The Central Bar – Quite the interior

After a summer break, Edinburgh Pub Reviews is back.

It’s almost impossible to talk about The Central Bar without bringing up Trainspotting and wondering about how much Leith has changed. But the story of the pub starts almost a century earlier.

This is actually the second iteration of The Central Bar, the first having been demolished for Leith Central Station (now Tesco) in 1898. The railway company moved the pub’s proprietor into a larger premises just round the corner, at the foot of Leith Walk, and this is where the bar has stayed ever since.

While the outside is pretty unassuming, it’s a real joy to look at inside. It’s a marvellous example of a “people’s palace”; a late-Victorian-era pub which didn’t skimp on design. Beautiful orbs of light hang down from the high ceiling, shimmering off the stained glass dotted around the place. The elaborate walls are home to alternate patterns of mirrors and bucolic images of Scotland. A grand wooden horseshoe bar dominates the central space.

We have architect PL Henderson to thank for this design - and the designs of other palaces such as The Abbotsford, Leslie’s Bar, Deacon Brodies Tavern and The Mitre Bar.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when entering on a Friday night, as The Central Bar has something of a reputation. It doesn’t allow under-25s, and has been pulled up for noise complaints in the past.

What I found was a lively atmosphere bouncing off the tiles, TVs and fruit machines. Like practically every pub in Edinburgh I’ve been to, I did not get the sense that we were unwelcome, or made to feel like outsiders. Perhaps we were helped by being three fairly tall men. But even so, the gender split was roughly 50/50. I judged the majority of the patrons to be of middle age.

There was nothing too exciting on offer at the bar, but a pint of Tennent’s or Guinness would do just fine in this setting.

As Leith changes around it, the Central Bar – like The Spey Lounge just up the road – sticks resolutely to what it knows, a place for locals to drink and socialise without too much fuss. Which brings me back to Trainspotting. The novel of course gets its name from the station where this bar was born. The film’s sequel, T2 Trainspotting, has a brief scene set in The Central Bar – an apt setting for a film about trying to adapt to the modern age without fully being able to leave the past behind.

Where is it?

• 7-9 Leith Walk, Edinburgh, EH6 8LN

Where next?

For another no-nonsense pub experience, The Angel is just across the road. For fantastic pints and craft beer, go to Newbarns Taproom.

The Angel – Resurrection

Newbarns Taproom – Simply the best

The chaser – While I was away

It’s good to be back after a summer break. You’ll continue to get new reviews every other week.

While I was away, a reader got in touch to ask about children in pubs. Scottish licensing laws confuse me, and consistency is hard to find when it comes to which pubs allow children in. As far as I can tell, if the pub serves hot food, you are pretty much OK to take your under-14 kids there before 8pm. Another good bet is to find a brewery taproom – they are usually quite relaxed about having children (again before 8pm. Later than that, and you might struggle to find somewhere).

So I want to throw it out to you. If you know of pubs which definitely allow children, at least during the day, please get in touch so I can share with the readers.

You can just hit reply, or email edinburghpubreviews@gmail.com, or use the contact form below. Or leave a comment for your fellow readers.

And another thing

Over the summer, I worked on a radio programme displaying some of the tech-related shows on in Edinburgh during August. They include a horror-inflected dance performance using electronic muscle stimulation to make the dancers move in odd, unnatural ways, and a magician who has a trick which includes the best use of generative AI I have seen.

You can listen at the link below, or find it by searching “Tech Life” in the usual podcast places.

• Tech and performance at the Edinburgh Festivals, Tech Life, BBC World Service