Edinburgh's world-famous Oxford Bar launches its own lockdown film in honour of its regulars

One of Edinburgh’s best-known pubs has unveiled a new short film celebrating its history and paying tribute to its regulars – insisting it will bounce back after the lockdown is lifted.

The Oxford Bar has launched its own lockdown film in honour of its regulars.

The three and a half minute long film dedicated to The Oxford Bar, which attracts visitors from around the world due to its regular appearances in Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus novels, features archive photographs dating back more than 100 years, rare footage of former bosses Harry Cullen, John Gates and Willie Ross and is set to a stirring sound track of the theme from The Dambusters movie.

Billed as “a little distraction in the strange times we find ourselves,” the film had already been viewed more than 500 times in the space of 24 hours of being posted on social media by the New Town bar.

The Star Wars-style intro states: “This is the story of the brave men and women of the Oxford Bar who are now batting against a hidden enemy armed only with isolation, alcohol, hot water and hope.”

Rankin, comedian Phill Jupitus and ex-Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who famously visited the pub last year while filming the Netflix movie Eurovision, can also be seen in the video tribute.

Kirsty Grant, the current licensee, said: “Sandy Robb, one of our long-standing regulars, made the film at the beginning of lockdown, when perhaps circumstances didn’t seem quite so serious or indeed deadly.

“It is a fantastic testament and tribute to all who frequent the bar and a beautiful depiction of the camaraderie and spirit that has existed and always will exist within such an iconic Edinburgh

institution.”

The history of The Oxford Bar can be traced back to 1811 when the first pub opened on the site on Young Street.

However by 1843 it had been turned into a confectionary shop and it was not until 1893 that it was returned to its original use by wine and spirit merchant Andrew Wilson.