Celebrating the global Netflix launch ofPeaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Fans in Edinburgh, dressed in their Peaky best, invited to raise a glass to a legend, Tommy Shelby, with a drink on the Peaky Blinder!
On Friday (27th March), a complimentary bar tab will be available in local independent pubs across the country, including The Athletic Arms (The Diggers) from 4pm.
To mark the arrival of Peaky Blinders, The Immortal Man, Netflix is partnering with The Athletic Arms (The Diggers), as part of ten independent pubs nationwide bringing fans to their local to celebrate and enjoy a drink on Tommy Shelby.
This Friday 27th March, The Athletic Arms (The Diggers) will celebrate the icon Tommy Shelby. Fans can claim a complimentary drink simply by using the legendary phrase: “By order of the Peaky Blinders”.
Each participating pub will embrace a 1940s Peaky Blinders-inspired theme, with limited-edition merchandise and flat caps up for grabs. Guests are welcome (but not required!) to don their best Peaky-style outfits.
A cornerstone of British culture and community, the concept of the ‘local’ is central to Peaky Blinders. One pub a day disappeared for good in England and Wales during 2025 as sustained cost pressures continued to weigh heavily on the sector and Netflix is proud to support these regional answers to The Garrison, allowing fans to come together to toast the legend of Peaky.
Directed by Tom Harper and written by Steven Knight, who created and wrote the smash hit series, the film stars Academy Award® winner Cillian Murphy returning as Tommy Shelby with a cast that includes Rebecca Ferguson, Academy Award® nominee Tim Roth, Sophie Rundle with Academy Award® nominee Barry Keoghan and Primetime Emmy Award® winner Stephen Graham.
Set against a bombed 1940s Birmingham, the film follows the legendary Tommy Shelby as he returns from exile to reckon with the legacy of himself and the family.
Speaking on bringing the world of Peaky Blinders to their patrons, Kevin McGhee, Landlord, The Athletic Arms, said: “As a late-Victorian Edinburgh icon, known in our community for its rich history, we are thrilled to bring the world of Tommy Shelby to the Diggers.
“Our central bar has served everyone from local gravediggers to modern day legends since 1897. Now, we’re excited to welcome the beloved Peaky Blinders community in Edinburgh and raise a glass to Tommy Shelby.”
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is in cinemas now, and on Netflix from March 20. Peaky fans from Scotland are invited to celebrate the launch of The Immortal Man at The Athletic Arms (The Diggers) on Friday 27th March, enjoying their next round on Tommy Shelby.
The winners of the 2025 Scottish Bar & Pub Awards were unveiled at a glittering Oscars-themed ceremony held at the Doubletree by Hilton, Glasgow on Tuesday. Celebrating its 30th year, the prestigious event welcomed hundreds of hospitality professionals from across Scotland, with over 100 venues shortlisted as finalists.
Top industry honours went to some of Scotland’s most iconic names. Michele Pagliocca, owner of Monteleone Ltd (The Marlborough, The Butterfly and the Pig,
The Buff Club and Singl-End) in Glasgow, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Donald MacLeod MBE was recognised with the SHG Contribution to the Industry Award and Buzzworks’ Alison Blair was named Inspirational Woman of the Year.
Scottish Bar & Pub Awards 2025
There were big celebrations in Edinburgh as local venues scooped some of the night’s most coveted titles.
Black Ivy was named Hotel Scotland Hotel Bar of the Year, Hey Palu claimed the Brugal 1888 Cocktail Bar of the Year, and The Athletic Arms (above) took home the title of Benromach Whisky Bar of the Year.
I’m sure my old pal Frank Russell would have raised a glass to THAT award! – Ed.
Scottish Bar & Pub Awards 2025
It was a double win for Encore Bars, with Freddy’s picking up Fireball Best Late Night Venue, and owner Edward Fox receiving the Black Ivy and Montpeliers Rising Star Entrepreneur Award.
The night even saw individual successes celebrated, with Jane Ross (The Mother Superior) awarded the Deanston Whisky Guru Rising Star Award, Gavin Ruthven (The Dome) named HOSPO Manager of the Year, and Toby Peters (The Cocktail Geeks) shaking things up to win Schweppes Mixologist of the Year.
In Midlothian, The Original Rosslyn Inn was recognised as the DRAM Dog Friendly Pub of the Year, celebrating its warm welcome to both guests and their four-legged friends.
The celebrations continued in Glasgow, where Berlinkys was awarded the DRAM New Bar of the Year, Kitty O’Shea’s took home the Jameson Best Irish Bar title, and MacSorley’s proudly received the highly sought-after Pub of the Year award.
Dundee enjoyed a successful night, with Draffens honoured with the De Kuyper Award for Cocktail Excellence in Neighbourhood Venues, and The Phoenix receiving the Staropramen Award for Outstanding Quality.
In Fife, Hugos Bar and Pavilion celebrated a second consecutive win, this time taking home the DRAM Best Beer Garden award, while The Criterion in St Andrews received the Inverarity Morton Best Drinks Offering trophy.
Elsewhere across Scotland, The Newton Bar in Millport was named DRAM Community Pub of the Year, The Birds and Bees in Stirling earned the Jump Ship Brewing Gastropub of the Year title, Lochy’s in Barrhead took the Sims Automatics Sports Bar of the Year award, and Aimee Ashworth from Dishoom was honoured with the Campari Bar Apprentice 2025 accolade.
Two industry giants also made their mark on the night. Apex Hotels showcased their commitment to staff wellbeing by winning the Hospitality Health Employer of the Year award, while the formidable Bucks Bar Group took home the Favela Independent Multiple Operator Award.
Special recognition was given to Fiona Joyce of the Solway Lodge in Gretna, who received the Unsung Hero award, and Lorraine Ferguson from Billy Bridges in Ayr, who was named Bar Personality of the Year.
Both women have dedicated over 20 years to their venues, embodying the passion and loyalty at the heart of Scotland’s hospitality industry.
Susan Young, organiser and Editor of industry publication DRAM, said, “It was fantastic to see so many deserving winners this year.
“These awards are a celebration of the people who make the Scottish hospitality industry the success it is, and this year’s entries were truly outstanding.
“Over the past 30 years, we’ve hosted some incredible events, and this was certainly one of the best. Every finalist deserves recognition for the exceptional venues they operate and should be immensely proud of their achievements.
Edinburgh pub worker calls on hospitality staff to join a union
Commenting on the re-opening of indoors hospitality, Roz Foyer, General Secretary of the STUC has reminded employers that workers are preparing to resist detrimental changes to contracts and conditions associated with the safe return to work.
Roz Foyer said: “Indoor hospitality re-opening safely depends on changes to working conditions. But these must not be allowed to come at a cost to workers.
“Workers are the heart of hospitality, but for too long employers have been able to pass the unstable condition of the industry onto their staff.
“We will not forget the businesses who refused to furlough their staff during this pandemic, and who have treated workers callously with attempts to make them sign away their terms and conditions in order to ringfence profit or prevent unexpected costs.
“From cafes like Coias in Dennistoun to cinema chains like Cineworld, workers have come together to win their demands in the return to work period.
“If you are asked to work differently or to sign a new contract, don’t accept, delay, and work out with your colleagues whether you are happy with the proposal. Then join a union and take action.”
Matthew Waddell, 19, who returned to work at the Diggers pub yesterday, urged workers to be prepared to resist the prospect of changes to work and conditions.
He said: “The incoming economic crisis should be a call to all workers to join unions, unionise their workplaces and make sure those unions are active.
“The precarious nature of hospitality work and the effect a COVID recession will have on it makes unionisation all the more urgent.
“The Better Than Zero campaign against precarious work is on hand to give guidance and support for hospitality workers and any other workers who do not have unions.”
