What is Porty missing?

[Mark Cameron]

There are a fair number of empty shops/pubs on the main street at the moment (perhaps a sign of hard times biting).

There are also a lot of cafe/takeaway/charity shops.

I was interested to know what the members of the forum thought Porty was missing.

My own thougts are a decent stylish bar (perhaps the new wine bar will fill this gap). Although Dalriada is decent the current owner does little to make the place stylish which is a shame as I think it has the potential to be a goldmine with a few fairly simple tweaks.

I also think there's room for an organic cafe which also caters for children.

Interested to hear others thoughts on what services would make Porty a better place.

[Maria]

Although Dalriada is decent the current owner does little to make the place stylish which is a shame as I think it has the potential to be a goldmine with a few fairly simple tweaks.
.

Think you're being a bit unfair there or perhaps I'm not stylish enough! Don't you remember what it was like prior to it's current incarnation - all sticky floral carpet ? Anyway, I reckon the average life span of a 'trend' bar is rather short. Far better IMO to have a regular clientele of local worthies, than a 'stylish' crowd who will quickly ditch your establishment for the next new bar to open in the city centre.

As for what I'd like to see opening in Portobello? Well, I'd like a bookshop with a coffee shop. And I don't mean a second hand book shop with a community cafe, but something more akin to a Border's with a Starbucks!

A shoe shop would be good and a nice patisserie similar to the Sicilian one in Albert street would be great.

[SoupDragon]

Thorntons

[Bob Jefferson]

What is Porty missing?

His marbles?

[Sandra]

His pants?

[Sandra]

As for what I'd like to see opening in Portobello? Well, I'd like a bookshop with a coffee shop. And I don't mean a second hand book shop with a community cafe, but something more akin to a Border's with a Starbucks!

A shoe shop would be good and a nice patisserie similar to the Sicilian one in Albert street would be great.

I second all of the above Though a nice clothes shop would be good (tho we had one and it didn't last)

[Mark Cameron]

Although Dalriada is decent the current owner does little to make the place stylish which is a shame as I think it has the potential to be a goldmine with a few fairly simple tweaks.
.

Myra wrote - "Think you're being a bit unfair there or perhaps I'm not stylish enough! Don't you remember what it was like prior to it's current incarnation - all sticky floral carpet ? Anyway, I reckon the average life span of a 'trend' bar is rather short. Far better IMO to have a regular clientele of local worthies, than a 'stylish' crowd who will quickly ditch your establishment for the next new bar to open in the city centre."

Sory I'm not talking about a style bar but simple things like dimming those awful spots in the evening which would mean you could get the ambience from the candles. Painting the tired brown wood panelling white. Offering the winners of the pub quiz a free drink or bottle of wine. Dedicate one of the back rooms to familes at weekends (you know a few toys/books - maybe something the toy library folk could discuss with the owner). You know it's small things which don't cost the earth that just make the place a little friendlier and could do a lot for business. Places like Boda, Sofi's of J Pearce's have it down to a T.

I' a newbie in these parts so don't remember the old place (thankfully by the sounds of it!!)

[Poppy]

The Temple [as it was then] wasn't really that bad !

[Maria]

Sory I'm not talking about a style bar but simple things like dimming those awful spots in the evening which would mean you could get the ambience from the candles. Painting the tired brown wood panelling white. Offering the winners of the pub quiz a free drink or bottle of wine. Dedicate one of the back rooms to familes at weekends (you know a few toys/books - maybe something the toy library folk could discuss with the owner). You know it's small things which don't cost the earth that just make the place a little friendlier and could do a lot for business. Places like Boda, Sofi's of J Pearce's have it down to a T.

I' a newbie in these parts so don't remember the old place (thankfully by the sounds of it!!)

I believe Terry reads the forum from time to time, so you never know he may well pick up on your suggestions mcdryburn. I know that initially 'The Dalriada' aimed to be child friendly ( Portobello is certainly not short of families ), but that really presupposed that parents act responsibly and keep an eye on their kids, which unfortunately isn't always the case. I'm sure your kids, like my child, mcdryburn, are very well behaved, but they are often the exception. I admit that I don't find it very relaxing drinking or eating out with lots of other people's kids running about, while their parents ignore them. I suspect it is even more off putting to those without kids.
Do 'Boda' and 'Sofi's' allow kids in at night? I thought they had a cut off at 5 p.m.


I know many folk have fond memories of 'The Temple' Poppy, but suspect that's mainly nostalgia for a misspent youth. Certainly is for Epykat and Porty!

[bearcub]

His pants?

Don't.

I ate recently.

I reckon Porty is heading in the right direction, when we moved here 5 years ago we didn't have Select (good restaurant...but still a sh*t name), Reds, La Vie En Rose, Dalriada, Wisteria Lane, Fine Wine Company, Bonoful, Cinnamon, The Three Monkeys amongst others and...still to come, Espy, Barello (or whatever it's gonna be called) and new Prom coffee house slash yachting/kayaking club.

I wish we had less charity shops, bookies and sandwich shops, all of which are over provisioned, but what would I like to see...like others have mentioned, a good bookshop, although I struggle to see that happening, another good local pub or two and maybe just one or two more quality restaurants (do you sense I like food/drink )

[Porty]

I reckon Porty is heading in the right direction, when we moved here 5 years ago we didn't have Select (good restaurant...but still a sh*t name), Reds, La Vie En Rose, Dalriada, Wisteria Lane, Fine Wine Company, Bonoful, Cinnamon, The Three Monkeys amongst others and...still to come, Espy, Barello (or whatever it's gonna be called) and new Prom coffee house slash yachting/kayaking club.

We did have; the royal hotel, the plough, the bedford, cafe oops, jennys tea house, mikes takeaway, the beachcomber.... I agree it seems to have improved but we are still missing a real hotspot. Maybe barello will be it?

I hope so. Right now and it has been this way for some time; the bars that do best are owned by the same people and are located on the extremities of the town. the Orm and Foresters. neither of those bars has changed greatly in the last 25 years. The orm never had a tele up until about 10 years ago and definitely no music. Foresters is much the same, neither do food. And yet the appear to thrive. Lots of people have come forward with different formulae but they have lacked longevity, i'm struggling to explain why?

[Mark Cameron]

Sorry I'm not talking about a style bar but simple things like dimming those awful spots in the evening which would mean you could get the ambience from the candles. Painting the tired brown wood panelling white. Offering the winners of the pub quiz a free drink or bottle of wine. Dedicate one of the back rooms to familes at weekends (you know a few toys/books - maybe something the toy library folk could discuss with the owner). You know it's small things which don't cost the earth that just make the place a little friendlier and could do a lot for business. Places like Boda, Sofi's of J Pearce's have it down to a T.

I'm a newbie in these parts so don't remember the old place (thankfully by the sounds of it!!)

I believe Terry reads the forum from time to time, so you never know he may well pick up on your suggestions mcdryburn. I know that initially 'The Dalriada' aimed to be child friendly ( Portobello is certainly not short of families ), but that really presupposed that parents act responsibly and keep an eye on their kids, which unfortunately isn't always the case. I'm sure your kids, like my child, mcdryburn, are very well behaved, but they are often the exception. I admit that I don't find it very relaxing drinking or eating out with lots of other people's kids running about, while their parents ignore them. I suspect it is even more off putting to those without kids.
Do 'Boda' and 'Sofi's' allow kids in at night? I thought they had a cut off at 5 p.m.

I think Dalriada is child friendly to an extent (ie garden plaything) what I was thinking for inside for example was to trial the back room for example as a family friendly room (up until 7pm say). In their have a toy chest, some books, a microwave for heating baby milk/food. I also think they're really missing a trick by not doing food any more. If they took the Gordon Ramsay approach and did a limited menu that changed every week and was on a 6 week rotation and used my favoured KISS principle(Keep It Simple Stupid) I really think they could make good profit. You know simple stuff like an all day breakfast,

If the new bar 'Espy' gets their formula right I fear for Dalriada as there are times I've been in recently on a Friday night and there have been a handful of people. But you look at the pub quiz nights when it's prety full and yet there is nothing on offer as an incentive to the winning team.

I get the impression (and this may be way of the mark) that Terry's heart isn't in it as a passion and that he's going trough the motions. He has his musicians in (some which are truly awful) others like Jed and Loose Threads are great and I think because he likes this type of music he's happy to see the same thing week after week. Again the Three Monkeys has come on the scene and I saw a band Le Reno Amps there a couple of weeks ago and they were fantastic and really pulled in a crowd and it was a really nice night.

This is not, I repeat not, supposed to be an attack on Terry as he seems a perfectly nice bloke and from what little I know the pub game is very tough. These are my thoughts on what could make a local bar into a great wee local.

[Porty]

I think Dalriada is child friendly to an extent (ie garden plaything) what I was thinking for inside for example was to trial the back room for example as a family friendly room (up until 7pm say). In their have a toy chest, some books, a microwave for heating baby milk/food..

Horses for courses I had my mums wake in that room and funnily enough there wasn't a huge demand for any of the items you mention

I also think they're really missing a trick by not doing food any more. If they took the Gordon Ramsay approach and

I've witnessed Terry taking the Gordom Ramsay approach with a quite a few people.


Serioulsy tho, Mcdryburn, yours is a well considered post and I can't find much to disagree with.

[StarVanMan]

I reckon we need a better playpark, at least on the sea-side of the High Street. The two we have are really forlorn little spots compared to others you see all over the place.

[Epykat]

I know many folk have fond memories of 'The Temple' Poppy, but suspect that's mainly nostalgia for a misspent youth. Certainly is for Epykat and Porty!

My youth was very wisely spent I'll have you know - admittedly quite a bit of it in The Temple . I can't stand the Dalriada now. The live music really gets on my nerves. Fair enough, a guy with an acoustic guitar singing quietly would be quite nice but it's just not a big enough space for an amp I hate the egg yolk yellow as well and give me child unfriendly anytime. I'd rather have the Ormelie.
I agree Marya that we need a bookshop and a bead shop would be great.

[Robin!]

A Tesco....

I'll put my tin hat on

[Mark Cameron]

Robin - I must admit when I moved to Porty last year I thought it was missing exactly that (ie a small Tesco). But I have to say fair play to Scotmid as they really seem to have upped their game recently in terms of the quality of the food they're supplying - the shop could do with a bit of a refit I admit.

[Black Mamba]

A big Tesco extra store (I love Tesco extra).

[SoupDragon]

Me too

[Porty]

barello opens hoy!

[Grunk]

I think Dalriada is a great pub, it's friendly, often has good live music (as well as a couple of clangers), changing selection of real ales, Could do with a couple of white beers though and it's a shame that it stopped doing food, but Terry just said it was losing money keeping kitchen staff on all the time.
Certainly some of the other pubs in portobello aren't as welcoming, I rememeber walking into the Glassblower (I think it was that one) and being greeted by the Barmaid exclaiming "who are these ****s?" nice.

In the summer there's meant to be some decent live music events, a beer festival or two and oysters on hot days, all sounds good.

What I think Porty is missing:

A Tram Station (there's already train tracks to Leith and everything)

Butcher/Grocer that is open late, the meat/veg is far superior, but it is generally only open when me and the missus are at work, if they opened late one or two night a week, I'm sure their business would thrive.

A couple more Cafe's
A book shop

Hopefully as the masterplan comes into play we'll see a bit more life injected into the old dog yet.

[Porty]

Grunk. what a brilliant name. That deserves to be proper word.

[Bazza]

Yeah, the food shops on the High Street really should open a bit later. I normally get back just in time to miss out on the greengrocers. So it's Saturday only for me. So instead, my money goes to Scotmid.