Famous pub’s Harry Potter name change a temporary spell

0 JK Rowling’s name has been used for an Underbelly event Events firm Underbelly has revealed the reason behind the decision to re-name a popular Edinburgh pub.

People were left surprised and some were outraged on Hogmanay to find famous New Town watering hole the Conan Doyle had mysteriously changed to the “JK Rowling”.

One individual called the decision “ridiculous”, while another was sad that a city landmark had been “given up to commercialism”.

However, The Scotsman can reveal the divisive name change is merely temporary.

The switch is tied in with a new visual art installation for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay called Message from the Skies.

A collaborative effort between crime writer Val Mcdermid, theatre director Philip Howard and Double Take projections, Message from the Skies is designed to showcase the streets and buildings that have inspired some of Edinburgh’s finest authors from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson to JK Rowling and Muriel Spark.

A spokeswoman for Underbelly events said the Conan Doyle name change was simply part of the art installation.

“The story behind the temporary transformation of the Conan Doyle to the JK Rowling is that Val Mcdermid has written a story for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay’smessagefromthe Skies which resurrects Susan Ferrier and Muriel Spark and champions women writers,” the spokeswoman said.

Message from the Skies runs until 25 January.