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Heritage Pub

Bennets Bar, Edinburgh

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.

Information for this venue is provided by the Edinburgh & South East Scotland Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Last updated
08/10/2024
Last surveyed
12/01/2024
Pub ID
EDN/27
Asset of Community Value

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.

General information about historic pub interiors

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.

General information about historic pub interiors
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Opening
Food
Monday
Noon - 1:00am
Noon - 11:00pm
Tuesday
Noon - 1:00am
Noon - 11:00pm
Wednesday
Noon - 1:00am
Noon - 11:00pm
Thursday
Noon - 1:00am
Noon - 11:00pm
Friday
Noon - 1:00am
Noon - 11:00pm
Saturday
Noon - 1:00am
Noon - 11:00pm
Sunday
Noon - 1:00am
Noon - 11:00pm
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Current beers

This Pub serves 4 changing beers and 1 regular beer.

Regular and recently seen

Bennets Bar, Edinburgh

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Changing

Changing beers typically include: Moonwake (varies) , Orkney (varies) , Stewart (varies)

Source: Regional

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Facilities
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Live Music Live Music
Artist on Friday evenings, Jazz on Wednesdays.
Garden Garden
Two small pavement tables
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Children are permitted until 9pm.
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Seat blankets available for dogs
Events Events
Quiz every Tuesday
Function Room Function Room
Backstage at Bennets at rear
Lined Glasses Lined Glasses
Full measure
Restaurant Restaurant
Backstage at Bennets
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Free
Features
Real Ale Real Ale
Real Cider Real Cider
Varies. Served via Aitken fount.
Check if it is real at Producer List.
Find out about Real Cider and Perry and CAMRA’s #NotFromConcentrate criteria at Real Cider and Perry.
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
Uses Autovac Uses Autovac
Transport
Close to bus routes (30m)
Lothian Buses
Open map, zoom in and hover on bus stop symbols to see route numbers
Closest station (1100m)
Haymarket
Directions
0.8m SW of centre
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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...

Historic pub interiors
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