Accessible Edinburgh 1 - Full PDF eBook

120 Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide Drinking & Nightlife 121

or a glass of Pol Roger. The languid and laid-back atmosphere is
complemented by cool tunes and superb cocktails, and the food
menu is surprisingly good. The venue is wheelchair-accessible,
but the toilets are downstairs and therefore not accessible for
wheelchair users.

Old Town

The pubs on the Royal Mile are – not surprisingly – aimed mainly
at the tourist market, but there are still some good old-fashioned
drinking dens hidden up the closes and along the side streets.
Many Grassmarket pubs have outdoor tables on sunny summer
afternoons. Cowgate – Grassmarket’s extension to the east –
leads into Edinburgh’s club land.

Bongo Club

http://www.thebongoclub.co.uk; 66 Cowgate; admission free-£6; 11pm-
3am Tue & Thu, 7pm-3am Fri-Sun; bus 2

Owned by a local arts charity, the weird and wonderful Bongo
Club boasts a long history of hosting everything from wild club
nights and local bands to performance art and kids’ comedy
shows, and is open as a cafe and exhibition space during the day.
The main bar and performance space are both wheelchair-
accessible, and there’s an accessible toilet on the same level.

Bow Bar

0131-226 7667; http://www.thebowbar.co.uk; 80 West Bow; noon-
midnight Mon-Sat, to 11.30pm Sun; buses 2, 23, 27, 41, 42

One of the city’s best traditional-style pubs (it’s not as old as it
looks), serving a range of excellent real ales, Scottish craft gins
and a vast selection of malt whiskies, the Bow Bar often has
standing-room only on Friday and Saturday evenings. There is
a small step to get in, which wheelchair users may need some
assistance to negotiate, but there is an accessible toilet.

BrewDog

0131-220 6517; http://www.brewdog.com; 143 Cowgate; noon-1am
Mon-Sat, 12.30pm-1am Sun; buses 35, 45

The Edinburgh outpost of Scotland’s self-styled ‘punk brewery’,
BrewDog stands out among the sticky-floored dives that line the
Cowgate, with its polished concrete bar and cool, industrial-chic
decor. As well as its own highly rated beers, there’s a choice of

guest real ales, and – a sign of a great trad pub – coat hooks

under the edge of the bar. It’s wheelchair-accessible and has

accessible toilet.

Ecco Vino

0131-225 1441; http://www.eccovinoedinburgh.com; 19 Cockburn St;

noon-11pm Mon-Thu, to midnight Fri-Sat, 12.30-11pm Sun; bus 6

With outdoor tables on sunny afternoons, and cosy candlelit

intimacy in the evenings, this comfortably cramped Tuscan-style

wine bar offers a tempting range of Italian wines, though not all

are available by the glass – best to share a bottle. The restaurant

is wheelchair-accessible, but there is no accessible toilet.

Holyrood 9A

0131-556 5044; http://www.theholyrood.co.uk; 9a Holyrood Rd;

9am-midnight Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri-Sat; bus 36

Candlelight flickering off hectares of polished wood creates an

atmospheric setting for this superb real-ale bar, with more than

15 taps pouring craft beers from all corners of the country and,

indeed, the globe. If you’re peckish, it serves excellent gourmet

burgers, too.

There’s a small step to get in, but once inside it’s level and the

staff are accommodating. The toilet gets three stars from one

reviewer.

Jolly Judge

0131-225 2669; http://www.jollyjudge.co.uk; 7a James Ct; noon-11pm

Mon-Thu, to midnight Fri-Sat, 12.30-11pm Sun; buses 23, 27, 41, 42

A snug little howff tucked away down a close, the Judge exudes

a cosy 17th-century atmosphere (low, timber-beamed painted

ceilings) and has the added attraction of a cheering open fire

in cold weather. No music or gaming machines, just the buzz of

conversation. It’s listed as wheelchair-accessible on Yelp, but we

have no first-hand testimonial.

Liquid Room

0131-225 2564; http://www.liquidroom.com; 9c Victoria St; admission

free-£20; live music from 7pm, club 10.30pm-3am Wed, Fri &

Sat; buses 23, 27, 41, 42

Set in a subterranean vault deep beneath Victoria St, the Liquid

Room is a superb club venue with a thundering sound system.