The Bar and the Royal Mile

The Royal McGregor is in Edinburgh's Royal Mile just about halfway between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyrood House - the Queen's residence in Scotland.

From 1999, we were just five minutes walk away from Scotland's new Parliament in its temporary home at the top of the Mound, now moved to its spectacular new building just down the road from us at Holyrood.

Two minutes walk away is the old Parliament Hall and the Signet Library. The Scottish Supreme Courts and the Sheriff Courts are almost next door and the pub has had a long association with Advocates (Barristers/ Lawyers) who have been know to have the occasional tipple.

A few yards away are the Mercat Cross, The City of Edinburgh City Chambers (Town Hall), the High Kirk of St Giles and the Tron Kirk where Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations took place for many years before the more recent world renowned party.

Bustling all the year round, the Royal Mile takes on a new look during the Festival and the Fringe in August and September. Pipers, Street Theatre, Music and a range of exciting and eccentric events take place in the street from dawn to dusk.

Over the centuries, many legendary figures have tread the Royal Mile's cobbles. From the romantic Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie, to the sinsiter Burke and Hare and Deacon Brodie.

James Connolly was a street sweeper here and John Knox preached at the High Kirk of St Giles only two minutes walk from The Royal McGregor.

The Royal Mile boasted the world's first skyscrapers with tenements soaring high above the Royal Mile and even higher from Cockburn Street. A mix of classes lived in the same buildings - the better off furthest away from the smell!

This was due to the old Edinburgh habit of emptying waste out of the window, with the warning shout to passers by of "Gardyloo" - later to become the name of Edinburgh's sewerage ship.

Luckily things have changed now and the Royal Mile is a charming street of history, of old closes (lanes), of ghost stories - but most of all a living street of bars, restaurants, shops and houses.

The Royal McGregor is at the heart of the Royal Mile and reflects that mix of ancient and 21st century, locals and visitors, traditional and cosmopolitan.

See you at the bar!

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