Lucky for some: New Town pub ranked 13th in Times top twenty

The Oxford Bar has been voted the 13th coolest pub in Britain, according to The Times’ latest guide to the best drinking destinations in the country. Owned by Greene King, the pub located in Edinburgh’s historic New Town, was praised for being ‘austere yet beautiful’.

The pub has been made famous by Ian Rankin in his Rebus novels and the author has a strong connection with the venue. He held his stag do there in 1986 and had the famous Rebus Roll (corned beef and beetroot) on the menu until recently when the venue removed its pub grub to focus on serving drinks.

Harry Cullen, licensee of the Oxford Bar, said: “We are honoured to receive this award, although cool is not the first word we would use to describe ourselves – the only time I think we are cool is when the heating isn’t working!

“We are a proper pub serving proper ale and we are loved by both our regulars and the many tourists that pop in every day. We try to build community spirit and see ourselves as a wee haven in the bustling city centre – and I’m pleased if that makes us cool.”

Clive Chesser, Managing Director of Greene King Pub Partners, said: “We’re delighted that the Oxford Bar has received this recognition and we agree that it is a really cool pub.  We work hard to support all tenants and lessees across our Pub Partners sites and this award is a real testament to that partnership and the hard work continually put in by Harry and his team.”

Greene King owns more than 1,300 sites across the UK that are operated, through the business’ Pub Partners division, by independent licensees running their own businesses through Greene King – each pub has its own unique style from traditional country inns to city centre bars.

For more information about the pub please visit www.oxfordbar.co.uk.

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davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer