Leith customers give their opinions on recently opened new pub The Angel at the former Foot of the Walk pub

The new pub was opened on Monday, March 31, by Amber Taverns, in the former Foot of the Walk pub - which closed last November and was sold by JD Wetherspoon.

The pub has been transformed, with television screens dotted around the pub showing live sport, and the introduction of music adding some atmosphere to the former cinema and snooker hall.

Customers at the Angel gave their opinions on the new Leith pub. | National World

Customers at the new Leith pub broadly welcomed the new look and feel, although some bemoaned the lack of food on offer, after the new owners removed the kitchen.

One customer said: “It’s basically cleaned up, new carpet, and obviously the beer is almost comedy cheap and an excellent pint. The music is just in the background, so I’m happy overall.”

Another agreed: “It’s really done up beautifully inside. It’s got more televisions, and it’s got music which is very good. Being a sports bar, any football games are always one. The Wetherspoons just had one telly up the back with no music at all. So I’m quite happy with the changes.”

Inside new Leith pub The Angel, the former Wetherspoons pub which was re-opened by Amber Taverns on March 31. | National World

One customer was happy with the changes overall, but misses being able to order food.

He said: “I think it’s very nice, it’s good, but I miss the food, I used to like the food. The screens and music are great, one thing with Wetherspoons is you never got sport or music. I’m happy overall, I think it looks nice.”

One lady agreed about the lack of food, she said: “It looks nice and it’s cleaner, but I think their biggest downfall is they are not doing food. So if you are hungry you are going to go away somewhere else, some bar food would even be good.

“I thought a sports bar would have nice big screens but it’s just televisions. And I don’t like their sign above the darts board ‘I’m sexy and I throw it’, I think it’s stupid, I’m 73 and I play in a darts league so I think the sign is stupid.”

This sign above the dart boards at The Angel upset one customer. | National World

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The venue itself has a long and storied history. It first opened in 1913 as the 2000-seater Palace picture house. When the cinema closed in 1966, it became a bingo hall before reopening in the early 1980s as Cuemasters snooker club. Wetherspoons took it over as the Foot of The Walk in 2001.

When the latter pub went on the market last year, locals rallied to try and save the historic venue. Hundreds of residents signed a petition calling for the 'beloved local institution' to be maintained.