The team behind the venue, Encore Bars Group, has confirmed it will open a second Edinburgh location of The Boston Bar on 20 February 2026, transforming the former Globe Bar on Niddry Street into The Boston Bar – Old Town.
The announcement follows the group’s earlier confirmation that it had acquired the Old Town venue, which closed in December for a full refurbishment. Now rebranded as The Boston Bar – Old Town, the space is currently undergoing a complete transformation and will reopen next month as a live music and sports led neighbourhood bar in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town.
The group operate some of Edinburgh’s most popular venues, including The Boston Bar on Hanover Street, late night favourite Freddy’s and Westside Rodeo on George Street. The Old Town opening marks the group’s first venue in this part of the city.
The expansion follows the success of The Boston Bar on Hanover Street, which exceeded expectations from launch and quickly built a loyal customer base, prompting the team to look for the right opportunity for a second location.
Rooted in the Irish American bar culture of Boston and New York, Boston Bar is inspired by neighbourhood venues known for their welcoming atmosphere and role as social gathering spaces from day through to late night. Positioned between the Royal Mile and Cowgate, the Old Town venue places the brand at the centre of Edinburgh’s historic social scene.
While the core DNA of The Boston Bar remains consistent, the Old Town venue will have its own character shaped by the building itself. The former Globe’s segmented layout, including two large arches and lower level spaces, lends itself to cosy snugs and intimate spaces associated with traditional Irish bars.
The project reunites the group with design partners ARKA and Too Gallus, who also worked on the original Boston Bar on Hanover Street. The team has continued to source unique pieces from auction houses and salvage yards across the UK and the USA, alongside authentic items brought back from Ireland, with the aim of creating a space that feels layered, lived in and immediately familiar. While clearly recognisable as a sister venue to the original Boston Bar, the Old Town location blends tradition with industrial touches, high quality finishes and thoughtful detailing informed by extensive research across Boston and New York, from textures and materials to smaller elements such as ironwork, lighting and tiling, including a custom colour matched subway metro tile handmade in England to replicate one first seen in New York in 2020.
Alongside major sporting fixtures, The Boston Bar Old Town will host live music and a programme of weekly events, including quiz nights on Mondays and live Irish comedy on Tuesdays, with trad sessions also planned as part of the venue’s future programming. A cave style room centred around a fireplace will also be available for private hire. The venue has been granted a 3am licence on Fridays and Saturdays.
The drinks offering will mirror the Hanover Street venue, with an expanded draught beer lineup and a strong focus on Irish and American beers, alongside collaborations with Irish & American suppliers as well as small brewers. A stand out food menu, from delicious toasties to Baileys soft-serve swirls will keep the venue buzzing from open to close.
Edward Fox, Director of Encore Bars, said: “What excites us most is seeing the space come to life and become part of the Old Town community. There’s something special about opening a venue in such a historic part of the city and giving it a new role as a modern gathering place.”
Booking will go live on Tuesday 3 February via their website here.
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