There’s a party down on Edinburgh’s Trinity seafront this week, as the Old Chain Pier pub celebrates escaping its beer tie.
To mark the moment, the Malt Group venue has dropped all its pint prices to £5, and will be hosting pop-ups from local Edinburgh breweries with free beer giveaways.
Announcing the celebration – running from today, Monday, 29th June, to Sunday 5th July – a Malt Group spokesperson described the Old Chain Pier’s exit from the beer tie as a ‘victory for local hospitality’ arising from the implementation of the new Scottish Pubs Code.
That landmark legislation has given pub owners the right to request a rent-only agreement without being tied to a pub-owning business for stock supply, empowering venues to ‘break free from restrictive purchasing obligations’.
The Old Chain Pier’s newfound buying independence means the historic pub can stock a wider ‘more exciting’ range of beers and permanently slash the price of its house lager to just £5 a pint, as well as reduce the price of all its beers.
Malt Group said that this change has arrived at a critical time for the local hospitality sector: “Edinburgh’s pubs and restaurants are currently navigating unprecedented financial pressures including high VAT, soaring business rates, road closures, rising Employer National Insurance Contributions, and the highest local authority charges in Europe for outdoor tables and chairs.
“Against this challenging backdrop, the Scottish Pubs Code provides a much-needed lifeline, finally allowing venues like the Old Chain Pier to operate fairly and pass those savings directly to customers and sell pints at true market prices.”
January Watson, area manager for Malt Group, added: “The Scottish Pubs Code has been a massive relief for us. Operating in Edinburgh’s hospitality sector is incredibly tough right now with mounting taxes, rates, and the highest table and chair charges in Europe.
“Being able to step away from tied stock means we finally have the freedom to curate our own beer selection, support brilliant local breweries, and pass those savings directly on to our loyal customers with £5 pints.”
For this celebratory week, all pints poured at the pub will be reduced to £5, and the Old Chain Pier’s beer garden will host three of Edinburgh’s finest local breweries – Stewart Brewing Beer on Friday 3rd July; Newbarns Brewery on Saturday 4th July; and Campervan Brewery on Sunday 5th July, with free pints for the first 20 customers, and a garden BBQ serving up hot dogs, chicken kebabs, and more from 6pm each evening.
Guests who book a table to dine from Monday 29th June through Thursday 2nd July will also receive 20% off their food bill.
Additional festivities running throughout the week include live music performances, free face painting for all ages, and a pet fancy dress competition.
