118 Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide Drinking & Nightlife 119
of famous Victorian inventors. Sit at the bar or claim one of the
cosy leather booths beneath the stained-glass windows and
choose from the seven real ales on tap. It’s listed as wheelchair-
accessible on Yelp, but we have no first-hand testimonial.
Cask & Barrel
0131-556 3132; 115 Broughton St; 11am-midnight Mon-Thu, to
1am Fri-Sat, 12.30-midnight Sun; buses 8 or 17
At the foot of Broughton St, the spit-and-sawdust style Cask
& Barrel is a beer-drinker’s delight, with a selection of up to 10
real ales, as well as Czech and German beers, and a more than
adequate array of TV screens for keeping up with the football or
rugby. It’s wheelchair-accessible and has an accessible toilet.
Cumberland Bar
0131-558 3134; http://www.cumberlandbar.co.uk; 1-3 Cumberland St;
noon-midnight Mon-Wed, to 1am Thu-Sat, 11am-midnight Sun;
buses 23, 27
Immortalised as the stereotypical New Town pub in Alexander
McCall Smith’s serialised novel 44 Scotland Street, the Cumber-
land has an authentic, traditional wood-brass-and-mirrors look
(despite being relatively new) and serves well-looked-after, cask-
conditioned ales and a wide range of malt whiskies. There’s also a
pleasant little beer garden outside. Although there is a small step
at the front of the bar to negotiate, staff are willing to assist solo
wheelchair users. There’s a good wheelchair-accessible bathroom
on the ground floor.
Guildford Arms
0131-556 4312; http://www.guildfordarms.com; 1 West Register St;
Princes St
Located in a side alley off the east end of Princes St, the Guild-
ford is a classic Victorian pub full of polished mahogany, brass
and ornate cornices. The range of real ales is excellent – try to
get a table in the unusual upstairs gallery, with a view over the
sea of drinkers below. It’s a listed building, so access is restrict-
ed. On request, the revolving front doors can be opened to allow
wheelchair access. The men’s toilets are on the ground floor, but
the women’s are on the 1st floor (there’s no designated accessi-
ble toilet); women can use the gent’s toilet on request, however.
Indigo Yard
0131-220 5603; http://www.indigoyardedinburgh.co.uk; 7 Charlotte
Lane; 8am-1am; buses 19, 36, 37, 41, 47Set around an airy, stone-floored and glass-roofed courtyard, In-
digo Yard is a fashionable West End watering hole that has been
patronised by the likes of Liam Gallagher, Pierce Brosnan and
Kylie Minogue. Good food – including open-air barbecues during
the summer months – just adds to the attraction. There is level
access and an accessible toilet.Joseph Pearce’s
0131-556 4140; http://www.bodabar.com/joseph-pearces; 23 Elm Row;
11am-midnight Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri-Sat; all Leith Walk busesA traditional Victorian pub that has been remodelled and given a
new lease of life by Swedish owners, Pearce’s has become a real
hub of the local community, with good food (very family friend-
ly before 5pm), a relaxed atmosphere, and events like Monday
night Scrabble games and August crayfish parties. There’s
wheelchair access and an outdoor seating area; there are also
tables at a wheelchair-friendly height. However, there are a
couple of steps leading to the toilets, which are therefore not
wheelchair-accessible.Kenilworth
0131-226 1773; http://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk; 152-154 Rose St;
10am-11pm Mon-Thu, to midnight Fri-Sat, 10am-11.30pm Sun;
Princes StA gorgeous Edwardian drinking palace, complete with original
fittings – from the tile floors, mahogany circle bar and gantry,
to the ornate mirrors and gas lamps – the Kenilworth was Ed-
inburgh’s original gay bar back in the 1970s. Today it attracts a
mixed crowd of all ages, and serves a good range of real ales and
malt whiskies. There’s a 5cm step to gain access from the street,
but once inside it is level. However the toilet is not wheelchair-
accessible and, when busy, manoeuvrability around the bar area
in a wheelchair is very tricky.Sygn
0131-225 6060; http://www.sygn.co.uk; 15 Charlotte Lane; 10am-1am;
buses 19, 36, 37, 41, 47The plush banquettes and sleek, polished tables in this sharply
styled bar are just the place to pose with a passionfruit bellini