Carriers Quarters – Apathy is infectious
Plus an awards do celebrates Edinburgh's best pub.
Henry Hall’s Carriers Quarters is having its 240th birthday party next month. A plaque outside proudly claims this is “Leith’s oldest, unadulterated public house (1785).”
However, the trusty Campaign for Real Ale, which has a little description of nearly every pub in the city, says this building was built in 1890 and operated as a wine and spirit merchant at the time.
Little information exists online for me to square this circle. Likewise any reference to who Henry Hall was is scarce. To be honest, the pub itself doesn’t have enough about it to make me want to find out.
My indifference may stem from the apathy shown by the service I received on my last visit. The worker behind the bar was far more interested in her laptop than serving any of the smattering of patrons in there on this Sunday afternoon. After finally wrenching herself away from her admin, she sloshed some beer (Born brewery’s Blonde) into a glass and plonked it down with a “£4.80” and a begrudging slap of the card machine.
It was such performatively bad service, with every movement saying “I do not want to be here and I do not want you to be here either,” that it could only mean one thing: she was having a rubbish day. So it’s hard to be too judgemental, and the pub has had a more welcoming atmosphere on the handful of other times I have been in. It’s usually busier, and feels more of a local’s place compared to the Sunday Roast places along the Shore nearby. Perhaps they get a warmer welcome.
The pub itself is made up of a small, low-ceilinged front room, its white walls decorated with some black-and-white photos of old Leith, an admirable painting of the pub itself and a impressive large etched mirror advertising some old brewery or distillery or something. The prime spot is a little nook tucked away in the corner by the window. (It’s said sailors would make a beeline for this spot, coins jangling, to meet ladies as soon as their feet hit dry land.) There’s football on but it’s not a “sports” pub.
The lounge at the back is genuinely well decked out, with stone walls, a fireplace and comfortable seats and sofas; unfortunately it was empty the last couple of times I visited.
I know this place gets busier at different times of the week, and may well be packed out for its birthday celebrations next month. I won’t be attending. Unfortunately the overriding sense I get is that this is a missed opportunity to make Leith’s “oldest” pub a place worth celebrating.
Where is it?
Where next?
Just round the corner is Malt & Hops. Now there’s a place with atmosphere.
The chaser – Edinburgh’s best pub
I’m still on the lookout for child-friendly pubs in Edinburgh, after a reader got in touch over the summer asking for advice. If you have any recommendations of pubs which allow children int he daytime, do leave a comment.
It was the Edinburgh Bar Awards on Monday. These are awards run by a hospitality industry group called Backs, which was formed by Glasgow bar workers. And the award for best pub went to Nauticus, which happens to be along the road from Carriers Quarters. It’s a modern pub, the kind of place where you might order cocktails, but has a dark, cosy vibe which is conducive to passing a pleasant evening now and then. Congratulations to all the staff there.
Thanks so much for your reviews Imran. Been a follower for about a year now. We are moving to Edinburgh in the near future and a good pub or 3 is top of my list (been up 4 times (to the city) this year, and loads before), so your site is perfect for me. Best I have found so far is Teuchters Landing on a sunny day, late afternoon....but your site is giving me other leads to pursue. Thank you. All the best.