The Royal Dick – New class in session
Hopefully this former school has tuned a new page after some trouble.
A new term is in session at The Royal Dick.
A unique pub set in the courtyard of Summerhall, it may be the only establishment in the city where gin is piped directly from a neighbouring distillery.
That distillery is Pickering’s, which now runs The Royal Dick in a joint venture with Barney’s brewery (also based at Sumerhall) on behalf of the Sumerhall Arts charity. It’s a welcome return for The Royal Dick, which was caught up in the various financial issues which have plagued the arts venue for the past year or so. The pub was temporarily shut in the autumn, before being run by Barney’s as a pop-up with limited hours.
Now, it’s back open six days a week in time for the summer rush which is about to hit Edinburgh. Some changes have been made to the interior – previously a charming mishmash of artwork and old veterinary instruments, nodding to its past as a vet school.
There are new murals and a modernised decor. It has cut down on some of the veterinary displays, though some glass cabinets remain with various medical implements and specimens on show. As before, the interior is made up of multiple rooms with up-cycled chairs and tables, couches and a piano. There is also a rare thing in Edinburgh: A good-sized beer garden in the courtyard.
There’s a new menu, too, from Dick’s Scrannery (burgers, basically). Drinks-wise, one cask ale survives, supplemented with a wide selection of Barney’s keg beers. And, of course, the Pickering’s gin and a wine offering. Happily, the drinks are just as good as before – this new version of The Royal Dick is very much evolution rather than revolution.
But a question mark still hangs over Summerhall. Its status as an arts venue is secured for three years, but what happens after that is not known. An agreement was recently made to sell it to a developer, AMA. They will now start a planning consultation to turn part of it into “living and commercial space”. Let’s hope they stick to their word when they say they will provide “a facility to sustainably continue the provision of the arts”.
The chaser – The best pubs in Edinburgh?
Condé Nast Traveller recently published a list of their best pubs in Edinburgh. The Royal Dick is on there, along with a few of my other favourites. But there are a few rogue suggestions, perhaps best left to the tourists. I’ll let you decide which ones I’m talking about.
What should have been on the list? Leave a comment and let me know.
Anyone on a local Facebook page knows how well nostalgic posts go down with audiences. So, it seems, do local news outlets.
Finally, there are a couple of days left to vote for your favourite bar or pub in the Scottish Bar & Pub Awards. It’s not the most user-friendly system (and requires you to log in), but there is a new category this year: The best community pub.