One of Scotland’s most famous traditional pubs, Sandy Bell’s, is undergoing what is described as ‘the biggest refurbishment in its history’, as it prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2027.
Iona Pub Partnership is investing £100,000 in the Forrest Road pub, working in collaboration with long-standing tenant Steve Hannah and his team.
The four-week refurbishment of the venue – being conducted while still trading throughout – will be fully completed this month, including a new frontage, refreshed brand identity, brand new toilets and improvements to the pub’s internal décor.
While significant, the work is said to have been approached with rthe overriding priority of protecting the ‘character, heritage and atmosphere’ that have made Sandy Bell’s famous in Edinburgh and far beyond.
The pub’s history stretches back to the early 20th century, when the Forrest Road property, originally a local shop, became a bar known as The Forrest Hill Buffet.
Owned in the 1920s by Mrs Bell and her family, the venue gradually became known to its customers as ‘Sandy’s’, ‘Bell’s’ and eventually Sandy Bell’s.
By the 1960s, the pub had established itself as one of the most important meeting places of the British folk music revival, building an international reputation that continues to this day.
Over the decades, its small back room has welcomed some well-known figures in Scottish music and culture, with Aly Bain, Barbara Dickson, Johnny and Phil Cunningham, Dougie MacLean, Rod Paterson, Jack Evans, Gerry Rafferty and Billy Connolly among the famous names to have played there.
That musical tradition remains central to Sandy Bell’s today, with daily traditional folk sessions attracting musicians and visitors from around the world to experience a pub that ‘has become as much a cultural institution as it is a drinking establishment’.
During the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in particular, Sandy Bell’s is a meeting point for an international mix of musicians, performers, locals and visitors, enjoying its selection of cask and draught beers and extensive range of malt whiskies.
Tenant Steve Hannah has been at the helm of Sandy Bell’s for 14 years, continuing the pub’s reputation as a home for traditional music, while Michael Weidenhof has been part of Sandy Bell’s for an extraordinary 28 years.
Their combined experience and connection to the venue have played an important role in shaping the refurbishment, ensuring the investment improves the building without losing its character.
The project is the latest chapter in the long-standing relationship between Sandy Bell’s and Iona Pub Partnership, with the pub company providing the financial, operational, marketing and design support required to deliver the refurbishment.
Business development manager at Iona Pub Partnership, Aaron Mills, said: “Places like Sandy Bell’s simply can’t be replicated. It has an identity, history and reputation that have been built over generations, so this investment has always been about protecting that legacy while giving Steve, Michael and the team a venue that is ready for the years ahead.
“Our relationship with Steve is exactly what we want a pub partnership to represent. He has spent 14 years building on the legacy of Sandy Bell’s and understands the venue and its customers better than anyone.
“Our role is to support him, invest alongside him and give him the tools to continue doing what he does best,” said Mills.
“With the pub approaching its 100th anniversary, there couldn’t be a more appropriate time to make this investment. We’re incredibly proud to play our part in the next chapter of such an important Scottish pub.”
Group brand manager Craig Grant added: “When you’re working with a name like Sandy Bell’s, the last thing you want to do is redesign the history out of it.
“There are brands that spend years trying to manufacture the kind of authenticity Sandy Bell’s already has. Working alongside an external agency, our job has simply been to respect that, understand what people recognise and love about the pub, and make sure the new identity feels like Sandy Bell’s – just the best version of it.
“The stories, the musicians, the people behind the bar and the generations of customers who have walked through the door are the brand. As we head towards the pub’s 100th anniversary, the refurbishment gives us an opportunity to celebrate all of that while making sure Sandy Bell’s is ready for its next century.”
