A Busy Beachfront Pub in a Stand‑Out Edinburgh Location

The Pub

The Esplanade is a well‑known Portobello Beach pub, offering a rare opportunity to run a busy, all‑year‑round business in one of Edinburgh’s most popular coastal spots.

The pub has a relaxed, beachside feel and is particularly busy during the summer months and bank holidays, while still benefiting from a loyal customer base outside of peak season.

Inside, the layout is split between a restaurant area and a bar/lounge space, separated by a central bar, allowing for a natural balance between dining and drinking. The pub currently supports around 40 covers, with a food offer built on recognisable pub classics with a bit of added quality, giving a solid base to maintain and develop further.

A quiz night and live music already form part of the offer, helping to drive repeat visits and create a lively, social atmosphere. There is also scope to introduce or build on a sports element if desired.

Outside, one of the biggest assets is the large external seating space, which wraps around the front and side of the pub, with part of it positioned directly along the seafront wall. This creates a strong connection to the beachfront and makes the Esplanade a natural choice.

Location

The Esplanade is located in Portobello, widely known as Edinburgh’s seaside area. The location attracts a mix of locals, day visitors and tourists, particularly when the weather is good.

Portobello has a strong reputation as a lively, affluent part of the city, combining a neighbourhood feel with consistent visitor footfall. Its position right by the beach gives the pub a clear advantage.

Ideal Publican

This opportunity will suit an experienced, confident publican who is comfortable running a busy bar alongside a food offer.

Someone who can build on the existing reputation, maintain quality and stay visible within the business will do well here. Confidence using social media and local marketing will help to keep the pub front of mind, particularly with visitors and seasonal trade.

A publican who understands how to balance local loyalty with peak summer demand will be well placed to make the most of this location.

Accommodation

There is no private accommodation included with this pub, making it best suited to someone already living locally or looking to base themselves in the area.

About the Agreement

At Punch, we support talented, ambitious entrepreneurs who want to run brilliant pubs at the heart of their communities. That’s why our agreements are designed to be flexible, supportive and built around your vision.

Our Flexible Tenancy gives you the freedom to run your own pub with confidence. A tied agreement of up to five years, where you’ll benefit from the drink products available to Punch which also offers flexible notice periods. We offer flexible deposits, tie‑release options, and pricing structures to help you shape your business in a way that works for you.

Why Choose Punch?

When you partner with Punch, you’ll have an entire support system behind you, including:

• A forward thinking pub company, recognised nationally with multiple industry awards including winners of the Publican Awards 2022 & 2024!
• Potential investment to unlock your pub’s full potential
• Industry leading training through our award winning Academy, complete with state of the art kitchens, bars and our immersive Progress with Punch training programme.
• Access to our powerful online platform, the Punch Buying Club, where you can order stock and find resources to help you run your pub successfully.
• Ongoing coaching from expert Operations Managers and specialist support teams.
• Innovative digital learning through THIRST, our gamified online training app, offering compliance training through to driving sales training.
• A commitment to “Doing Well, By Doing Good” by championing communities, wellbeing and sustainability at every step.

Curious about how this agreement could work for you? You will find our Partnering with Punch guide in the ‘Relevant Downloads’ section below.

Chat to a recruitment advisor now about this pub business opportunity.