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Clark's Bar


King Of The Cat Cafe

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King Of The Cat Cafe

Is it right what I have read?  Clark's Bar in Dundas Street has closed?

 

(Apologies if posted on here elsewhere).

 

I enjoyed quite a few nights drinking there on my rare overnighters in the area.  Simple; unpretentious; and very reasonably priced beer.

 

They also had a few old photographs on the walls of Hearts and Hibs teams, although I detected a bit of Hibbiness about their facebook page a while back.

 

 

 

 

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The Real Maroonblood
21 minutes ago, King Of The Cat Cafe said:

Is it right what I have read?  Clark's Bar in Dundas Street has closed?

 

(Apologies if posted on here elsewhere).

 

I enjoyed quite a few nights drinking there on my rare overnighters in the area.  Simple; unpretentious; and very reasonably priced beer.

 

They also had a few old photographs on the walls of Hearts and Hibs teams, although I detected a bit of Hibbiness about their facebook page a while back.

 

 

 

 

It was mentioned on another thread that this was happening.

I think it was the Edinburgh history thread.

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10 minutes ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

It was mentioned on another thread that this was happening.

I think it was the Edinburgh history thread.

It was in the 'Your favourite Edinburgh pubs' thread and was posted by @the general.

 

Reason it stuck in my mind was that it's a pub we used on and off for years, so was sad to hear it was closing.

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The Real Maroonblood
Just now, Morgan said:

It was in the 'Your favourite Edinburgh pubs' thread and was posted by @the general.

 

Reason it stuck in my mind was that it's a pub we used on and off for years, so was sad to hear it was closing.

Your right I was checking it myself just now.

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heartsfc_fan

Any word why it was closing? I'd imagine the big RBS building over the road closing fairly recently considerably lowered the amount of punters coming through the doors.

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45 minutes ago, King Of The Cat Cafe said:

Is it right what I have read?  Clark's Bar in Dundas Street has closed?

 

(Apologies if posted on here elsewhere).

 

I enjoyed quite a few nights drinking there on my rare overnighters in the area.  Simple; unpretentious; and very reasonably priced beer.

 

They also had a few old photographs on the walls of Hearts and Hibs teams, although I detected a bit of Hibbiness about their facebook page a while back.

 

 

 

 

They used to have a few St Bernards photos as well. When I was a Friday night regular in there probably about 2003 to 2006 the manager/licencee was a big guy Davie I think and he was a jambo. Obviously seems to have gone down hill since then.

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Lack of custom and a series of short term leases. RBS closing obviously a massive factor.

I always wondered how they got the fruit machine down to the bottom of the stairs ???

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On 06/06/2019 at 18:49, Stuart Lyon said:

Sad news about Clark's Bar. I think they were disappointed planning permission wan't given for changes they wanted to make to the original interior and using the shop next door which I believe was purchased as part of their plan to enlarge the pub. The RBS move certainly would 't have helped.

 

8 minutes ago, heartsfc_fan said:

Any word why it was closing? I'd imagine the big RBS building over the road closing fairly recently considerably lowered the amount of punters coming through the doors.

 See above for the explanation from our resident pub expert.

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8 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Shame. Decent old boozer. 

It's rude to talk about yourself in a praiseworthy fashion, Dave.

 

:whistling:

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gashauskis9

Quite a few Standard Life folk have moved up to Lothian Rd and George St, so that is likely to have hit them as well.

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the general

The current owners or lease holders may have lost interest after they got knocked back for an expansion... got rid of the racing channel which peed off a lot of regulars

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Scnorthedinburgh
16 hours ago, EIEIO said:

They used to have a few St Bernards photos as well. When I was a Friday night regular in there probably about 2003 to 2006 the manager/licencee was a big guy Davie I think and he was a jambo. Obviously seems to have gone down hill since then.

Davie Lothian

Was a 60/40 split hearts to hibs fans when I drank there.

Great mix of people, don't think getting the kb for the new lounge is behind this, as that had.been a plan since before 2000?

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Joey J J Jr Shabadoo

That Davie lothian guy - does he ever get called shitty Dave? Think I work beside a friend of his. 

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Boston Jambo

I stayed just round the corner from Clark's on my visit home last September. 

 

The owner/ manager was Scott, a very nice guy, he was a Hibs fan.

 

A great wee old style pub.

 

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Governor Tarkin

The Mrs worked in Clarks Bar for a stretch around 7-8 years ago.

 

Was a cracking wee beer and whisky pub back then with an eclectic mix of punters. Enjoyed the odd lock-in too.

 

 

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Scnorthedinburgh
On 11/06/2019 at 14:04, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

That Davie lothian guy - does he ever get called shitty Dave? Think I work beside a friend of his. 

Nah never called that, pretty sure he passed away about 10 years ago.

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Joey J J Jr Shabadoo
2 hours ago, Scnorthedinburgh said:

Nah never called that, pretty sure he passed away about 10 years ago.

Cheers, must be a different Dave. ? 

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Placid Casual

One of my mates used to drink in Clarks, along with his partner.

 

He manages a shoe shop, she is a dentist. They were quickly christened "Foot and Mouth" by the regulars :lol:

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The Old Tolbooth
1 hour ago, Placid Casual said:

One of my mates used to drink in Clarks, along with his partner.

 

He manages a shoe shop, she is a dentist. They were quickly christened "Foot and Mouth" by the regulars :lol:

 

:rofl:

 

That pub is only about 100 yards down from my office, but I'm hardly ever in it anyway (the office that is!), a few of the lads will miss that for the time it's shut though. 

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jambo east anglia

Slight tangent if I may - more a question for our older licensed premises frequenters.

 

Wasn't there a Clarks bar in Lauriston Place in the 60s and 70s?  In what was the old Coal Board building?

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the general
On 11/06/2019 at 15:04, Boston Jambo said:

I stayed just round the corner from Clark's on my visit home last September. 

 

The owner/ manager was Scott, a very nice guy, he was a Hibs fan.

 

A great wee old style pub.

 

 

I know his daughter..staunch hibby as well

Think he has had a few pubs over the years

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54 minutes ago, jambo east anglia said:

Slight tangent if I may - more a question for our older licensed premises frequenters.

 

Wasn't there a Clarks bar in Lauriston Place in the 60s and 70s?  In what was the old Coal Board building?

When I was at school in Lauriston Place (mid 70’s) the only two boozers I recall were Lauries Bar and the Tap o’ Lauriston.

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Stuart Lyon
13 hours ago, jambo east anglia said:

Slight tangent if I may - more a question for our older licensed premises frequenters.

 

Wasn't there a Clarks bar in Lauriston Place in the 60s and 70s?  In what was the old Coal Board building?

 

David Clark's Bar, Lauriston Pl. Sorry I don't know when this photo was taken.

David Clark's Bar Lauriston.jpeg

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jambo east anglia
16 hours ago, Morgan said:

When I was at school in Lauriston Place (mid 70’s) the only two boozers I recall were Lauries Bar and the Tap o’ Lauriston.

I believe Clark's was a former name for the Tap o Lauriston.  From what you say, looks like it changed sometime around the early 70s.

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2 hours ago, jambo east anglia said:

I believe Clark's was a former name for the Tap o Lauriston.  From what you say, looks like it changed sometime around the early 70s.

Yeah, that would make sense.

 

.Even I wasn’t really into drink around the age of 6 or 7!!  :) 

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the general

Just saw on Twitter that it has been bought over and getting a wee refurb. Should be open again in a few weeks 

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Stuart Lyon
1 hour ago, the general said:

Just saw on Twitter that it has been bought over and getting a wee refurb. Should be open again in a few weeks 

 

Great news

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The Real Maroonblood

It’s a few years since I’ve been in that pub but delighted at the news for those who frequent the place.

?

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  • 2 weeks later...
11 hours ago, the general said:

The refurb was still ongoing on Monday but so far looks pretty sympathetic to how it was

Will it be like that Men Behaving Badly episode when the John Thomson landlord refurbished the pub according to an old black and white photo on the wall....which turned out to have been taken the year before?

 

Ahem, this is near my work so will pay it a visit. After work of course. 

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11 hours ago, the general said:

The refurb was still ongoing on Monday but so far looks pretty sympathetic to how it was

It looks like refurb is washing windows and not much else,if it’s close to opening it seems just the same.

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the general
10 hours ago, obua said:

It looks like refurb is washing windows and not much else,if it’s close to opening it seems just the same.

 

It looked like joiners and painters were hard at work on monday.. didn't expect huge changes

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Never been in the pub myself but was in the company the other week with a guy who was telling me that a women was suing the pub as she fell down deep stairs plus there was a problem with disabled access or something 

 

As I’ve said I’ve never been in the pub and could be total rubbish what he told me or might be why pub is shut at the moment

 

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Fxxx the SPFL

Me and the missus usually stop in on the way home after matches  and the manager is a big Hibby. The pub has been slowly losing custom through as other folk have said the closure of the RBS building and Standard Life staff moving out. They started closing on a Sunday a few months ago and cutting the hours during the week. i would say the clientele was fifty fifty Hearts/Hibs. Always a shame to se the older type pubs close down or metamorphise into a fancy dan bistro bar. I used to enjoy Mathers at the top of Broughton Street now it's the Empress of India.

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the general
3 hours ago, Ray has bus pass hooray said:

Me and the missus usually stop in on the way home after matches  and the manager is a big Hibby. The pub has been slowly losing custom through as other folk have said the closure of the RBS building and Standard Life staff moving out. They started closing on a Sunday a few months ago and cutting the hours during the week. i would say the clientele was fifty fifty Hearts/Hibs. Always a shame to se the older type pubs close down or metamorphise into a fancy dan bistro bar. I used to enjoy Mathers at the top of Broughton Street now it's the Empress of India.

 

Empress of India aye??  Do you go for a ruby???  ????

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John Findlay
On Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 20:19, Morgan said:

When I was at school in Lauriston Place (mid 70’s) the only two boozers I recall were Lauries Bar and the Tap o’ Lauriston.

That's all I recall from my time at St Tam's 75-79.

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11 hours ago, John Findlay said:

That's all I recall from my time at St Tam's 75-79.

I remember seeing you in The Tap most lunchtimes, John.

 

:) 

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John Findlay
2 hours ago, Morgan said:

I remember seeing you in The Tap most lunchtimes, John.

 

:) 

Aye with my chemistry teacher Mr Bell.

Who claimed his IQ was 170, 156 when pissed?

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6 hours ago, John Findlay said:

Aye with my chemistry teacher Mr Bell.

Who claimed his IQ was 170, 156 when pissed?

That’s rings a bell.

 

:wink: 

 

Afore ye go!

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  • 3 weeks later...
Ron Burgundy

Was in on Sunday for a quick pint. Exactly the same, still has a pic of Robbo from 98 with the cup as you go in on the left hand side.

Young guy has taken over and he was chatting to someone about getting coffee machines and the like in. I expect it will change drastically.

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8 hours ago, the general said:

How is it looking?

Never went in before, but strikes me that nothing has changed in the short term.

7 hours ago, Ron Burgundy said:

Was in on Sunday for a quick pint. Exactly the same, still has a pic of Robbo from 98 with the cup as you go in on the left hand side.

Young guy has taken over and he was chatting to someone about getting coffee machines and the like in. I expect it will change drastically.

There are changes afoot, but the owner is looking to phase them in gradually. Ultimately, he still wants it to be what it's always been, a traditional pub, where people watch the football etc. But he realises you can't dine on that alone and wants to bring in modern twists to the traditional vibe which will bring a more rounded clientele in. The 2 lounge rooms will become a gin room and a whisky room.

 

Apparently too, he's buying premises next door which will become a restaurant and takeaway. Can't quite remember what is next door, but i recall 3 or 4 years ago that there was a newsagents with a takeaway/cafe built in next door. Would make sense that this is what it will be.

 

It's strange that wee place closed so suddenly and never reopened. Was always busy with school kids and RBS staff, and this was a year or 2 before RBS closed. They stocked Bain's pies too.

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Stuart Lyon

Someone I know was in the other day and he spoke to a guy behind the bar. The guy told him that there were plans to build a couple of hotels nearby (possible the old RBS site or part of it) and he was hoping that would increase his trade.

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