In our Edinburgh podcast we vada the reviews for the gay bars and clubs of Edinburgh’s pink triangle! We raise a glass in The Street, The Regent, CC Blooms and Planet Bar and Kitchen. Along the way we meet a straight blacksmith, Trendy Wendy on the decks and the Duchess of Edinburgh in search of loo roll.
Fun Facts about Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland renowned for its annual Festival and Fringe. Its landscape was formed by glaciers in the Ice Age and Edinburgh Castle is built on top of an extinct volcano called Castle Rock. The Castle was once home to an elephant when in 1838, the 78th Highlanders came back to Edinburgh with an elephant as their regimental mascot, who apparently quickly developed a taste for beer! Today the world’s only knighted penguin lives in Edinburgh Zoo. His name is Sir Nils Olav III – as there have been two Sir Nils Olavs before him – and he received his knighthood in 2008. He is a King penguin (which is fitting), and his official duties include inspecting the Norwegian Guard on their visits to the city as he is their mascot and Colonel-in-Chief.
Robert McVitie, a Scottish baker, first set up shop in Rose Street, Edinburgh and we have his company to thank for the Jaffa Cake which was invented in 1927.
The Edinburgh Gay Scene
Rose Street’s Kenilworth pub was Edinburgh’s original ‘gay bar’ and, along with the Nelson Hotel in the New Town. offered a warm welcome to the city’s gay community prior to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Scotland in 1981. Today Edinburgh’s gay scene, its Pink Triangle, is centred around the top of Leith Walk, just off Princes Street, with all the bars and clubs are in easy walking distance of each other and catering for all tastes
The Street
The Street, established in 2004 on Picardy Place, advertises itself as a bar, eatery and nightclub. It’s open from noon until 1am daily, although at weekends the downstairs nightclub is open as late as 3am, with DJ Trendy Wendy, one of the proprietors, regularly taking to the decks. They offer an extensive ‘street food’ menu, and are famed for their nachos and toasties, apparently. The walls of the upstairs bar are decorated with a revolving selection of work by local artists, available for purchase, and for over a decade it has been a popular venue for stand-up comedy during the Edinburgh Fringe.
Website: https://www.thestreetbaredinburgh.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100047632189216
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestreetbar_andnightclub
Address: 2b Picardy Pl, Edinburgh EH1 3JT
Regent Bar
Regent Bar is, according to their website, Edinburgh’s LGBT+ and ‘straight friendly’ real ale pub, known for its homely atmosphere and comfy sofas. It’s open 4pm till midnight, and is located on Montrose Terrace, slightly outside the centre of town. According to an article in the Edinburgh Evening News, Alan Nicholls, who runs the bar, last year celebrated twenty years at the helm. He told the reporter two of his proudest moments were being declared the Campaign for Real Ale’s Edinburgh Pub of the Year in 2008 and becoming a Punch Publican of Year Finalist in 2022.
Website: https://theregentbar.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdinburghRegent
Address: 2 Montrose Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5DL
CC Blooms
CC Blooms was founded in 1994 and was named after Bette Midler’s character in the film Beaches. Their website says the venue was modelled around Bette herself … a bit fiery, plenty of comedy value, star of a few tragic stories, hostess to many, and altogether a roaring success!
Website: https://ccblooms.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccbloomsbar
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccbloomsbar
Address: 23-24 Calton Square, Edinburgh EH1 3AA
Planet Bar
Planet Bar and Kitchen is Edinburgh’s longest running gay bar. It’s described as bright and buzzy gay bar with DJ sessions & daily entertainment.
Website: https://planetbaredinburgh.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlanetBarAndKitchen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planetbarandkitchen
Address: 6 Baxter’s Pl, Edinburgh EH1 3AF
Visit www.theonetofiveguide.com for our Gay Scene Guides to: Newcastle, Brighton, Leeds, Soho, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Blackpool, Glasgow, Belfast, London, Liverpool and the Regions. And finally, please remember that even if we are a little tongue in cheek in our podcast, we do love each and every venue on the scene, and we urge you all to get out there and support your local gay bars!