Edinburgh city-centre speakeasy Jackson The Tailor is the only bar in Scotland to be shortlisted by the British Institute of Interior Designers for its 2024 awards.
The Merchant Leisure-owned venue, located on the capital’s Leith Street, was inspired by the speakeasy culture of the early 20th century, when Old Leith Street was the centre of Edinburgh’s tailoring industry.
Basing the bar around the fictional character of Jackson, a tailor responsible for fitting out Edinburgh’s sharpest dressers, Collective Design created an interior that immerses customers in brass and velvet, with intimate booths and vintage artefacts.
Each page on the drinks menu is embroidered with a measuring tape to showcase the exact spirit measurements, ingredients and garnishes in customers’ drinks.
The venue’s era-inspired cocktails are divided into sections; ‘Neither Shaken Nor Stirred’ include inventive serves such as the ‘Moroccan Collins’ and ‘Spritz Royale’, with the ‘Make Mine A Martini’ section home to the ‘Jackson’s Vesper’.
The British Institute of Interior Design is the only professional institute for interior designers in the UK, and annually celebrates the most innovative and aesthetically pleasing interior designs across the UK.
Managing director at Merchant Leisure Ltd, Arthur Mustard, said: “To be recognised for such a prestigious award is an absolute honour.
“Our aim with Jackson the Tailor is to create a suave and comfortable space to enjoy carefully crafted cocktails. We believe that wearing a beautifully made suit is an experience, and so is consuming a beautifully made drink. And that is what inspired the attention to detail for our striking interior.”
Merchant Leisure’s other bars & restaurants across the city include The Newsroom, The Piper’s Rest, Burgers & Beers Grillhouse and The Railbridge.
