Da Kiln Bar, Scalloway, Shetland

Facebook page of Da Kiln Bar - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Da Kiln Bar - www.facebook.com

It's not entirely true to say this is the only pub in Scalloway. On top of the aforementioned hotel bar the Scalloway Boating Club and Scalloway branch of the Royal British Legion are, whilst ostensibly members clubs, welcoming to guests and non-members. Thankfully for the village all of these places make a nicer setting than the Kiln Bar. This is a dark and dingy looking place, and with high ceilings and almost no heating it can be terribly cold, especially in winter. The draught beer has been fraught with problems in recent years, not least a spell where lager was served with floating muck from dirty pipes. The landlady is a divisive character who can be very abrasive at times, although other staff are mostly very friendly. The prices have risen quite steeply in recent years and don't represent the value they once did against the slightly pricier Scalloway Hotel; both of the aforementioned members clubs are noticeably cheaper on all fronts. The pool table at the Kiln isn't comparable in quality to that of the Boating Club or Legion, but is fine for a casual game. The cafe is considerably better than the bar following a recent refurbishment, operating in a cheap and cheerful "greasy spoon" style with very good fried breakfasts and pub lunches (e.g. fish and chips, lasagne etc).

Right on the waterfront with good views of the harbour, the East Voe of Scalloway and the surrounding hills, this is the only real pub in the village, although the bar of the Scalloway Hotel is open to the public. The building is modern, but the interior looks older, with antique style wooden bench seating reminiscent of church pews and an irregular shape with several nooks and crannies. The walls are decorated with a dozen Viking shields and Norwegian flags, reflecting Shetland’s historical connections with Scandinavia. On draught are Tennent’s lager (at what seems to be the standard Shetland price of £3.30 a pint), Caledonia Best, John Smith’s, Guinness and Strongbow cider. The bar contains a pool table and darts board and there is a restaurant attached, accessed through a separate door, but which wasn’t open at the time of my visit.