CELEBS galore. The high-profile selection traipsed into the Cafe Royal Oyster Bar during the Festival. If I can drop a few names . . . Joan Rivers, John Cleese, Britt Ekland, Jennifer Saunders, Ben Elton, Roy Walker.
Says general manager Valerie Graham: "The Oyster Bar basks in its reputation, the more so since its refurb in June. It's been around, at this location, since the 1860s. It's an institution.
"It's part of Punch Taverns. Our sister pubs in Edinburg
h include Milne's, the Beehive, the Queen's Arms and Doctors. And this has been one of our busiest ever Festivals."
Valerie has been in charge since she left the Dome, a block or two away in George Street, 18 months ago. "If I can put it this way . . . I've grown accustomed to fairly sophisticated surroundings and nice people"
I used to frequent the Oyster Bar when it was owned by Scottish & Newcastle and the landlord was one Brian Donkin, sometimes known as the Mad Colonel, with his flair for donning army uniform.
Haven't see him Brian for a while. Either he has opened a pub chain in Dubai or he met Omar Sharif and blew the lot at the poker table.
Football daft Not a lot of his readers know this. For sure, you won't see a word of it on the covers of his books. East Lothian author Peter Kerr's footballing grandad, Pete Kerr, played for three different clubs in his 21-year senior career – Hibs, Hearts and Leith Athletic.
Prestonpans-born Pete played for his local club, then Wallyford Bluebell and Wemyss Athletic before joining Hibs in 1910, replacing Scotland full back James Muir who died from injuries sustained on the pitch on Christmas Day, 1909 (you won't read this anywhere else).
Mostly at centre-half, Pete in his 16 years at Hibs was a mainstay, taking them into three Scottish Cup finals. He had five years at Tynecastle and was manager of Leith Athletic in 1933. He died in 1969. There's got to be a book in this.
I'm scribbling these notes, unrecognised. In an Edinburgh coffee shop, by the way. Not a lot of people know that either.
Afterwords . . . . . Here is a public health warning: Wee Jimmy of the Krankies, still touring after 30 years, will be doing an Amy Whitehouse in their panto.
The full article contains 391 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
