Notorious pub demolished to make way for food store

The Duddingston Mull in Niddrie lost its licence temporarily after an alleged dog-fighting ring was exposed three years ago.

Last November, it won a reprieve after a stolen motorbike worth £5000 was found inside the premises.

But the pub, which had served the area for more than 50 years, was knocked down earlier this week to make way for a food store after being sold by the brewery which owned it.

Former landlady Jaqueline Glasgow said the “community pub” was undeserving of its reputation and mourned “the end of an era”.

Ms Glasgow, who ran the pub for six years, said: “People were very disappointed when the pub closed, especially the elderly gentlemen in the area.

“That was their life in there, their only means of getting out and about. People that didn’t go to the pub said it had a reputation and that this was happening, that was happening, but it was all rubbish.”

The pub had several guises over its five decades and was formerly known as the Marischal Arms and the Cleekim.

Farmfoods has been tipped to take over the site, after its bid was granted by city planners, although the chain has refused to confirm the move.

Ms Glasgow, who handed the lease back to owners Punch Taverns in February, five months before the pub closed, said the brewery had failed to inform customers of the sale.

She said: “There was still quite a few customers coming in. Punch Taverns didn’t let anybody know it was closing. Old guys who met every Saturday in the pub never had a chance to see each other again.”

Peter Stanton, 70, who worked as a barman at the pub for more than 20 years, said: “It was a good pub – if you were a regular there was no better place and it was great for darts or dominos. It got a bad reputation that it did not deserve and it just stuck.”

Craigmillar councillor Mike Bridgman said: “The pub has got quite a long history behind it, but I don’t think the people across the road are going to be disappointed because of its history – there were pockets of trouble.

“That said, I imagine the regulars will be upset it’s gone.”

Punch Taverns confirmed the sale, but were unable to comment further.

[email protected]