The Windsor – Old reliable
The Windsor – Old reliable
The first in the occasional "taking pubs for granted" series.
Back in December last year, as I waited for a friend in the Windsor, I realised how much I enjoyed this unassuming, yet well-run, boozer. It’s not flashy in any way, but provides a solid couple of well-kept casks and decent prices. I looked around at the various tables – friends catching up, blokes meeting after work, someone doing a crossword in the newspaper – and thought this is what a pub is about.
Anyway, it was the first in a short list of Edinburgh pubs which are perhaps overlooked and under appreciated. I’d love to hear your suggestions on what other pubs fall into that category.
Here’s the original post. Scroll down for some history.
The chaser
Judging from previous feedback, many of you enjoy reading the entries from the 1979 Edinburgh Pub Guide which I managed to get my hands on a few months ago. Here’s The Windsor’s entry.
This well-known Leith Walk pub has many points in its favour. Not only does it serve an excellent pint of McEwan’s Heavy (with a smile at that!) but at lunchtimes filling, well-cooked meals are produced at very reasonable cost. Stained glass, red leather seats and wood-panelled walls all give a traditional feel, and the atmosphere is never less than friendly. Regulars mix freely with actors from the adjacent Scottish Television studios – pop in for a pint and see how our thespians behave when they let their hair down.
Predictably, the Scottish Television studios next door are now something far less glamorous, having been turned into student accommodation with an estate agent on the ground floor. But it does have an interesting history. It past lives include time as a cinema, roller skating rink and veterinary college.