In the first of a regular feature, we challenge our Dave to go undercover and soak up the ambiance of the worst pubs in Edinburgh. Tune in before he gets killed. This week: The Marksman.by David Hynes
SquareOne Booze
On your marks....get set.....DO NOT GO! What aim the owners of this Leith-based pub had in mind when they opened the doors last year remains unclear. It certainly doesn’t try to compete with the fashionable bars in the city centre. The target audience seems to be real men (or women who look like real men). By far the least salubrious bar I have ever visited in Edinburgh, the Marksman is a no-nonsense drinking den for those who come to drink. Or fight. Or most likely both.
The entrance was almost completely hidden behind half a dozen chain-smoking octogenarians who guarded it earnestly. The walls seemed to echo with the arguments that the pub has surely witnessed over the last 15 months. The bar (if indeed you could call it a bar), is grossly inadequate and the pub, taken a as a whole is also absolute s___e.
The locals seemed friendly enough, but I didn’t advertise my Englishness for fear of angering the men or even worse; attracting any of the "hens" in need of a cosmopolitan lover.
I did talk to some of the regulars though and if the words of the builder I spoke with are to be believed it seems the regulars in The Marksman can deliver a birthday bonanza. Tired of the usual arduous process of shopping around for decent gifts? I have it on good authority that all of your presents can be delivered to your home, on time and for a fraction of the usual cost.
Despite its flaws, I can’t but recommend the Marksman. In a city full of trendy wine-bars and soulless tourist traps, it is a genuine watering hole and represents a dying breed of pubs. True, it’s tough, true the smoking ban might not be enforced stringently during the periodic lock-ins but at least it is honest.
Let's face it, every city needs its s__t-holes, and in this regard The Marksman absolutely hits the bullseye.
Visit The Marksman at 13 Duke Street, Leith. But if you don't fancy that, try these:
SquareOne's top five Edinburgh pubs
- The Oxford, Young Street
- The Canny Man's, Morningside Road
- Boda, Leith Walk
- The Blue Blazer, Spittal Street
- Victoria's, Leith Walk
2 comments:
dave come back now to the marksman u will c a big change all round it has been totally refurbed IT IS A LOCAL BAR AND ENJOYED BY EACH & ALL
Dave, why don't you come back now and see us we are very much a community bar who by the way do a LOT for it's customers. We work hard at being the best the pub has to offer.
Look forward to seeing you again.
Dionne (The Owner)
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