Edinburgh's magic-themed Cauldron bar with 'delightful' cocktails has closed down

Edinburgh’s The Cauldron on Frederick Street has ceased trading. The ’magical’ bar, which held cocktail making events, opened in the Scottish capital in 2019 following two successful pop-ups in London and New York City that welcomed over 100,000 “aspiring witches and wizards”.

Posting on the bar’s website, the team wrote: “Hi Magical Being, it is with an incredibly heavy heart that we share The Cauldron & Wizard Exploratorium has closed its doors.

“We explored every option — from investment and loans to partnerships and strategic sale discussions — but could not secure the capital or find a buyer with the resources needed to keep our magic alive.

“To the one million guests who walked through our doors: thank you. Thank you for believing in our vision and making magic real, from our very first Kickstarter backer to our final guest.

“To our investors: we are truly sorry we could not fulfill the potential of this company or reward your faith in us. To our amazing team: thank you for your hard work, your authenticity and your commitment to creating inclusive, magical experiences for everyone.

“We are deeply grateful to every guest, team member and partner who made this dream possible. Always remember to be kind, pay it forward, and know that you are magic. Magic is for everyone <3.”

Oury Clark Chartered Accountants have been instructed by the Cauldron Group to assist with the voluntary liquidation of the company. Any refunds are not guaranteed, customers have been told.

Sign up to our free Scran food and drink newsletter here

The bar hosted ticketed classes centred on the idea of using science and technology to bring concepts from fantasy novels and magical lore to life. Upon arrival, guests received a robe and working magic wand, which was imbibed with technology and used to pour helpings of The Cauldron’s collaboration craft beer, cocktail or mocktail.

Guests used the equipment at their wand-interactive workstation, which included a cauldron, mixing utensils, and fresh and bottled potion-making ingredients to brew two drinkable potions that changed colour, and would bubble and smoke.

Popular with Harry Potter and fantasy novel fans, the team also hosted Edinburgh Festival Fringe events in August, Christmas events and wizard-themed afternoon teas.

The Cauldron started as a crowdfunding project in 2017 and is the brainchild of Matthew Cortland, a technologist and former reading teacher, and David Duckworth, a molecular mixologist and cocktail experience designer.