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The Caley Picture House (JD Wetherspoon), Edinburgh

Pub added by hondo .
31 Lothian Road
Edinburgh
EH1 2DJ

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Pub Type

J D Wetherspoon

Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Real Ale Ray left this review about The Caley Picture House (JD Wetherspoon)

I didn't know really what to expect walking up the stairs and past an old cinema projector in the foyer. Once through the top doors and into the main Picture House area, I have to say I was very impressed with the place. The interior lighting was fairly low, as though you were in an actual Cinema. The upper seated circle area with a staircase either side was worth a look. Another feature you don't often see in a Spoons was the open plan kitchen.
The cask ale line up was Orkney Wavebreaker and Tidal Bay, Stewart Jack Back and Summer Citra, Titanic Anchor, Belhaven 80 Shilling and Doom Bar.

On 14th July 2023 - rating: 9
[User has posted 3378 recommendations about 3378 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Caley Picture House (JD Wetherspoon)

An excellent cinema conversion, with the counter in front of the screen, most seating / dining areas in the stalls and further tables up in the circle. The real ale choice from the two banks of six handpumps was pretty impressive too, with a pair from Stewart Brewing - Jack Back and the festive Sleigh My Name (£2.49) - plus six of seasonal beers from a variety of breweries in addition to the expected Deuchars IPA, Doom Bar and Abbot. With lots to look at as well, this one is well worth seeking out.

On 30th December 2021 - rating: 9
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about The Caley Picture House (JD Wetherspoon)

A Spoons in a converted cinema (2016) and we love those, don’t we kids? Enter to an empty lower foyer section housing nothing but an old projector, you have to do a long walk up the stairs to get to the bar. Pretty impressive on entering, the servery backs onto the old stage which makes for an impressive backdrop. Black and gold is the colour scheme of choice, with the gold picking out some impressive cornicings. Apparently there is also a mezzanine area but I either missed it or it was closed-off. Four genuine guest ales, my Stewart Brewery Pentland was in good shape (NBSS 3.5) and no arguments about my lunchtime pizza. Well-worth a visit.

On 15th November 2021 - rating: 8
[User has posted 5050 recommendations about 5033 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Blackthorn _ left this review about The Caley Picture House (JD Wetherspoon)

An impressive Wetherspoon’s conversion from what was, as it’s name suggests, a cinema in a former life, they have done a really good job here preserving much of the building's original architecture and making a real feature of it. Whether it’s one of the company’s earlier outlets where they seemed to do a lot of these grand buildings I’m not sure, but it’s certainly a lot more impressive than many of their more recent shop conversions.

The pub is located entirely upstairs, but a large film projector in the lobby is an immediate reminder of the building’s history. Once you get up to the pub itself, you’re met with a very impressive, very high ceilinged interior which was painted in a deep blue colour scheme, but with some elaborate gold detailing. Low hanging globe lights were suspended from the ceiling. The main focal point of the pub was the old screen at the front, and this had a large black and white picture of Edinburgh on it to recreate the effect of watching an old movie. The screen itself was surrounded by elaborate gold cornice work which made quite a striking visual impression. At the rear of the pub was a mezzanine level balcony, and this too was quite ornately decorated. Flooring was predominantly carpet with some striking black and white tiling by the bar counter and some of the seating around the perimeter was enclosed in wooden booths that had something of an Art Deco style to them. The walls were clad with very dark blue wood panelling up to first floor level, with cream plasterwork above. A water tap on the bar was an unusual feature, presumably to add a splash to your whisky.

The menu offered the usual very extensive choice, with all sorts of dishes having options to customise to your precise requirements. An unusual feature of the pub was the semi open kitchen at the rear which I don’t recall seeing in any of their other outlets. I went for the chicken tikka masala which came complete with a couple of poppadum’s and an (extremely greasy) garlic naan. Overall it tasted decent enough, but wasn’t an especially generous portion and a couple of the pieces of the chicken were so solid as to be almost inedible. Quite what they had done to them I don’t know, but presumably involved an industrial microwave somewhere along the line.

Beers on tap were Nethergate Suffolk County, Lymestone Stonefish Mild, Skye Red, Deuchars IPA, Burton Draught, Abbott Ale, Skye Gold, Banks & Taylor’s Black Dragon, Doom Bar, Stewart’s 80/- and Nottingham Supreme Bitter. All were priced at a very reasonable £2.49 or £2.69. Ciders meanwhile were Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime, Thistly Cross, Magners, Strongbow, Strongbow Dark Fruit and Thatcher’s Gold, which was a bit of a result and not something you often find in these parts. Overall, a very impressive pub and well worth a visit, although I doubt I would bother with the food again.

On 10th May 2019 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1937 recommendations about 1850 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


hondo . left this review about The Caley Picture House (JD Wetherspoon)

As mentioned below a grimy exterior but then Edinburgh earned it's Auld Reekie nickname the hard way. A large 2 floor interior with the main bar in front of the old stage/screen location.

On 16th February 2018 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Aqualung . left this review about The Caley Picture House (JD Wetherspoon)

Edinburgh's latest Spoons looks rather grimy on the outside but once you get inside it's very impressive. It was built as a cinema and has been restored in that vein. A few steps lead to the old foyer where you can either go up further steps to the main bar or as I did use the lift to floor one. This area is the old stalls with the bar taking up the area where the screen once was and a huge picture of Edinburgh above and behind it. The circle has been turned to a mezzanine area with a smaller bar and three hand pumps that only had Sharp's Atlantic that wasn't on in the bar downstairs. Needless to say the toilets are up here but the lift is available to access floor three. There is a floor two but the button isn't usable.
This is a new Spoons which opened at the tail end of last year so fixtures and fittings are a lot better than average. As expected the food is all more expensive than normal and I also noticed that there was no £1.00 extra for a double with the spirits. Maybe that's why there was no evidence at all of a daytime brigade (with one exception). The cask ales had a blanket price of £2.89 and there was a great choice. The two sets of six hand pumps had just the Deuchars IPA available soon and Edinbrew Industrial IPA, Stewart Edinburgh Gold & Celtman, Naylors Velvet, Abbot, Kelham Island Pale Rider, Wooha Blonde, Coach House Blonde, Rudgate Ruby Mild, Cotleigh Barn Owl and Knops Musselburgh Broke. I went for the Industrial, Pale Rider, Celtman and Musselburgh Broke. The Edinbrew Industrial tasted like a Boots home brew kit from the 1970s or 1980s (probably not the fault of the pub) but the other three were excellent. They also have a good selection of Scottish "craft" including Stewart Radical Road on keg (£3.95) which was also excellent.
The only downside apart from some of the prices is that the room has something of an echo. I thought this was a top Spoons and if it transpires that it is not the best of the Scottish JDWs then I'll drink Doom Bore for a week.

On 26th June 2017 - rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


hondo . left this review about The Caley Picture House (JD Wetherspoon)

Originally a cinema then various nightclubs/music venues down the years.

On 15th December 2016 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]