It’s a proper boozer with a proper pint
ANCOATS PUB GETS NEW LEASE OF LIFE
ANCOATS pub The Edinburgh Castle has officially re-opened its doors, steered by the same team behind Cottonopolis. The previously abandoned pub has been rebuilt over the last few months, with a public bar downstairs and a small restaurant upstairs.
Although the pub dates back to 1811, it was largely gutted and left empty from the 1980s onwards.
Only a few original features were left behind, including a couple of wooden ceiling beams and a few pillars, which have been restored.
Other character features have been painstakingly added back in to create a proper pub atmosphere, from the dark green textured walls to the antiques on tables and walls.
The downstairs is split into two areas, with a small bar in the front of the building and a cosy saloon bar in the back, complete with mirrored walls, an antique coat of arms and a framed old map of Ancoats nodding to the area’s heritage.
The pub’s ethos is to be the ideal local for the residents of Ancoats - a ‘proper boozer with a proper pint.’
Beers in the bar are split into three rough categories, with classics, northern and modern beers all available on tap and in bottles and cans.
There’s Guinness on tap and an Irish coffee that’s described as ‘solid’ - we take that to mean they’re not light with the booze.
A sizeable selection of Scottish whiskies stand in the tall glass-fronted cabinets behind the bar, as well as a range of carefully-selected gins and cocktails.
The drinks selection has been chosen by Cottonopolis’ Gethin Jones, who cut his teeth running pubs before joining the popular Northern Quarter cocktail bar.
Food downstairs will be traditional British pub fare. Diners can expect black pudding Scotch eggs (£9), beef and ale pie (£11), beer-battered fish and chips (£14), stout rarebit (£7) and bubble and squeak with hot smoked beef (£12).
Upstairs, in the 36-cover restaurant, head chef Julian Pizer has designed a menu based around local produce, including roasted duck (£27), poached halibut with jersey cream (£28) and glazed veal sweetbreads with parmesan (£13).
Tattooist Gre Hale has designed the signage throughout the pub, which has been hand-painted by artist Lei-mai.
The original sign on the corner of the building has been reworked with a traditional typeface and gold leaf.
Coupled with flowers beneath every window and its red-brick facade, Ancoats has got itself a real looker.
The Edinburgh Castle on the corner of Blossom Street and Henry Street officially re-opened yesterday.