Haymarket, Edinburgh

A Nicholsons pub but a bit unimpressive decor wise and frankly very downmarket for them. A single downstairs room with an unexplored first floor apart from the Gents. Some big screens, bandits and piped music, only the buttoned leather banquettes and a bit of dark wood suggest it’s Nicholsons. Seven pulls with five in use, Scots and English beers plus a forest of standard kegs. It’s GBG listed but I haven’t a clue why.

The Haymarket is a Nicholsons pub opposite the railway station of the same name, occupying an expanded space around the foot of a Victorian stone building at an important junction. I was there quite late of a Tuesday evening, so it wasn't all that busy. There are six hand pumps on the bar but only Doom Bar and Stewarts 80/- on. The latter was OK but not very characterful. The rest of the bar was cluttered with about 20 keg fonts, suggesting that it does get busy at times. Service was friendly, but not so friendly that I'm planning a return visit any time soon. Date of visit: 20th July 2021

A prominent and busy Nicholson’s pub straddling a junction of two roads, it has an unusual semi-circular shape to the outside, although this was not particularly noticeable inside. It looked quite traditional in appearance with it’s black paintwork and gold lettering. Internally it was also quite traditional in terms of décor, although perhaps in a slightly corporate way as might be expected from a chain, but certainly not objectionably so. The main bar area had a worn wood strip floor, dark maroon paint on the walls and a cream ceiling with a number of black and white photographs and drawing of the locale dotted around the walls. A smaller room to the side was broadly similar in terms of décor, although with carpet on the floor, pale green painted wallpaper as well as some flock wallpaper above the padded bench seating in the window. There was also some sort of mezzanine level at the rear although I did not investigate this. I had presumably sat in the dining area since someone came to my table to serve me whilst I was perusing the menu. Although he initially seemed friendly and helpful, on enquiring about the cider choice I was told that they had an apple one! The menu offered the usual extensive selection, and I went for the chicken and mushroom pie with mash and seasonal greens, which was actually very good and tasty, although somewhat overshadowed by the large pile of undercooked cavolo nero. There was a long wait for the food, although the waiter was apologetic saying they were very busy. Beers on tap were Stewarts Freeman, Radical Road Reverse, Columbus Calling, Pandora’s Box and 80/- along with Celtman, Sharp’s Sunset Red and Doom Bar. The “apple” cider transpired to be Mortimer’s Orchard, and they also had the Berry version from the same brewery which perhaps goes some way to explain his explanation. Overall, a decent enough pit stop if in the area.