Edinburgh pubs: BrewDog to open fifth Edinburgh venue inside Waverley Station if plans approved by council

BrewDog set to open a fifth pub in the Capital after submitting plans to Edinburgh Council

A craft beer company has announced plans to open a new bar at an Edinburgh train station.

BrewDog has submitted plans to the City of Edinburgh Council for a new premises at Waverley Station.

The company already has a bar in London’s Waterloo Station in London – and if the application is successful, it would become the first BrewDog bar inside a Scottish train station.

BrewDog has submitted plans to the City of Edinburgh Council for a new premises at Waverley Station.

The new venue, which would seat around 70 people, would replace the Beer House bar in the main building of Waverley Station, with the application saying they want to redecorate and refurbish the unit's existing kitchen.

BrewDog launched its first bar site in Aberdeen in 2008 and now has more than 100 venues, including sites in Las Vegas, Berlin and Brisbane.

Launched by school friends James Watt and Martin Dickie, the company currently run four bars in the Capital, including one inside Edinburgh Airport as well as in Cowgate, New Street and Lothian Road.

Earlier this year, BrewDog said it plans to triple the size of its bars and hotels business to around 300 venues by 2030.

The pub brand said its sales surged across the bar business over the past year as it was boosted by its rapid expansion. The group will also target new hotel openings in the UK as part of the plan.

It came as the hospitality brand revealed that revenues from BrewDog bars increased by £44 million, or 68%, in 2022 compared to the previous year.

BrewDog said it expected bar revenues to increase by a further 25% in 2023.

Mr Watt, chief executive officer of BrewDog, said: “Last year we opened our two most ambitious bars yet in Las Vegas and Waterloo, and in a tough economic climate both have vastly exceeded our expectations.

“The success of our new landmark locations is testament to our strategy of investing in high-footfall locations and creating unique environments that redefine the bar experience – everything from coffee shops and workspaces, to hidden cocktail bars, podcast studios, ping pong, bowling and our own beer school.

“In some locations we even have a micro-brewery on site, so our customers can learn to brew for themselves.”