I’ve talked before about Leith, Edinburgh’s harbour area that was once a different city, but until now the pubs I’ve visited have lacked that real waterside, coastal feeling. Not so, the Starbank Inn down at Newhaven. Although separated from the Firth of Forth by the road, sit yourself at the correct angle and you’ll feel like there’s nothing between you and the water.
We recently found ourselves sat in the Belhaven-owned Starbank on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year, having indulged in a spot of squirrel-feeding at the Botanics, and the place was buzzing. We’d been before and I’d often felt it was a large pub that could feel quite empty and soulless as a result. Not on this occasion, however. There was a great mix of locals, diners and what I presume was a private function going on. At this time of year, with it being cold outside, it seemed exactly the right place to be, with a feeling of festive jollity and a fire blazing away in the corner.