The Lounge, Lerwick

Tucked off just behind Commercial St (look for the illuminated sign above a doorway) and famed in the islands for its folk music nights. There are two bars, though the upper bar appears to be closed out of peak times (as it was on my first visit). The street level bar is sparse but strangely characterful, with a lino floor, 60's style half-length light wood wall panelling and some turquoise leatherette padded perimeter seating. Dart board and fake stove fire spotted, plus news on the TV. Not much on at the bar here, just three BrewDog bottles and an Innis and Gunn can in the fridge, so half a Tennants was the choice for the swiftest dispatch to make time for one more bar before closing. I popped in the other door the next day for the live music and found the lounge upstairs. It’s an atmospheric H shaped interior with red walls, blue fabric bench seating and muted lighting. Instruments hanging from the walls attest to the live music, as does the tuned upright piano. There was a better beer choice in the fridge here with three BrewDog (including Choc Psycho), Swannay Scarpa Special and Valhalla bottles. It got pretty busy and the live folk music jam was great fun. You really must make a point of doing this one if you are here on a live music night (which starts around 9 – they like to do things late in Lerwick) which are usually on Wednesday and Saturday.

Mentioned in Ann Cleeves’ Shetland based detective novels, currently being serialised on TV, this is one of Lerwick’s best known and most popular pubs. Despite the name, it actually consists of a street level bar and an upstairs lounge. The latter is the Islands’ most renowned live music venue and a folk band were in the process of setting up while I was there. There are acoustic and electric guitars hanging from the walls as well as pictures of, presumably local, musicians in action in the pub. The wood panelled downstairs bar is more basic and traditional in style, with a mix of bench seating around the walls and stools at tables. There is also ample standing room in the middle of the floor and a TV, a juke box and a darts board. The walls are decorated with foreign banknotes, beer posters and photos of regular customers. Although the upstairs lounge is considerably more plush, prices are the same in both sections, with Tennent’s lager selling at £3.30 a pint. Also on draught are Caledonia Best, Guinness, Stella Artois, Carling lager, Tartan Special and Gaymer’s cider.