** EH3 9BX Burke and Hare, Edinburgh
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:12 pm
Burke and Hare
1 High Riggs
Edinburgh
EH3 9BX
Telephone: 0131 466 2567
From the archive......
Burke and Hare, Edinburgh
Despite missing the match, the locals soon let me know the score. Best thing to do therefore was to pay the £3 door charge and drown my sorrows in what was described as Scotland’s best strip-bar. Joined by a couple of Geordies, who had been at the Fantasy Bar round the corner, we settled down for a bit of body-snatching (hopefully).
To describe the venue as intimate would be a hopeless underestimate. Essentially there is one small room; the bar to the left, which tapers away to a corner where the ladies/gents are. In the middle is a pool table with a convenient lino covered top – the stage. In another remarkable breakthrough for technology there is no taped music for the dedicated artistes either – they merely select their dancing music from a jukebox on the wall! The lights dim, steam pours out from under the bar and the stripper appears from the Ladies in whatever the next outfit is and onto the table. Three numbers later and she’s gone, after a little bit of (generally tasteful) audience participation with the cream!
Well, not quite actually disappeared. One corner has an orange painted hardboard screen and she invites customers to participate in a lap-dance. Putting a selected piece of music on the jukebox, the girls take £5 for a nude lap-dance. One of the Geordies scoots off, the screen is drawn and the music starts. We can’t have this – so £5 changes hands, and behind the screen I go, finding that the reverse is mirrored whilst a scantily clad young lady gyrates in front of me removing what little is left of her clothing. The music ends all too quickly, a chaste kiss on the lips, and I’m back in the room much to the amusement of my new mates.
The pubs never shut in Edinburgh but at 12.20 the last strip takes place and the barman announces business tomorrow starts at 1.00 p.m. I didn’t think that places like this existed – just goes to show – but it does have a good web-site! (which is no longer live, zan 2007)
Mega
8th July 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After Discovering the web-site to the 'Burke and Hare' strip pub and discovering the opportunity to visit the Edinburgh area on business, it was a perfect opportunity to do some valuable Trash-city research up north. So I downloaded the map from the site, drove up to Edinburgh, checked into a hotel, acquired a map of Edinburgh, and marked the 'Burke and Hare' on it, quickly showered and began my reconnaissance.
When I arrived in the area one of the things that stuck me first was the number of fitness and tanning studios, and massage studios, some may be genuine, some might be what we call 'executive massage studios' (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more!), especially one shop that was called the 'Erogenous Zone' (I don't think much imagination to needed to figure out what this shop sells). The 'Burke and Hare' is just up the road on the right.
Upon entering the 'Burke and Hare' I approached the bar and before I even got to ask for a drink, they demanded three pounds for the entrance fee. At that time I had not eaten, and asked before I handed over my cash what food they had available - unfortunately nothing more than packets of crisps. So, before I handed over my cash I said I would go out get something decent to eat and return, upon leaving I noticed across the road was another pub called the 'Western Bar' advertising strip shows (you cannot miss it, it is painted pink front), I thought "A-ha! This one is not on the web site, this one is virgin ground - I could be in line for an exclusive here for Trash City", so I disappeared for a bite to eat and returned to the 'Western Bar'.
Inside it was all kitted out like a western theme pub, with black and white wanted posters of Billy the Kid, Jesse James, etc. a old style American flag, and a medium size mirror backed saloon bar. At the end of the bar furthest away from the entrance was a chest height podium and further away for the door is a sliding door that I discovered later to be a 'private dancing booth', I bought a drink which was reasonable priced, and was approached by a girl who offered a private lap dance for the price of five pounds, as I had hardly had chance to touch my drink, I kindly declined her offer this time and said later.
At about 20.30h the very nice girl behind the bar called "The stage shows will begin shortly and the fee is three pounds", I chirped up "per show?" and the reply was "no, for the whole night", which I thought was excellent: pay three pounds up front and that's it, instead of being pestered for a pound of two every fifteen minutes. This time, I eagerly parted with my money, and waited in anticipation for the shows, although the stage shows are a little less frequent than I hoped (they rely mostly on the lap dancing to make money and only do stage shows when requests for personal shows dries up a little. There are usually three girls to choose from, all quite nice, but there is always a stunner or two thrown in for good measure. The shows were still going on well after all the English bars have called last orders, kicked everyone out and locked the doors.
I did get chance to visit the 'Burke and Hare' the following day and check it out. Although a very good pub, flashing disco lights during the stage shows meant it was difficult for me to focus on the dancer. Check out the pub's own web site of more details, but also check out the 'Western Bar' as well: it's worth at least one visit before you go into the 'Burke and Hare'.
So, all-round, a successful reconnaissance into the strip pub scene in Edinburgh.
Liam Sonnel
19th August 2000
1 High Riggs
Edinburgh
EH3 9BX
Telephone: 0131 466 2567
From the archive......
Burke and Hare, Edinburgh
Despite missing the match, the locals soon let me know the score. Best thing to do therefore was to pay the £3 door charge and drown my sorrows in what was described as Scotland’s best strip-bar. Joined by a couple of Geordies, who had been at the Fantasy Bar round the corner, we settled down for a bit of body-snatching (hopefully).
To describe the venue as intimate would be a hopeless underestimate. Essentially there is one small room; the bar to the left, which tapers away to a corner where the ladies/gents are. In the middle is a pool table with a convenient lino covered top – the stage. In another remarkable breakthrough for technology there is no taped music for the dedicated artistes either – they merely select their dancing music from a jukebox on the wall! The lights dim, steam pours out from under the bar and the stripper appears from the Ladies in whatever the next outfit is and onto the table. Three numbers later and she’s gone, after a little bit of (generally tasteful) audience participation with the cream!
Well, not quite actually disappeared. One corner has an orange painted hardboard screen and she invites customers to participate in a lap-dance. Putting a selected piece of music on the jukebox, the girls take £5 for a nude lap-dance. One of the Geordies scoots off, the screen is drawn and the music starts. We can’t have this – so £5 changes hands, and behind the screen I go, finding that the reverse is mirrored whilst a scantily clad young lady gyrates in front of me removing what little is left of her clothing. The music ends all too quickly, a chaste kiss on the lips, and I’m back in the room much to the amusement of my new mates.
The pubs never shut in Edinburgh but at 12.20 the last strip takes place and the barman announces business tomorrow starts at 1.00 p.m. I didn’t think that places like this existed – just goes to show – but it does have a good web-site! (which is no longer live, zan 2007)
Mega
8th July 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After Discovering the web-site to the 'Burke and Hare' strip pub and discovering the opportunity to visit the Edinburgh area on business, it was a perfect opportunity to do some valuable Trash-city research up north. So I downloaded the map from the site, drove up to Edinburgh, checked into a hotel, acquired a map of Edinburgh, and marked the 'Burke and Hare' on it, quickly showered and began my reconnaissance.
When I arrived in the area one of the things that stuck me first was the number of fitness and tanning studios, and massage studios, some may be genuine, some might be what we call 'executive massage studios' (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more!), especially one shop that was called the 'Erogenous Zone' (I don't think much imagination to needed to figure out what this shop sells). The 'Burke and Hare' is just up the road on the right.
Upon entering the 'Burke and Hare' I approached the bar and before I even got to ask for a drink, they demanded three pounds for the entrance fee. At that time I had not eaten, and asked before I handed over my cash what food they had available - unfortunately nothing more than packets of crisps. So, before I handed over my cash I said I would go out get something decent to eat and return, upon leaving I noticed across the road was another pub called the 'Western Bar' advertising strip shows (you cannot miss it, it is painted pink front), I thought "A-ha! This one is not on the web site, this one is virgin ground - I could be in line for an exclusive here for Trash City", so I disappeared for a bite to eat and returned to the 'Western Bar'.
Inside it was all kitted out like a western theme pub, with black and white wanted posters of Billy the Kid, Jesse James, etc. a old style American flag, and a medium size mirror backed saloon bar. At the end of the bar furthest away from the entrance was a chest height podium and further away for the door is a sliding door that I discovered later to be a 'private dancing booth', I bought a drink which was reasonable priced, and was approached by a girl who offered a private lap dance for the price of five pounds, as I had hardly had chance to touch my drink, I kindly declined her offer this time and said later.
At about 20.30h the very nice girl behind the bar called "The stage shows will begin shortly and the fee is three pounds", I chirped up "per show?" and the reply was "no, for the whole night", which I thought was excellent: pay three pounds up front and that's it, instead of being pestered for a pound of two every fifteen minutes. This time, I eagerly parted with my money, and waited in anticipation for the shows, although the stage shows are a little less frequent than I hoped (they rely mostly on the lap dancing to make money and only do stage shows when requests for personal shows dries up a little. There are usually three girls to choose from, all quite nice, but there is always a stunner or two thrown in for good measure. The shows were still going on well after all the English bars have called last orders, kicked everyone out and locked the doors.
I did get chance to visit the 'Burke and Hare' the following day and check it out. Although a very good pub, flashing disco lights during the stage shows meant it was difficult for me to focus on the dancer. Check out the pub's own web site of more details, but also check out the 'Western Bar' as well: it's worth at least one visit before you go into the 'Burke and Hare'.
So, all-round, a successful reconnaissance into the strip pub scene in Edinburgh.
Liam Sonnel
19th August 2000