PUB REVIEW: JOSEPH PEARCE

by Dave Hynes

EDINBURGH

I was expecting a nightmare on Elm Row, or at least a little pub of horrors having got a damning evaluation from a friend who lamented the fact his girlfriend drags him there often… Well here’s the good news… he’s no longer my friend since he obviously has no judgement at all.

Pierce your way through the technicolour furnishings and you find Joseph has got himself a decent old stable at the bottom of Elm Row. Light, airy, expansive and pleasant it gets busy during the weekends and is a great place to be with loads of pubs around in all directions.

Its also huge, as the pub seems to unfold into different rooms as you traverse its exceptionable bar. Joseph Pearce is part of the quartet of Swedish wonderbars adorning Leith which knows how to make its packages look perk ( the other three are the exceptionally vivid Boda, Sofi’s and Victoria). Again beautiful barmaids have swayed my judgement but they were added bonuses rather than necessary features.

Beer is relatively expensive but I’m afraid that’s the price Leith is going to have to pay for quality of this kind, otherwise its cheap thrills at shitholes like the Foot of the Walk- and at least this way you don’t have to pay for psychiatric help afterwards.

Joseph Pearce acts like a beacon at the top of the versatile Leith Walk, Edinburgh’s answer to the Champs Elysee, and like the Arc de Triomph its well worth the hike. Stylish, upmarket and bohemian it looks set to do very well for itself. Get your oars out Leithers and row yourself to where the Elms grow wild, my mate Joe got a sunny little boozer which is well worth a visit.