29 Market Street, Tamworth, B79 7LR
Albion Road, Marden, TN12 9DT
Riviera Centre, Torquay
11-13 April 2025
23 Haltwhistle Road, South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5ZA
Unit 11, Valley Point Industrial Estate, Beddington Farm Road, Beddington, CR0 4WP
Argyle Place, Love Road, Lowestoft, NR32 2NZ
116, Foregate Street, Chester, Chester, CH1 2HH
One of the city's top pub interiors in a Grade B listed building, this is quintessential late-Victorian Edinburgh pub architecture - from the Jeffrey's Brewery etched door panels and a wonderful Bernard's mirror, to the 'jug' bar, a small enclosed snug with a separate entrance and its own serving hatch. A tall concave ceiling above the main bar enhances the acoustics of the weekly live music. The magnificent gantry houses a top-class range of malts and spirit barrels. At least three of the of the four Aitken founts are now back in use following repairs and one maybe used for cider.
In contrast, the back room bar, “Backstage at Bennets”– no real ale - at the rear of the pub, offers a more modern and cosy environment with larger tables for bigger gatherings with its own door to the street and can be hired.
Food is available daily with full meals consist of classic pub grub and pizzas. There are also snacks/small plates like chicken wings or goujons with a side dish.
Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance
Listed status: B
Edinburgh’s finest historic pub interior after the Café Royal. The pub was designed in 1891 by architect George Lyle and refitted in 1906. The main bar stretches back from the street and down the left-hand side is the servery, with a flamboyant five-bay gantry housing four spirit casks, the last to survive in an Edinburgh pub: the counter top has two still-functioning water dispensers while at the base is a marble spittoon trough. On the right, above the seating, is a four-bay mirrored and arcaded feature with tilework populated by cherubs and figures in classical dress (painted by W.B. Simpson & Sons of London). A particular delight, to the left as you enter, is a tiny snug with a hatch and a door into the servery. The glasswork is varied and interesting, such as the swirly Art Nouveau windows to the street, and door panel advertisements offering the blandishments of Jenkinson’s beers and aerated waters, not to mention Jeffrey’s lager. At the end of the bar, an enormous mirror advertises Bernard’s IPA. There have been changes at the rear, such as the loss of a small office at the end of the counter in 2002. At the rear right is the Green Room, added in 1906 (but modern fittings apart from, probably, the counter) and accessed from Valleyfield Street.
Edinburgh's second finest interior after the Café Royal and little changed since 1906. It is the last pub in the city with an original gantry featuring four spirit casks, and has an extraordinary tiled and mirrored interior, as well as a rare jug bar. It also stocks 120 single malt whiskies. The ornate gantry has niches, pilasters and scallop shell pediments. The original bar counter retains a former spittoon trough made of marble, which runs all along the front, and the bar top has two working brass water taps. Designed in 1891 by George Lyle, it has a fine ceiling with very decorative cornices and it was refitted in 1906. The magnificent interior features a tiled and extraordinary four-bay mirrored arcading all the way down the right-hand side with hand-painted pictorial tiles with allegorical figures by William B. Simpson & Sons of London. Below the arcading are red leather seating areas and tables inlaid with maps, some of the city and some of Scotland.
On the left by the entrance is the intact tiny jug and bottle dept. complete with hatch, one of the few left in the city. In 2002 S&N removed the 'Office' created by a carved wood screen perched on top of the bar counter on the right. There are superb stained glass windows as well as door panels advertising 'Jeffrey’s Lager & W & J Jenkinson's Bottled Beers & Aerated Waters, Leith'. There are a number of coloured and gilded engraved brewery advertising mirrors from Bernard's, Usher's, Campbell's, Taylor Macleod & Co and Bell's Perth Whisky. Other changes have been the removal of a small snug at the rear; while a sitting room at the rear is now an office. At the rear right is the Green Room, which was added in 1906. Accessed from Valleyfield Street, it has an ornate bar counter and gantry, but both are modern.
This Pub serves 4 changing beers and 1 regular beer.
Bennets Bar, Edinburgh
Changing beers typically include: Moonwake (varies) , Orkney (varies) , Stewart (varies)
Source: Regional
Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals
Live Music
Garden
Family Friendly
Dog Friendly
Events
Function Room
Lined Glasses
Restaurant
Wi Fi
Real Ale
Real Cider
Real Heritage Pub
Uses Autovac
Introduction This guide describes the 116 pubs identified by CAMRA as having interiors of national or regional historic or architectural importance, plus a further 24 whose interiors are of some regional interest. Scotland has over 4000 pubs so why do...
Love Cask Beer?
Join CAMRA to support the campaign to access more features plus access to a range of different benefits.
Become a member
