Athletic Arms

The Athletic Arms opened in 1897 between two graveyards, which gave it the nickname Diggers among the gravediggers who once drank there after their shifts. The building keeps its late-Victorian layout of a long central bar with banquette seating, stained glass and tiled flooring, features that have survived several changes of tenancy over the decades. Licensee Kevin McGhee has run the pub since 2010, shifting its focus away from the mass-market ale it was once known for towards a stock of more than 700 malt whiskies alongside cask ales and rotating taps. Food runs to pies from a local butcher, toasties and homemade soup rather than a full kitchen menu. Sitting between Tynecastle Park and Murrayfield, the pub fills with football and rugby supporters on match days, though its whisky list draws a steadier trade through the rest of the week.