Roughest/Worst pubs in Edinburgh

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

He must have been Sikh...

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You should be on the radio with that kind of stuff!

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Originally Posted by heretoday

The Hop Poles in Tulse Hill, London.

Early 70s. Very heavy place.

I think in Edinburgh the worst pub was halfway down Leith Walk on the left. I can't remember its name.
I went in there once in the 80s and there was an Indian guy flaked out on the floor, his turban in disarray.
I made my excuses and left.

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Sounds like a bit of a raj!

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Originally Posted by heretoday

You should be on the radio with that kind of stuff!

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He should be on stage, the next one out of Dodge City.

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Originally Posted by Silent Boatman

When I moved here in 92 was told to avoid Lothian Road but regularly drank in Bull & Bush and The Burnt Post and saw no trouble at all.

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My mate was manager in the Bull and Bush in the late seventies, early eighties. The owners name was Alan Mercer (any relation?)
I was barred from the Burnt Post the first night it opened 😀🍺🍺🍺

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Originally Posted by Jack

I used to work in Shambles, I was their first barman, it had always been barmaids up till then. Some great nights, mostly when the punters had left ;-)

First pub in Edinburgh to have Bouncers although it was more a 'fashion' statement than a need.

The Canny Man was the first pub in Edinburgh to have go-go dancers, in a cage at the end of the bar, although that was before my time.

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Dont remember a cage? Just a girl and a huge mirror.

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Originally Posted by Bangkok Hibby

My mate was manager in the Bull and Bush in the late seventies, early eighties. The owners name was Alan Mercer (any relation?)
I was barred from the Burnt Post the first night it opened 😀🍺🍺🍺

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One of my brothers managed the Burnt Post in the early-mid 70's.
I was just chatting about this to my laddie, about when Lothian Road was the 'in place' to be around that time.

Ps, The BP was a classy pub to get barred from :-0

GGTTH

Just wandered into The Spey for a laugh (wrong turn of phrase), 50p dearer for a pint than TFOTW. 😲

Had a flat opposite the shrub on Leith walk had interesting nights watching folk a closing time, this was the 80s and some proper characters drinking all the way down the walk.

I remember being in The Jungle (Kings Wark) down at the shore and was in the toilet having a pee along with a couple of other guys, one of whom was legless, head on the wall and feet splayed out in an effort to stay upright. A female walks into the toilet, lifts the wallet from the drunks back pocket, pulls out all the folding stuff before stuffing it in her ample bosom and walking casually out the door.
The shore area used to be such fun back then.
The pub half way down Leith Walk someone else mentioned would be the Volunteer Arms (volley for a swally) which was generally fine, but pubs and pool tables seemed to be a combination just asking for trouble. Interestingly, it sits at the top of Springfield Street (Now Steads Place) which in the late sixties was known locally as the Khyber Pass as a lot of Asian immigrants had been moved into the area.
Still to meet anyone who succeeded in doing the Walk pub crawl. Think it was something like 23 pubs back in the day without turning a corner. Rose street was for amateurs:greengrin

I see that Clarks Bar in Dundas St is to close. It's a bit off topic as there was never any trouble there. Sad though. Great place for a session.

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Originally Posted by heretoday

I see that Clarks Bar in Dundas St is to close. It's a bit off topic as there was never any trouble there. Sad though. Great place for a session.

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Disappointed to hear that. Had my very first pint in there...Harp lager, which most people slag as peewater, nostalgia makes it the best pint I ever had. 🍺

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Originally Posted by heretoday

I see that Clarks Bar in Dundas St is to close. It's a bit off topic as there was never any trouble there. Sad though. Great place for a session.

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Smithies on Eyre Place is set to go as well. Land being bought for flats.

Two good pubs close to each other going at the same time is sad but I suppose times change. Cheap supermarket booze and a gradual change in drinking habits generally has made the old fashioned boozer a thing of the past.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

Smithies on Eyre Place is set to go as well. Land being bought for flats.

Two good pubs close to each other going at the same time is sad but I suppose times change. Cheap supermarket booze and a gradual change in drinking habits generally has made the old fashioned boozer a thing of the past.

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Owner needs the cash to retire comfortably.

Clarks bar will have struggled since RBS left opposite.

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Originally Posted by Hiber-nation

Owner needs the cash to retire comfortably.

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He'll be able to recline on a bed of dodo feathers, good luck too him.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

Smithies on Eyre Place is set to go as well. Land being bought for flats.

Two good pubs close to each other going at the same time is sad but I suppose times change. Cheap supermarket booze and a gradual change in drinking habits generally has made the old fashioned boozer a thing of the past.

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Smithies is being sold but not necessarily to be flats. It will likely be put up for sale soon and it will go to the highest bidder, likely to be a housebuilder if planning permission approved but it could still be bought as a going concern.

Love this discussion.
Has nobody mentioned the Jolly Farmer yet ? I was never brave enough to venture in but Saturday and Sunday nights were interesting to watch from our upstairs window.
The scariest fights were all female !

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Originally Posted by KingFranck

Love this discussion.
Has nobody mentioned the Jolly Farmer yet ? I was never brave enough to venture in but Saturday and Sunday nights were interesting to watch from our upstairs window.
The scariest fights were all female !

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Think that is one pub that I have never had the pleasure of visiting, been in most if not all that side of Edinburgh, dont think Ive missed much 😆

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Originally Posted by MSK

Think that is one pub that I have never had the pleasure of visiting, been in most if not all that side of Edinburgh, dont think Ive missed much 😆

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Does that pub still exist?

Is Omans a rough shop? Sometimes drive past going to/from work and there always seems to be folk outside having a smoke, blether etc.

I see they're doing up the Caledonian on Lindsay Road.

Anyone know what's going on there, is it going be another pub?

It's been empty for years.

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Originally Posted by Hermit Crab

Is Omans a rough shop? Sometimes drive past going to/from work and there always seems to be folk outside having a smoke, blether etc.

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Nowhere near as bad as it used to be, a few of my ex football team mates drink in there and they are a semi decent bunch 😆

If you were to pop in for a couple after work Im sure you would be fine 👍

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Originally Posted by Hermit Crab

Does that pub still exist?

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Honestly couldnt tell you mate, Im sure I heard one of my work colleagues saying she had her car damaged when parked in the pub car park, so I assume there is still a pub there of some sort

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Originally Posted by Hermit Crab

Does that pub still exist?

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Boarded up the last time I parked there whilst visiting someone in the hospital.

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Originally Posted by HappyAsHellas

I remember being in The Jungle (Kings Wark) down at the shore and was in the toilet having a pee along with a couple of other guys, one of whom was legless, head on the wall and feet splayed out in an effort to stay upright. A female walks into the toilet, lifts the wallet from the drunks back pocket, pulls out all the folding stuff before stuffing it in her ample bosom and walking casually out the door.
The shore area used to be such fun back then.
The pub half way down Leith Walk someone else mentioned would be the Volunteer Arms (volley for a swally) which was generally fine, but pubs and pool tables seemed to be a combination just asking for trouble. Interestingly, it sits at the top of Springfield Street (Now Steads Place) which in the late sixties was known locally as the Khyber Pass as a lot of Asian immigrants had been moved into the area.
Still to meet anyone who succeeded in doing the Walk pub crawl. Think it was something like 23 pubs back in the day without turning a corner. Rose street was for amateurs:greengrin

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Remember being in the Wark one night and what can only be described as a lady of the night was asked to leave as her fur coat had fleas :faf: and when she left about 6 sailors got up and left also!
Bizarre night ended up in the dirty windows which was another place full of characters

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Originally Posted by KingFranck

Love this discussion.
Has nobody mentioned the Jolly Farmer yet ? I was never brave enough to venture in but Saturday and Sunday nights were interesting to watch from our upstairs window.
The scariest fights were all female !

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The Jolly🙈🙈 used to have lightweight plastic chairs. Was a bit of a dive really.

No idea if it still exists or if the decor has improved though. 😂

Think it shut a while ago possibly a shop now?

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Originally Posted by scotia44

Remember being in the Wark one night and what can only be described as a lady of the night was asked to leave as her fur coat had fleas :faf: and when she left about 6 sailors got up and left also!
Bizarre night ended up in the dirty windows which was another place full of characters

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:tee hee: brilliant!

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Originally Posted by Hermit Crab

Is Omans a rough shop? Sometimes drive past going to/from work and there always seems to be folk outside having a smoke, blether etc.

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My Grandad's local for years when he stayed just up from Luca's, never saw any bother but, an "interesting" establishment none the less. I believe The White House was a lot worse but, only ever visited it once.

Glad to see this thread has been bumped up again! Brings back some memories.

Anyone remember Dizzies in Leith? Jeez what a dive. One of our mates used to like the post match "entertainment" after games at ER. One of those places where every surface seems to be sticky so you try not to touch anything.