Edinburgh Pubs

The teeming nature of life in eighteenth-century Edinburgh elevated the Old Towns taverns to a critical role in the citys social life, and there was no superabundance of sobriety in the town. Much of the business life of the city was carried out in taverns where it was even normal for doctors to consult their patients. The Edinburgh taverns of the eighteenth century are described as having a coarse and darksome snugness which was courted by their worshippers. These earlier basic hostelries were swept away during the period 18801910, which is recognised as the golden age of pub design. These new pubs were decorated with an abundance of spectacular ornaments to attract customers into their shining interiors. This book wont tell you how many real ales or malts the pubs stock or whether the burgers are worth popping in for. What it does provide is a record of Edinburgh Pubs that are architectural gems of exceptional quality or which have a particularly interesting historical association.