'Iconic' Edinburgh bar CC Blooms set for major £230k investment

Star Pubs and licensees and husbands Mitch Stark and Tim Douglas, who have run the well-known venue since 2008.

The project will transform the ground floor bar with a new look and bring in a new menu of pizzas and sharing platters plus an earlier 1pm opening time.

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The bar overhaul begins on 25 August and will be completed in late September. To minimise any inconvenience to customers, CC Blooms’ downstairs bar and nightclub, Lab, will remain open throughout.

Originally a tenement, the category B listed building – which dates back to 1798 – had a ground floor extension with a new frontage when the Playhouse was built in 1929.

The latest works will completely renovate and repaint the exterior, installing new lighting, gold signage and a stylish alfresco pavement area.

A dramatic internal makeover will give CC Blooms - named after Bette Midler’s character in the film Beaches - a luxurious new look, incorporating rich colours, velvet-covered banquette seating, and a herringbone wood floor.

Marble-topped tables, glazed wall tiles, and a striking arched back bar will complete the transformation, along with long velvet drapes, a nod to the theatre next door. The layout will cater for all occasions with a lounge area with relaxed seating at the front, high stools and poseur tables in a bar-focused social area, and recessed spaces that can be booked for private parties.

A flexible setup allows the back to become a small late-night dance floor. The exposed stone pillars and archways from the building’s original 18th-century façade, a treasured feature of the current bar, will continue to have pride of place.

New cocktail and food menus will accompany the venue’s redesign. On the cards are classic cocktails shaken and stirred, hand-stretched pizzas with a range of fresh toppings and small bites like haggis bon bons, nachos and loaded wedges.

Mitch and Tim jumped at the chance to take on CC Blooms when it came on the market 17 years ago. Mitch recalled: “We owned a pub outside Edinburgh at the time but had been regulars of CC Blooms for years and like many others we loved it.

“It’s always had a brilliant atmosphere, helped by its lovely customers and the casts of shows at the Playhouse who adopt CC Blooms as their local when they’re in the city. We never imagined one day it would be ours. We moved heaven and earth to get it and have never looked back.

“It’s been fantastic and we’re just as passionate about CC Blooms today as when we started out all those years ago. We’ve had many celebs through its doors; it’s a real Edinburgh institution. We see ourselves as custodians and try to move it with the times to keep it relevant and safeguard its future.

“We’ve seen many changes in Edinburgh over the years, and there’s now increasing demand for casual dining and socialising during the day and earlier in the evenings.

“We’re adjusting CC Blooms accordingly. It’ll still be a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community that is welcoming to all and a fantastic place for a great night out, but we’ll be opening earlier and changing up the food to meet new trends and broaden its appeal. Our aim is to create a unique setting for socialising, so that every occasion is special for our customers.

“The original 18th -century facade was exposed when we carried out our last refurbishment in 2012. You can still see the holes on the pillars where the doorbells were and can just make out the numbers for the apartments. When the structure was first revealed it had advertisements for paddle steamers from Leith to London fly-posted on it.” Mitch and Tim are keen to find out more about the building’s history and are appealing for information and pictures.”

Matt Dyson, Star Pubs operations director for Scotland added: “We’re delighted to be investing in such a high-profile bar and backing Mitch and Tim in their exciting plans. They put their heart and soul into CC Blooms and do everything to a high standard from the entertainment to the service. Thanks to the makeover, CC Blooms will have a distinctive environment to match and new reasons to visit.”