BY ROGER WATSON

Just a ten-minute walk from the noise and tourists on Princes Street, on the fringes of Edinburgh’s New Town, sits a haven of tranquillity steeped in military history: The Royal Scots Club. I was introduced by a former military colleague and have been a lucky member for several years. Though I live a long way from Edinburgh, the Club has become my ‘go to’ place for accommodation when I am in the city.

Established in 1919 as a memorial to the soldiers of the Royal Scots regiment who died in the First World War, the Club was uniquely open to all ranks, both serving and former. The Royal Scots was the oldest infantry regiment in the British Army, formed in 1633, but it no longer exists as a separate entity, having been amalgamated into the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006. However, the memory of the regiment lives on through the Club.

The Club occupies two large Georgian buildings at 29-31 Abercromby Place. Internally, it is something of a labyrinth, festooned with Royal Scots memorabilia. Its thirty-one bedrooms are distributed over various floors from the basement upwards; they are spacious, comfortable and quiet, with some named in memory of soldiers killed in action. The ground floor contains the bar, a private members’ room, and an elegant dining room which overlooks Abercromby Place and Queen Street Gardens. The bar, which has the feel of a military mess, is well-stocked and never seems crowded, making it a lovely place to read the paper or sit with friends. For a city like Edinburgh, the prices are very reasonable.

Despite having over two thousand members, the Club took the decision years ago to open itself to the public on economic grounds. Therefore, while anyone can use the bar, its location slightly off the beaten track means few non-members do. However, the accommodation is well used by the public, especially given the shortage and expense of hotels in Edinburgh, particularly during the Festival.

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There are distinct advantages to being a member. In addition to the bar, members can use the beautiful private members’ room and a well-stocked library, which is an excellent place to work. Access is via a fob at the impressive members’ entrance at number 29. Membership also brings significantly discounted prices on rooms, as well as discounts at the bar and in the dining room. While anyone may join if introduced by a member, military and ex-military members pay a vastly reduced annual fee.

I particularly enjoy visiting with my wife, who also loves the Club. We have fond memories of entertaining family there after the Edinburgh Marathon, where the comfortable chairs and generous gin and tonics were just what was needed. And when I retire for the night, I find myself looking forward to the beautifully cooked and served breakfast the next morning.

The Royal Scots Club is more than a fine Georgian townhouse with comfortable rooms and good food; it is a living memorial to the men of Scotland’s oldest regiment. For me, it offers not only a convenient base but also a reminder of the values of service, tradition, and fellowship. In an age when so many institutions fade into irrelevance, the Club stands as proof that heritage can be honoured while remaining warm, welcoming, and entirely alive.

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Roger Watson is a Registered Nurse and Editor-in-Chief of Nurse Education in Practice.