The Stockbridge Tap - A new era
With news the pub has been sold, revisit the original review.
Update 7/5/25: I have just been to The Stockbridge Tap, and it’s already under the new ownership. The barman tells me it is run by the same people as the Raeburn Hotel just down the road. I’m happy to report it’s still the same as before, so fingers crossed they keep it this way. I had a freshly glorious pint of Newbarns Citra on cask and it was extremely pleasant.
The Stockbridge Tap was a lesson in judgement for me. For some reason, purely by looking from the outside (and the fact it had “Tap” in its name), I thought it was one of those fancy craft beer places.
How wrong I was. Inside, it’s all wooden panels and old posters advertising long-forgotten brewers and distillers. Plus, great beer on cask and keg.
Last week, it was announced that the pub has been sold, having been on the market for close to £1m. The outgoing owner the Edinburgh Real Ale company also runs Cloisters Bar – which is still on the market as far as I can tell – and The Bow Bar, which is not for sale. Estate agent Christie & Co says it had a number of interested parties, but the winning bid came from “established hospitality operators”. Let’s hope they keep running it to its current high standards.
The chaser – The pub photo
Thank you to those who got in touch after last week’s pub identification request. If you missed it, I am trying to work out where Chris Morris’s photo entitled “A man dries his hanky in the pub. Grassmarket, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1963” was taken.
It’s been suggested the photo may not actually have been taken at a pub on Grassmarket itself, but perhaps at a pub nearby. Current theories include The Blue Blazer, or the former Scruffy Murphy’s on George IV Bridge, which is now called McGonagall’s.
If you have any suggestions or hunches on where this photo might be – or know someone who could help – reply to this email, leave a comment or use the feedback form. Any theory, however outlandish, is welcome.
I’ll be back with a brand new pub review next week.
Sadly the new owners, or those running it don’t like groups of people, we had maybe 10-15 wanting to see if they were welcoming again. They had two people behind the bar and 5 other customers. Hopefully things change over time.