Edinburgh pubs: Edinburgh university opens its very own city centre bar in honour of the class of ’23

An Edinburgh university has taken over an Edinburgh pub, completely transforming it into their very own boozer.

As over 2,500 students make their way to the Usher Hall ito attend their graduation ceremony, one of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, Shakespeare’s on Lothian Road, has rebranded as The Napier Graduate in honour of the Napier University’s class of ’23.

Capturing the celebratory mood of the graduates, the pub has been decked out in red and white Napier livery, changing everything from the outdoor signs to the beermats in tribute of the new graduates and providing a welcoming space to celebrate with families and loved ones.

For three days only, from Wednesday 5 July to Friday 7 July, the original Shakespeare’s signage has been replaced with the new Napier branding resulting in a complete redesign of the pub to make it the place to celebrate after graduation.

This is not the first time Edinburgh Napier University has pulled out all the stops to celebrate its graduates. In 2021, the University held a city takeover, which saw the name of graduates displayed across 18 billboards, 100 bus stops, an Edinburgh Tram, and a taxi, accompanied by messages underlining the University’s pride in them and offering congratulations on their success.

Professor Andrea Nolan, principal and vice chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Graduations in the Usher Hall are the highlight of the year for me and Shakespeare’s has been synonymous with celebrations after our ceremonies for as long as I can remember.

“To support recognition of the achievements of our class of ’23, we are dedicating a special place for them to celebrate with family and friends.

“The warm and welcoming staff at the newly named The Napier Graduate are the perfect hosts to help raise a toast to our new graduates as they embark on their next chapter after university.”

Izzy Polson, general manager of Shakespeare’s, said: “We love welcoming the new graduates to the pub each year. It’s always such a fun and celebratory time so we were delighted to be rebranded as The Napier Graduate to make this year even more special.

“As one of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, Shakespeare’s was built at the same time as many of the theatres of the area, so you never know, I could be serving the next Shakespeare!”