Newhaven – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Free pints up for grabs at iconic Newhaven pub this weekend

The Old Chain Pier, one of Edinburgh’s most iconic pubs, is celebrating a historic milestone following the implementation of the new Scottish Pubs Code.

The landmark legislation, which gives pub owners the right to request a rent-only agreement without being tied to a pub-owning business for stock supply, has empowered the venue to break free from restrictive purchasing obligations.

This newfound independence means the historic pub can stock a wider, more exciting range of beers and permanently slash the price of its house lager to just £5 a pint, as well as reduce the price of all its beers.

As part of the celebration The Old Chain Pier will also hand over its beer garden to three of Edinburgh’s finest local breweries, with free pints up for grabs.

The victory arrives at a critical time for the local hospitality sector. Edinburgh’s pubs and restaurants are currently navigating unprecedented financial pressures including high VAT, soaring business rates, road closures, rising Employer National Insurance Contributions (NIC), and the highest local authority charges in Europe for outdoor tables and chairs.

Against this challenging backdrop, the Scottish Pubs Code provides a much-needed lifeline, finally allowing venues like The Old Chain Pier to operate fairly and pass those savings directly to customers and sell pints at true market prices.

January Watson, Area Manager for Malt Group, said: “The Scottish Pubs Code has been a massive relief for us. Operating in Edinburgh’s hospitality sector is incredibly tough right now with mounting taxes, rates, and the highest table and chair charges in Europe.

“Being able to step away from tied stock means we finally have the freedom to curate our own beer selection, support brilliant local breweries, and pass those savings directly on to our loyal customers with £5 pints.”

The week-long party promises fun for the whole family, two-legged and four-legged alike. Guests who book a table to dine from Monday, 29th June through Thursday, 2nd July will receive 20% off their food bill.

All week long, the pub’s famous beer garden will be transformed into a playground featuring giant Jenga, hopscotch, quoits, and cornhole. Additional festivities running throughout the week include live music performances, free face painting for all ages, and a pet fancy dress competition.

As the week progresses, Stewart Brewing Beer (Friday 3rd July), Newbarns Brewery (Saturday 4th July) and Campervan Brewery (Sunday 5th July) will take over the beer garden with free pints for the first 20 customers, complete with a garden BBQ serving up hot dogs, chicken kebabs, and more from 6:00 pm each evening.

More events and surprises for the week are still to be confirmed. Customers are encouraged to keep an eye on the pub’s website and social media channels for the latest updates.

For reservations and more information, please visit: https://www.oldchainpier.com/

Friends of Starbank Park: Coffee Morning in aid of Earthquake Appeal

SATURDAY 4th JULY from 10.45am – 12 noon at STARBANK PARK

Come along and have a coffee this Saturday morning 4th July 10.45-12 noon in aid of the DEC Venezuela earthquake appeal.

We appreciate this is short notice, but if you are free to attend we would love to see you – donate what you can (if you are able to bring your own cups it would be much appreciated).

There will be home baking!

Finished Business art exhibition

Members from The Heart Dementia Meeting Centre The Heart of Newhaven have an arts exhibition coming up soon titled Finished Business.

This is a collaboration with the family of the late Kate Sharp whose unfinished canvases have been ‘finished’ by members of the Heart of Newhaven Dementia Meeting Centre.

Kate was an architect who loved to paint and stopped painting when she received a diagnosis of dementia and so our members were encouraged to pick up a paint brush and finish what Kate had started.

See the dates in the flier = we hope to see you there!

Iconic Edinburgh pub permanently slashes pint prices

The Old Chain Pier, one of Edinburgh’s most iconic pubs, is celebrating a historic milestone following the implementation of the new Scottish Pubs Code. The landmark legislation, which gives pub owners the right to request a rent-only agreement without being tied to a pub-owning business for stock supply, has empowered the venue to break free from restrictive purchasing obligations.

To mark the occasion, The Old Chain Pier is hosting a massive, week-long celebration from Monday, 29th June to Sunday, 5th July. Throughout the entire week, all pints poured at the pub will be reduced to just £5. As part of the celebration The Old Chain Pier will also hand over its beer garden to three of Edinburgh’s finest local breweries, with free pints up for grabs.

More events and surprises for the week are still to be confirmed. Customers are encouraged to keep an eye on the pub’s website and social media channels for the latest updates.

For reservations and more information, please visit: https://www.oldchainpier.com/

Picnic in the Park

SUNDAY 21st JUNE at VICTORIA PARK 12.30 – 3.30PM

Pack your picnic baskets and join us this Sunday, 21st June in Victoria Park!

Trinity Community Croft and Drakkar’s Drift garden, located on the bowling greens, will be open to all. There will be live music, tours and activities throughout.

See you there!

ELREC: Free Community Cooking Class at Heart of Newhaven

We are excited to share details about our new meal preparation course, funded by #LeithChooses

The “Efficient & Healthy Cooking” programme is designed primarily for, but not exclusively limited to, migrant and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) residents in Leith.

This programme aims to support individuals facing financial and societal barriers to accessing healthy food by offering an educational and practical course covering the following topics:

1. Efficiency and sustainability in meal preparation for families

2. Maintaining health and nutrition without compromise

3. Sourcing ingredients efficiently without breaking the bank or damaging the environment

4. Shopping for food with efficiency and sustainability in mind

5. Practicing efficient and sustainable recipes and cooking methods

6. Learning about food waste elimination and managing leftovers

Led by a qualified nutritionist, this programme provides an excellent opportunity to gain practical knowledge about food, including financial, nutritional, and cooking skills.

Additionally, we aim to combat loneliness and isolation by bringing people together to learn and share meals!

St Columba’s Hospice Care: Tombola Prizes Wanted

Having a Bank Holiday Weekend spring clean out? Did you know you can donate many different items to the Hospice?

– That bottle of wine gathering dust

– That gin still untouched

– The gift set you’ll never use, or the candle that’s not quite your scent

– The extra goodie bag items from your child’s party

– Even those kids toys still in their packaging!

Yes, we want it all, and you’ll feel great having decluttered and done a good deed! Every donation helps us raise vital funds at our upcoming events.

Please drop off unopened gift sets, bottles and kids games at our reception during opening hours, or contact the Fundraising Team on fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk or 0131 551 1381 for further details

St Columba’s: Time to Remember

FRIDAY 20 JUNE 2 – 2.45pm

All are invited to our Time to Remember Summer event in Fidra (No.17 Boswall Road) on Friday 19 June, at 2pm. This is an opportunity to gather together to remember loved ones who have died.

It’s an inclusive event, appropriate for all ages, and for people of all faiths and none. If you have children, feel free to bring them too. The event will include: quiet music, readings and reflections, the chance to think about the people we love and to write their name(s), and a gift to take home.

The Iona cafe will be open afterwards offering free hot drinks for anyone who wishes to stay and chat.

To register please complete the form on our website https://bit.ly/4awO4hh.

Please note a separate booking must be made for each person wishing to attend, including children.

TODAY: Newhaven Maritime Festival at The Heart of Newhaven

Join us for the Newhaven Maritime Festival 2026 — a celebration of the rich maritime history, culture, stories, crafts, and coastal ecology of Newhaven.

The Heart of Newhaven Community
4–6 Main Street, Newhaven, Edinburgh

Saturday 16 May 2026
12 noon – 3pm

Step into the past and explore the people, traditions, and heritage that shaped Newhaven through music, storytelling, art, memories, and hands-on activities for all ages.

Festival Activities & Exhibits

Songs from Newhaven
Traditional songs and music celebrating the harbour and its people.

Seascape Making and Story Telling with Tortoise in a Nutshell
Creative seascape activities and imaginative coastal storytelling.

Married to the Sea – The Fishwives and Women of Newhaven
Stories and history of the remarkable women who supported Newhaven’s fishing community.

Tales from the Harbour – Fishermen, Sailors and the Boats of Newhaven
Hear fascinating stories from the harbour and the lives lived at sea.

The Newhaven Tapestry
Discover the community tapestry celebrating local heritage and identity.

Wave after Wave – Word Chain
A collaborative creative word and poetry activity inspired by the sea.

Traditional Knitting
Explore maritime knitting traditions and techniques.

Newhaven Coastal Echo – Rephotography Then & Now
See Newhaven through time with historical and contemporary photography comparisons.

Talking and Remembering – Reminiscences of Newhaven in Days Gone By
Community memories and conversations about old Newhaven.

Newhaven Heritage
Learn more about the history and development of the area.

Mapping Maritime Heritage with Wessex Archaeology
Interactive exploration of maritime archaeology and local heritage mapping.

Exploring the Ecology of the Firth of Forth with Edinburgh Shoreline
Discover the wildlife, coastline, and ecology of the Firth of Forth.

Bring family and friends and celebrate the heritage, creativity, and community spirit of Newhaven!

Fringe Days Out returns for 2026

THE Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced the return of Fringe Days Out, the Fringe Society’s flagship community engagement programme.

Fringe Days Out supports Edinburgh-based community groups by providing free Fringe tickets to deliver an entire festival experience paid for by the Fringe Society. Through Fringe Days Out, more than 20,000 community group participants have visited the festival since 2017, with many having never experienced the Fringe before.

This year, Fringe Days Out launched at the Heart of Newhaven, a community hub in north Edinburgh that hosts a range of community groups. The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, joined Fringe Day Out community groups such as Vintage Vibes and Gig Buddies to celebrate the launch of this year’s programme.

Encouraging community groups to continue to embrace the Fringe in their own way and on their own terms, the event also featured a performance by Edinburgh Festival Fringe performer Greg Sinclair from the show Tongue Twister, part of this year’s Made in Scotland showcase.

The Fringe Days Out partner organisations work with a range of groups in Edinburgh and the surrounding area, including young people, single parents, isolated older adults, disabled and autistic people, ethnic minority communities, refugees and asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ people and many more.

This collaboration has fostered long-term, meaningful relationships and helps the Fringe Society better understand how it can open doors and allow communities to celebrate the arts, culture and creativity on their own terms.

Alongside the launch of Fringe Days Out, the Fringe Society has published an independent report studying the impact of Fringe Days Out, produced by Ruthless Research and funded by the Scottish Government.

The report highlights the positive effects Fringe Days Out has had on local Edinburgh communities such as:

around one in six respondents (17%) were first-time Fringe-goers
95% of the community members felt welcome at the Fringe following their visit
52% of the community partners reported that Fringe Days Out had led them to work with the Fringe Society in other ways

The Fringe Society looks forward to further developing the relationships forged by Fringe Days Out, ensuring this project supports community groups across Edinburgh and the festival remains a force for good in the city.

Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘Fringe Days Out is a real privilege for the Fringe Society to deliver and a joy to relaunch for 2026.

“Fringe Days Out is a wonderful example of how the Fringe Society collaborates with Edinburgh’s communities to break down long-term barriers and celebrate this amazing festival.

“It is vitally important that the Fringe Society continues to ensure that our Fringe Day Out community partners feel empowered to enjoy the Fringe in their own way and on their own terms.’

The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, said: ‘Fringe Days Out by the Fringe Society is really important as it helps local people to take part in this world-class festival taking place on their door-step.

“I’m proud to support Fringe Days Out 2026 and all it does to show the fringe is for everyone across the city and not only in its peak month of August.’

Sam Maggs, from Fringe Days Out community partner Gig Buddies, said: ‘Fringe Days Out gives Gig Buddies members a sense of ownership in their community.

“A lot of the time, access barriers and needing support can mean people feel disconnected from the place they live in. Fringe Days Out means that Gig Buddies members are part of the Fringe that’s on their doorstep.’

Find out more about Fringe Days Out and view the impact assessment at:

https://www.edfringe.com/about-us/news-and-blog/fringe-days-out-launches-for-2026/