The Castle Tavern
From sinner
| Name | |
| File:Castle Tavern.jpg Caption | |
| Contact information | |
|---|---|
| Address | 23 South Castle Street St Andrews KY16 9PL |
| Phone | 01334 474977 |
| Opening Hours | Sun - Sat: ?? |
The Castle Tavern, or, to use its Sunday name - The Old Castle Tavern, is more usually known as the Castle, and can be found in the oldest part of St Andrews (near the cathedral and the castle) on the corner of North Street and South Castle Street. Its proximity to Sallies and Deans Court makes it an ideal local for the residents of those halls. This is one of its greatest strengths - it is a true "local". Although St Andrews is not short of pubs and bars, very few of them have what it takes to be a home for home. The Castle does. For a start, it has character. It also has a long tradition of serious drinking behind it. It doesn't follow trends, it just does what a good pub should - provide a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. In some ways, its isolation helps it. It is too far away to attract the casual drinker. People drink there because they want to be there. The range of drinks is not huge, but good enough. The staff are friendly and polite. They are also efficient - no long waits here. There's a good mixture of people who frequent the Castle - different types of students (no one "dominant" clique here) mingle freely with lecturers and townspeople. True, there could be more seats and the inside can appeared cramped but this just adds to the character and makes it cosy. Sometimes, from the outside, the pub can look completely full. Persevere, it isn't. You'll find space somewhere.
In conclusion, the Castle is one of the best pubs in St Andrews. It is equally good for a long session or just for the first drink on a pub-crawl. If you plan on settling down for a while - get there early, get a good seat, settle in and watch the world come and go. You won't regret it.
Lease up for sale
Sadly the Castle Tavern is currently closed while a new owner is found to take over the lease.
The Castle Tavern has been sold, and planning permission granted for re-development into HMOs. So, that's the end of a long story.
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