Desert Island Pubs – Louise MacLean, business development director, Signature Pubs
Beer Insider is pleased to bring you the latest Desert Island Pubs column, supported by Sunrise Beverages. So settle in and enjoy reading the stories behind the selection of pubs from…
Louise MacLean, business development director, Signature Pubs
1. Earliest Memory of a Pub
Sunday afternoons my mum and dad went to the Ship Inn, Broughty Ferry, and my brother and I would get a can of Coke and a bag of Tudor crisps and play on the beach whilst they caught up with friends in the boozer. And it remains a tremendous pub, renowned in Scotland. We held my dad’s funeral tea there and numerous other family occasions. It’s a venue where – even now, having been away from Broughty Ferry for nearly 30 years, I can walk in and someone will say “Hi Louise”. That’s what a pub means. It’s all about the people, the banter, and it’s like you’ve never been away.
2. Most Inspirational Pub to my Career
It is difficult to choose just one pub, as I first learned the importance of pubs from my parents. They were a significant part of my childhood, and from a young age I understood that a great pub is about far more than what is poured into the glass. Its success comes from the atmosphere, the warmth of its staff, its understanding of its customers and the sense of community it creates. I began working in hospitality at 18, but I truly learned the trade during my career in the drinks industry.
Over 15 years, I visited venues across the sector — from working men’s clubs to nightclubs and almost everything in between. However, the pub that has influenced my career most is The Three Sisters in Edinburgh. It was there that I learned how effective brand support and marketing can create a genuine connection with consumers. It showed me that bringing together the right brand, at the right time, with the right activation and support can generate an excellent rate of sale and a strong return on investment. More importantly, it taught me that commercial success is built on understanding both the venue and its customers.
3. My Current Local
The Spylaw Tavern, Colinton Village, Edinburgh. This is a truly brilliant local with such friendly staff and always a warm welcome from the owners, James and Ioana. They serve great pub food – I love a bottle of rosé and a wee bowl of Nachos of a Friday evening. It’s a fantastic example of Scottish village life interwoven with fine hospitality: a great wine list (did I mention the rosé?); a fab Sunday roast; a gorgeous beer terrace (for those lazy midge-free summer evenings); and always a good rotation of local beers. The added bonus is my teenage son works there, so I get to critique his performance when I visit – which he just relishes!
4. My Favourite Pub
The Two Brewers in Windsor. My brother lives in Windsor so we visit fairly often. It’s just steeped in heritage and sits adjacent to the walls of Windsor Castle – as a royalist – I love this. On my wedding day, my husband and I named the tables (rather than traditional numbers) after our favourite pubs in the UK and this made it onto that list. I love the history and the beauty of the venue – it’s so quaint in summer or winter and it’s a very well-maintained unit. There are always some interesting beers on tap, again a stellar rosé list and good pub grub to boot. It’s a pub where you can pop in for a cheeky couple and end up still there four hours later, having discussed the talking points of the day with all and sundry and still have time to take the dog down The Long Walk. I enjoy long evenings pontificating and blethering at the bar – one day, I might meet Prince William and shout him a cider.
5. The Pub you’d like to take to the Island
I would take one of our own – if I’m permitted! I just love Cold Town House in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, which has just had a fun glow-up. I love the roof terrace, which is covered during poor weather but the vibe up there is so different to anything else we have- it’s like Ibiza vibes with great tunes, Neapolitan pizza (which I would never tire of), and a great beer range and wine list. Downstairs we have the microbrewery for testing new brews and experimenting, which would occupy my time whilst waiting to be rescued and taken back to civilisation. There’s also a stage so I could use the karaoke machine in solitude and lament the loss of my career as a global singing sensation!
6. The beer (unlimited supply) you’d take to the desert island?
I would have plenty of Cold Town Beer especially the Baltic IPA and Totally Tropical but if I could also have a guest line, I would like to take Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy. I tried it in the States at a music festival and loved it. It’s a wheat beer but cut with lemonade so it’s really refreshing for this sun-soaked island with my Ibiza vibes coming from the roof of Cold Town House and my singing. In fact – can I go now?
Glynn Davis, editor, Beer Insider
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