The Antiquary – A basement bar for this season
Plus The Diggers Leith opens with a “soft launch”.
We’ve got to the point in winter when everyone starts dreaming of spring. Day after dreich day gets tiring, and the odd spot of sun just doesn’t do enough to alleviate the mood. There’s only one thing for it: find yourself a basement bar, settle into a cosy spot and don’t leave until mid-March.
Which brings us to a stroll past the emporiums of St Stephen Street, Stockbridge – think high fashion, a couple of independent bookshops, and, of course, the antique dealers – down some steps into The Antiquary.
It’s perfect for the season. Stone walls, low, beamed ceilings, wooden panels and a muted blue paint all combine to give this basement bar some charm. The lighting is low, and given a classy touch by some stained-glass shades. I fact, the whole place is well-decorated, and my eye is drawn to the Ind Coope Burton IPA mirror and the portrait of Sir Walter Scott above the mantlepiece.
The site itself has a long history (there are rumours it is still haunted by the ghost of a baker and her son who died in a fire there) but it only became a pub in the twentieth century. Over the years, it has done what all good pubs should do and hosted various scenes as eclectic as bikers, musicians and computer nerds.
The pub is still often very busy, putting on various live music nights and quizzes and the like, but there is plenty of space over two large rooms. The bar sits in the middle – and while there’s not much particularly exciting on offer, a pint of Bellfied Lucky Spence IPA on cask (£5.25) is decent enough.
My gripes with the pub are small. While its corner tables have the cosiness I am after at this time of year, the central tables are high with seats you have to jump up to. They don’t lend themselves to a languid, comfortable evening here. My opinion is that stools should only be at the bar, while the rest of the space should be prioritising comfort and encouraging lean-back, easeful chat. The Bailie Bar, just a few doors down, does this much better.
Where is it?
Where next?
The Bailie Bar is spitting distance. Or, at the other end of St Stephen Street is St Vincent.
The Chaser – Brewdog, business rates and pub news
BBC Scotland has been reporting this week on Brewdog being put up for sale. Their latest article is on the Equity for Punks scheme, which allowed the public to buy shares in the company. When it launched, it was seen as an effective way for Brewdog’s many fans to show support for the brewery.
A lot of people thought they might be able to make a bit of cash from it, too. But the company has gone quiet on the scheme, which stopped taking new investors in 2021. Now, they won’t say what will happen to the shares. But we already know that other, institutional investors, will get first priority if the company is sold.
“The fear of [Equity for Punks] investors like Richard is that the firm's valuation has fallen so much in recent years there will be little or nothing left for them,” reports BBC Scotland News.
It’s the latest in a long line of stories showing that a company which started out as being “for the people” forgot about that ethos long ago.
There has been much talk about business rates for pubs since the Scottish Budget. Basically, landlords feel they are being squeezed – not just by a projected rise in rates from April, but by increased costs, from staffing to energy to wholesale prices.
The best bit of reporting I have read on this is from The Edinburgh Inquirer, which breaks down exactly how much some businesses on Leith Walk think their rates will be rising by. Leith Depot, for example, estimates its rates will go up by £500-600 a month.
And now to some new pub opening dates.
The Diggers Leith on Bernard Street has opened with a “soft launch”. It’s smaller than its sister pub in Gorgie, but still has a couple of casks on and a large whisky selection behind the bar. And despite its location, it won’t be a Hibs pub, according to owner Claire McGhee.
A pub on the Royal Mile is set to reopen in mid-March. Kilderkin is down by the Parliament building and will be renamed The Parliament Arms as a result. It’s been taken over by Lomond Leisure Group.
We also have a sort-of opening date for the link-up between Newbarns brewery and The Palmerston restaurant. The Cooper’s Rest is on Easter Road, and according to The Scotsman, will be open “in April or May”.
Hi Imran
Should you be interested in typos, I think the Bellfield IPA is Lucky Spence rather than Lucky Pence.
Apologies for being pedantic! :)