Venues
All the West Port Book Festival venues are great spaces and places, although few are specifically designed to host events. During the festival we had to be creative with space, so if you were flexible you may have been asked to sit on a cushion or a very small chair. If you were wearing sensible shoes, you may have been asked to stand. Solid seating was given to those who needed it most.
145-147 West Port has been a landmark for book lovers for over twenty years now. Formerly known as West Port Books it was saved by the skin of its teeth from becoming yet another cafe two years ago and is now called Edinburgh Books.
Main Point Books – the name says it all. This brilliant wee second-hand bookshop run by Richard Browne is a mecca for fans of the offbeat, an empathy zone for all who love Brautigan and Vonnegut, Orwell and Dick.
Old Town provides a gentle introduction to the sometimes intimidating world of antiquarian books, stocking everything from early 1650s theology and literature to the modern crime fiction of Ian Rankin.
The OWL & LION seeks to blend art, commerce and creative living by continuous collaborations with artists from various disciplines to create unique exhibitions with an innate style, creative challenges and consistent quality of workmanship.
After twenty years in West Port, nestling in the shadow of Edinburgh castle, the ‘frightfully serious’ and very fine bookshop of Peter Bell is a local landmark.
The roxy art house is a beautiful 19th century former church, located in Roxburgh Place in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
A popular music and performance venue, it seats 200 in wooden pews, and has a room to the rear for mingling during breaks.
This superbly named little bar is one of the best in Edinburgh, combining a fine selection of draughts and malts with a genuine passion for social media and an unconventional willingness to show Eastenders on the big screen as well as rugby.
Situated in a recent church conversion, the lot is a versatile event space divided over two floors. The downstairs area houses a chilled café, whilst the large upstairs space boasts a bar, a wooden floor, plenty of natural light and a balcony looking out over the unyielding and impressive expanse of Edinburgh Castle.
The Wee Red Bar is an aptly named venue that is small, rouged, and a retailer of inexpensive beverages. Located within Edinburgh College of Art, it is a short step from the busy heart of West Port, and a favourite with students and music fans.
