Thomson's Bar, Edinburgh

Gorgeous Victorian, Edinburgh pub with carved honey coloured wood in abundance with a neat tiled floor. The coffered ceiling is pretty spectacular. The counter, on the right, has four unused Scottish air taps with four standard hand pulls nearby, a group of four keg solos stands at each end. The cask beers were three Scottish from Fyne, Orkney and Loch Lomond with Oakham Inferno on the last. Decorated with old drinks and ciggy adverts and mirrors. I don’t know who the I W Frazer etched into the front window was. Not far from Haymarket station, Ryries bar and some other decent places so a fine wee crawl is to be had round this corner of the West End.

Visited 05/11/25 Cask was three out of four hand pumps dispensing Jarl from Fyne Ales, Island Life pale ale from Orkney Brewery and the Gloaming from Loch Lomond Brewery. Keg was Somerset apple cider, Belhaven Best, Tenants, Estrella, McEwans 80/- and Brooklyn Stonewall IPA. Small but perfectly formed pub with a large chessboard patterned tiled flooring with the bar counter on the right-hand wall. Some nice carving on the front of the light wood bar counter and a nice, mirrored shelving unit on the wall behind the bar counter hosting the spirits including an extensive whiskey offering. Indeed, plenty of light wood wall boarding, pillar, door, and window frames. A green studded leather banquette down the left-hand wall serving several regular tables then a few between the two entrance doors at the front and at the rear. No music, a TV above one of the doors was showing Sky News absent sound. Nice venue, felt like a haven in a busy part of town.

My route from the Jolly Judge (near the castle) to Ryrie's Bar (near Haymarket Station) took me right past Thomson's, so I thought it would be rude not to call in. One of the barmen welcomed me by dropping a tray of glasses : few if any survived. My choice of Fyne Jarl was just being changed, so I went for the Oakham Citra, two beers that were not to my taste three years ago, but I'm gradually getting used to them. This was fine (NBSS 3.5) and I wished the barman - who remained friendly and good humoured despite his terrible day - a better day tomorrow as I left.

A traditional looking pub on the popular Morrison Street, it’s one single, open-plan room internally, and although there is no obvious sign that it was ever anything else, there is nonetheless a door in each corner, one with etched glass denoting it as the “Public Bar” and the other just “Bar”. Décor wise it’s quite elegant with much wood panelling, including an intricately carved bar counter and backdrop, porches and pillars as well as further wood panelling on the lower part of the walls. The ceiling too was quite elaborate with cornicework forming large inset panels painted in black with some pale green around the permitter. Flooring was large black and white chequered tiles, whilst the walls were covered in an extensive selection of brewery adverts and mirrors. Beers on tap were Swannay Scapa Special, Orkney’s Island Life, Oakham Bishop’s Farewell and Fyne Ales Jarl. After an unusual beer selection, it was a shame that the only cider they could come up with was Somersby from a global conglomerate. Overall, I’ve mixed feelings about this. The décor is perhaps worth a peek, but it seemed a bit lacking in any atmosphere and the poor cider selection is unlikely to tempt me back.