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The
anchor above the door broadcasts the maritime connection. Step
inside and you are swamped in the sea of impedimenta adorning
the walls. All manner of life is contained within and by midnight
it resembles the Star Wars bar, but that shouldn't keep you away.
It's impossible to drink alone and even harder to leave sober.
Ship's
flags completely cover the ceiling. Mannequins, caps, naval paraphernalia,
postcards and banknotes from around the globe deck the walls,
all gifts from visiting sailors. Proprietor Mary
Moriarty explains:
"I
don't know how the tradition started, but it's now unstoppable.
Every bunch of sailors leave behind a flag or cap-band, but it
doesn't end there. We've also come by a lifebelt and a nameplate
from the side of a ship. It's a cute little thing - 15 feet long!"
The
Port O'Leith isn't the exclusive domain of seafarers. Past regulars
have included David Mamet, Steven Berkoff and Irvine Welsh, author
of 'Trainspotting'. When Archaos, the controversial sell-out stars
of the Edinburgh Festival,
visited Leith a few years ago, the cast adopted the pub as their
favourite watering hole. The regular clientele were entertained
to jugglers and magicians at no extra charge. Later festivals
saw the arrival of 'The Circus of Horrors' to Leith Links (directed
by Pierrot Bidon, creator of Archaos ). The members of that cast
and crew also discovered the best bar in the area.
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