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The pub’s story
The old name is underfoot at Porters: the entrance mosaic reads PIERSHILL TAVERN. Behind the grey frontage, heritage surveys record a jug-bar screen, mahogany fittings, stained glass and three rooms shaped by different ways of drinking. The terrace dates from about 1850, its pub front from about 1890, and a rear room was added around 1910. This Category B listed pub also has a human story. In A Hardy Race, Jim Dingwall recalled returning to the Piershill for beers after winning the 1977 Scottish Marathon at nearby Meadowbank. Fellow runner Willie Day remembered finishers standing outside with pints to cheer a slower competitor, Eric 'the Mouse' Stevenson; that episode is undated. Porters reopened under new management in November 2024. Edinburgh Live reported that landlady Jane Scally reopened a small lounge for regulars after ceiling damage in May 2026. The operator later announced closure from 19 August until 14 September 2026 for repairs. As checked on 3 September, reopening remains unconfirmed and ordinary hours are unavailable.
What to notice
- 01
The entrance mosaic records the old name, PIERSHILL TAVERN; it is documented in the heritage surveys.
- 02
The leaded jug-bar screen explains how off-sales customers were separated from the drinking rooms.
- 03
The public bar, small lounge and rear room show a compartmented pub plan; their condition after the ceiling repairs still needs checking.
The time rail
The building, the pub and its interior may date from different periods. The timeline keeps documented dates separate from tradition.
The Piershill Place terrace was built.
The north-end public-house elevation was added to the terrace.
CAMRA dates the surviving pub to 1893; this is not proof that no earlier licensed premises existed here.
A rear games room was added behind the earlier compartmented pub plan.
Jim Dingwall recalled returning to the Piershill Tavern for beers after winning the Scottish Marathon at Meadowbank.
The premises were added to the statutory list at Category B.
The pub reopened under new management.
Porters reopened under another new management team.
Ceiling damage interrupted trading in May; a small lounge reopened on 12 May. A later operator notice announced closure from 19 August until 14 September for ceiling repairs. The planned end is not a confirmed reopening.
Sources & confidence
HES documents the listed terrace and pub fabric; CAMRA describes the compartmented interior and dates the surviving pub to 1893. A Hardy Race adds retrospective testimony from marathon runners, including Jim Dingwall's 1977 celebration; Willie Day's separate recollection is undated. Edinburgh Live reports May 2026 ceiling damage and limited lounge reopening. The later operator notice explicitly closes the pub from 19 August until 14 September 2026, with no confirmed reopening. The older Facebook hours dialog conflicts with CAMRA and is not treated as current. The licence gives EH8 7EH; Facebook uses EH8 7BB at the same address. Inspected frontage references document an earlier appearance, not completed repairs or unchanged current interior fabric.
Research reviewed
- Porters, EdinburghCampaign for Real Alespecialist
SupportsIdentity, address, telephone, former Piershill Tavern name, reopening notes and detailed historic interior description. The older survey metadata is not treated as current-hours confirmation.
- 5-8 Piershill Place, listed building LB49045Historic Environment Scotlandgovernment
SupportsCategory B listing, circa 1850 terrace, circa 1890 pub elevation and detailed surviving interior fabric.
- Scotland's Real Heritage PubsCampaign for Real Ale Pub Heritage Groupheritage
SupportsNational heritage assessment of the Piershill Tavern interior, mosaic, rooms, gantry, jug bar and stained glass.
- Porters Bar map recordOpenStreetMapappearance
SupportsMapped identity, Piershill location and coordinates.
- Porters Bar current operator closure noticePorters Barofficial
SupportsOperator post dated 18 August explicitly announces closure from 19 August until 14 September 2026 for ceiling repairs. It does not confirm reopening. The older automated Open now label and hours dialog cannot supersede this notice.
- Porters Bar licensing information response 53935City of Edinburgh Councilgovernment
SupportsCouncil records Iona Pub Partnership Limited as licensee before 4 June 2014 and Emma Jane Fyne as nominated premises manager on 4 February 2025, at 7 Piershill Place, EH8 7EH. This is not current hours or reopening evidence.
- Porters sale-listing frontage photographChristie and Co / Rightmoveappearance
SupportsUndated commercial photograph shows the PORTERS BAR fascia, grey pilasters, white window frames and shaped panels, gold trim and projecting sign. It documents a frontage appearance, not completion of 2026 repairs.
- A Hardy Race: Scottish Marathon Championship history, PDF pages 45-46 and 55Fraser Clyne and Colin Youngsonspecialist
SupportsQuotes Jim Dingwall recalling beers at the Piershill after his 1977 Scottish Marathon win. Willie Day separately recalls runners cheering Eric Stevenson from outside; that episode has no exact date. Page 55 explicitly identifies Porter's as the Piershill Tavern near Meadowbank. Retrospective testimony, not two independent sources.
- Edinburgh pub landlady horrified as ceiling caves in moments before opening timeEdinburgh Live, Lee Dalgettyeditorial
SupportsReports Jane Scally's account of ceiling collapse on the Saturday after 8 May 2026 and a small lounge reopening for regulars on 12 May. Interior damage photographs accompany the report. The report does not establish completion of later repairs or a September reopening.
