessly maintained by friendly staff. Even the bar snacks are classy: hot-roasted cashew nuts, and deliciously-salty olives. The food is excellent—the seafood especially so. Without doubt, an experience not to be missed. — Innes

The Guildford Arms 

11 October 2005. 1–5 West Register Street, EDINBURGH, EH2 2AA. [Map]
New Town
0131 556 4312
http://www.guildfordarms.com/

The Guildford Arms has been dispensing good beer, in opulent surroundings, since 1896. Long may it continue! The ground-floor bar, whose original island fitment was removed in 1940, dispenses an excellent array of well-kept real ale, whilst the mezzanine level serves as a restaurant (good too, by all accounts). The Jacobean-inspired ceiling has to be one of the finest in the city, but its dazzling qualities can make the intoxicated rather queasy. The Guildford Arms falls short of the coveted five-pint rating only because of their annoying closing-time ritual: opening the revolving door to encourage the inflow of a bitter wind (a cruel and Calvinist end to the evening which seems to say “you’ve enjoyed your night, now pay the price”)! — Innes

Kay’s Bar 

23 August 2005. 39 Jamaica Street, EDINBURGH, EH3 6HF. [Map]
New Town
0131 225 1858

Tucked away on Jamaica Street, Kay’s Bar takes some effort to find, but rewards the endeavour. Occupying the former premises of wine merchant John Kay (later Kay & Co.), Kay’s has been dispensing quality ales since 1976 (although the interior suggests a greater vintage). The public bar is flanked by an array of antique beer barrels and comfortable seating. The “library bar”—a small, cosy room at the rear of the pub—accommodates overspill from the main bar, and is where bar meals are served during the day. An open fire provides extra warmth and atmosphere during winter. The ales are well kept, and reasonably priced. On tap the night we visited: Green King’s Old Speckled Hen (5·2%); Hardys and Hansons’ Olde Trip (4·8%); Orkney’s Red MacGregor (4·1%); St Austell’s Tribute (4·2%); and Theakston’s Best Bitter (3·8%). — Innes

The Oxford Bar 

29 March 2005. 8 Young Street, EDINBURGH, EH2 4JB. [Map]
New Town
0131 539 7119
http://www.oxfordbar.com/

The Oxford Bar is somewhere that arouses strong passions—you’ll either love, or hate it. Tucked away on Young Street, it takes some effort to find, and is, as a consequence, mainly the preserve of regulars, office workers (especially on a Friday), and the occasional tourist in search of Inspector Rebus (see article below). The small front bar leads off to a larger back room, which is more comfortable than the public bar, but you’ll miss the craic. The “Ox” generally has a good range of ales and whiskies. — Innes

From the Edinburgh Evening News 2 December 1999:

GENIAL John Gates fits the Dickensian image of a cheery pub landlord so well it’s hard to imagine him as either a professor of forensic pathology or a quantity surveyor. Yet he is both.

John gave up a career as a quantity surveyor when he bought The Oxford Bar in 1984 and one of his regulars for over ten years, a certain Ian Rankin, has named the character of Professor John Gates after him in the Inspector Rebus novels.

When asked why he gave up quantity surveying to run a pub, he says with a twinkle in his eye; “I had an office round the corner, and Wullie Ross was too ill to run it anymore, and I took a fancy to it.”

Before the final exchange of contracts there was a sudden offer, at a much higher bid, from an Italian restaurateur.

John wouldn’t go higher and presumed he had lost out, but Wullie obviously wanted The Oxford to live on and John got it instead.

Wullie had the pub from the early 1930s, and there had been licensed premises on site since the turn of the century.

“You can still see the rooms downstairs that used to be servants’ quarters for George Street houses,” says John.

Wullie, who barely tolerated women and Englishmen in his pub, was well-known for his strong nationalist views.

Given the anti-English slant, why The Oxford?

“The Oxford Printing Press used to be right next door,” explains John. “When the Zodiac bar up the road changed its name to The Cambridge, we used to do a version of the boat race—a charity beer race.

“We’d get eight men and one woman—the cox—to drink a pint in one pub, down a pint in the other, then run back for his team-mate, who would drink a pint in each, then go back for the third, till all nine were racing along hand in hand.”

Writer Ian Rankin has been one of the Oxford’s fans since he started drinking there as a student.

Rick’s 

16 August 2005. 55a Frederick Street, EDINBURGH, EH2 1LH. [Map]
New Town
0131 622 7800
http://www.ricksedinburgh.co.uk/

Despite the absence of a Dooley Wilson look-alike on piano, Rick’s is still one of the best gin joints in the New Town. Unlike its sister nightspot, Opal Lounge, Rick’s is not the exclusive preserve of yahs and trustafarians—it attracts a fairly mixed clientele. That said, this is definitely not the place in which to sup a pint and read the paper, but if you’re feeling flush, and in the need of an expertly-concocted cocktail, Rick’s fits the bill nicely. Rick’s is also a restaurant and boutique hotel (although at £130 per night, it might be cheaper to get a taxi home). — Innes

Standing Order 

8 November 2005. 62–66 George Street, EDINBURGH, EH2 2LR. [Map]
New Town
0131 225 4460

A veritable cathedral to drinking. Occupying a former bank, the Standing Order (see what they did there?) offers an enormous selection of food and real ale at very reasonable prices. It is not all rosy. The Standing Order is part of the stag- and hen-party trail, and at the weekend is witness to a truly heroic consumption of alcohol (and its associated problems). — Innes

Star Bar 

20 September 2005. 1 Northumberland Place, EDINBURGH, EH3 6LQ. [Map]
New Town
0131 539 8070
http://www.starbar.co.uk/

Will and Bronwen take on Mike and Ruth on the Foosball table at the Star Bar. Despite its considerable vintage (it was formerly the Star Tavern, which, at various times, was a traditional real ale pub, and a gay bar), the Star Bar has an ersatz quality—perhaps the result of the Americana plastered to the walls. With Taylor’s Landlord (Landlord 4·3%) on tap, there is, however, little to complain about. Despite its current yah clientele, the Star Bar is an interesting place to pass the time, and has a welcoming atmosphere. In addition to live music sessions, there is a beer garden at the rear of the pub, Internet access, and a variety of board games behind the bar. — Innes