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The pub’s story
Scotts of Rose Street is a current traditional Scottish pub at 202 Rose Street, within a Category B New Town corner building dating to around 1790. Historic Environment Scotland identifies a bar at ground floor and a later modern fascia, but records that the interior was not inspected in 1995. That is building history, not proof that this is Rose Street’s oldest operating pub. The current operator makes that ‘oldest’ claim and links the name to a formidable landlady, ‘Ma Scott’; without an independent date or archival evidence, both should remain attributed. CAMRA’s record documents the present name in an exterior photograph by December 2013 and was last updated in June 2025, while cautioning its operating details may be out of date. Today Scotts markets over 100 malts, Scottish food and sport. Read it as a current bar inside early New Town fabric, with colourful local branding rather than verified eighteenth-century continuity.
What to notice
- 01
The pub’s formal history should be read cautiously: the 1790 date is secure for the building, while ‘oldest pub’ and ‘Ma Scott’ are operator storytelling without an independent source here.
- 02
CAMRA’s hours are older than the current operator page’s general information and carry an out-of-date warning; recheck directly before a late visit.
- 03
The listed building’s interior was not inspected in the heritage survey, so do not assume its present bar fittings are eighteenth century.
The time rail
The building, the pub and its interior may date from different periods. The timeline keeps documented dates separate from tradition.
Historic Environment Scotland dates the 202 Rose Street corner building to around 1790, with later alterations and a bar at ground floor.
202 Rose Street was added to the statutory list at Category B.
CAMRA’s record identifies a venue survey on this date; it does not establish the opening date of the current pub.
CAMRA published an exterior image record for Scotts at 202 Rose Street.
CAMRA last updated its current Scotts record, with a warning that some operating details may be out of date.
The operator presents Scotts as a current Scottish-food, whisky and sport pub and attributes the 1790/‘Ma Scott’ story to local history.
Sources & confidence
The Bruce Group establishes the current operator’s 1790 and Ma Scott story, while CAMRA independently confirms present operation. No primary archival source was located for the claimed age or ‘oldest pub’ status, so those claims are explicitly attributed and do not drive the profile’s historical interpretation.
Research reviewed
- 202 Rose Street and 150 Rose Street South Lane (LB29655)Historic Environment Scotlandheritage
SupportsCirca-1790 building, Category B listing, ground-floor bar, modern fascia and the fact that the interior was not inspected in 1995.
- Scott’s of Rose StreetBruce Group Scotlandofficial
SupportsCurrent venue identity, whisky/food/sport offer and operator claims that it dates to 1790, is Rose Street’s oldest pub and is named for ‘Ma Scott’; those claims are treated as attributed.
- Scotts, EdinburghCampaign for Real Alespecialist
SupportsCurrent Rose Street record, 2012 survey, December 2013 exterior image, June 2025 update and the caveat that information may be outdated.
- Edinburgh and South-East Scotland Pub GuideCampaign for Real Alespecialist
SupportsCurrent local CAMRA directory listing for Scotts at 202 Rose Street.
- List of licensed premisesCity of Edinburgh Councilgovernment
SupportsCouncil licensed-premises cross-check for Scotts.
- Licensed Premises dataCity of Edinburgh Councilgovernment
SupportsCurrent council dataset context for licensed Rose Street premises.
