John Gibson: It’s the Dirty Martini!

It’s the all-singing, all-dancing, all-jazzing, all-new, all . . . All in all Le Monde has had a boot up the backside by its owner Billy Lowe.

Essentially entrepreneurial, he opened the restaurant/bar/hotel six years ago, a worthy addition to George Street.

“It’s time, though, for an extensive revamp and this includes Dirty Martini, an upstairs candlelit cabaret room. Something new to Edinburgh. Substantial live entertainment, seating for 140 in a 200-capacity room.

“We plan to open early December with a supper menu and entertainers imported from London including quality vocalists Jason Isaacs and Michael Maclennan. I can assure you they’re first class.

“Ray Wilson, formerly singer with Genesis, is making it big in Europe, notably Poland where he packs the largest venues, and there’s every chance we’ll have him here at the Festival.”

Lowe’s latest investment already is paying off, drinking and dining lunchtime and evening. He has sold 11 of his properties in the last four years and now devotes his energy to only two, Le Monde and the Hudson hotel at the West End, bought two months ago – 50 bedrooms in all.

He enthuses: “First time in 30 years, I’ve been out shopping for a grand piano.” Sounding like a born-again Billy.