Organisers of this year’s Royal Highland Show have unveiled details of three new bars that will be serving at the four day event, which takes place from 23-26 June at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston.
The Botanic Garden, The Stetson and Gordon Castle bar will be situated alongside the 13th Avenue at the 110 acre showground. The 13th Avenue is a newly launched shopping area offering visitors a range of gifts, homestyle products and different food.
The Botanical Garden is a nod to the gin revolution sweeping the country, and is run by Edinburgh catering company, Hickory, in the south east of the showground. It will offer a range of artisan Scottish gins and mixologists in one section, and craft beers and live music in the other.
The Stetson, the show’s first country music themed bar, will sit behind the Lowland Hall. Managed by Gilchrist’s, which runs the Merry Monk bar on 4th Avenue, the 1000 capacity bar will be offering line dancing. In the revamped 13th Avenue Arcade shoppers can look forward to enjoying a glass of fizz at the new Gordon Castle prosecco bar.
Eden Brewery will be returning to host the Real Ale bar in the Lifestyle Village, while the German Bar, run by Gilchrists, will be back on 4th Avenue (opposite the Forestry Arena) and there will be the always popular Cider Bar in the Countryside Area.
Old favourites such as Cheers Bar, Quaich Bar, Strathmore Restaurant, Stockmans Bar & Restaurant on Avenue M, MacPhersons Bar & Grill off the Floral Walkway and The Stag, will all be returning in 2016 at their usual locations.
The Show Dance returns in 2016 under the cover of the marquee. The dance will have extended opening hours this year and will also now open on Wednesday 22 June from 18:00-23:00.
David Jackson, Show Manager, said: “We are really pleased to now be able to share our new bar line up for the Show. Our new direction means that we are focusing on quality, not quantity, which will make things more socially orientated. We feel that by introducing these new smaller venues we can offer people real variety in their choice of where they head to drink, eat and socialise. I know that some people are disappointed that the Herdsman won’t be back, but all I ask is for them to give these new venues a chance, they won’t be disappointed.”