Our next stop on the Pub Challenge – a stop which coincided with Nick’s birthday – was Utopia (Easter Road, 1/35) , a boozer with designs on being smart – they do good enough food and have a pretty wide range of beers - but don’t open on Hibs match days.
Utopia is probably most famous for being the origin of the Alistair Darling You’re Barred campaign, which was launched in 2008 as a response to the Chancellor’s increases on alcohol duty. The campaign saw a number of landlords nationwide indicate that Mr Darling MP would not be welcome to have a pint should he enter their premises. This campaign has the full backing of The Management, and can be found on facebook and other such sites.
We had originally intended to visit Utopia around the time at which this campaign was launched, but, as with most things in the Great Edinburgh Pub Challenge (particularly your updates – Nick) the schedule was somehow not adhered to.
Instead, our visit coincided with a performance by local group Aberfeldy, who were playing acoustically. Even the fact that the drummer turned up two songs late didn’t make too much of a difference. Set highlights included a cover of the Bee Gees’ Night Fever, and this little number:
Until the next time...
CUMULATIVE PUB COUNT: 131
Monday, 20 July 2009
THE MAINS EVENT
For this latest edition of The Great Edinburgh Pub Challenge, let us rewind to a time in mid February, when I was near the end of a Saturday night shift at my work in the West End. Sometime just after midnight, a rather tired and emotional Nick turned up and insisted that we went for a pint after hours. So we did.
Unfortunately, the only place open after 1am is The Rat Pack (Shandwick Place, 3/4/12/25/26/33/44/48/100),an overpriced, overfilled piano bar populated by the kind of people who look like they go out twice a year (this is a fallacy – the same punters are in every week). If pre-programmed covers of Billy Joel, Queen or even Snow Patrol are your bag, then this is the place for you. If you have any taste, you’ll agree that it’s best avoided.
After a full 48 hours of recovery, The Management regrouped for a visit to Davidson’s Mains. Despite longstanding promises of being “Up for Davidson’s Mains, me”, Phil Brough decided he would rather go to the gym than join us. He no longer goes to the gym as Adam Johns took revenge with a silver Jaguar on Lothian Road*. Decent.
There are three pubs on Davidsons Mains Main Street (21/24/41): Ye Olde Inn, noteable for serving Tetley’s Cask Bitter – not something you see every day; The Norhet, home to a roaring fire and filled with a surprising amount of golfing paraphernalia; and Mackenzies, not really noteable for anything other than the juxtaposition of signs saying “Over 25s only” with a clientele who seemingly had an average age of 19 ½.
Until the next time...
CUMULATIVE PUB COUNT: 130
*Adam Johns did not have anything to do with Phil Brough’s accident. The Management do not consider Brough’s injuries a matter for schadenfreude. Not in the slightest. GET WELL SOON PHIL.
Unfortunately, the only place open after 1am is The Rat Pack (Shandwick Place, 3/4/12/25/26/33/44/48/100),an overpriced, overfilled piano bar populated by the kind of people who look like they go out twice a year (this is a fallacy – the same punters are in every week). If pre-programmed covers of Billy Joel, Queen or even Snow Patrol are your bag, then this is the place for you. If you have any taste, you’ll agree that it’s best avoided.
After a full 48 hours of recovery, The Management regrouped for a visit to Davidson’s Mains. Despite longstanding promises of being “Up for Davidson’s Mains, me”, Phil Brough decided he would rather go to the gym than join us. He no longer goes to the gym as Adam Johns took revenge with a silver Jaguar on Lothian Road*. Decent.
There are three pubs on Davidsons Mains Main Street (21/24/41): Ye Olde Inn, noteable for serving Tetley’s Cask Bitter – not something you see every day; The Norhet, home to a roaring fire and filled with a surprising amount of golfing paraphernalia; and Mackenzies, not really noteable for anything other than the juxtaposition of signs saying “Over 25s only” with a clientele who seemingly had an average age of 19 ½.
Until the next time...
CUMULATIVE PUB COUNT: 130
*Adam Johns did not have anything to do with Phil Brough’s accident. The Management do not consider Brough’s injuries a matter for schadenfreude. Not in the slightest. GET WELL SOON PHIL.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)