Rose Street

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Rose Street is a street in the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is a narrow street running parallel between Princes Street and George Street, and was formerly used as a service entrance to the houses on those roads. Today, it contains a large number of bars and public houses. It has been pedestrianised.

[edit] Bars and history

Rose Street is nicknamed the "Amber Mile" by tourism promoters due to the many bars and public houses along it. This is partly in reference to the Royal Mile, but is misleading since it is neither an English nor a Scottish mile

While some of the traditional pubs here have given way to ones with humorous names such as Dirty Dicks and Filthy McNastys, in keeping with its many Walter Scott references, Rose Street in Edinburgh has a bar called the "Kenilworth", along with one named after Scott's house, the "Abbotsford". Milne's Bar, also has literary connections, with one of its rooms nicknamed the "Little Kremlin", because many members of the Scottish Renaissance such as Hugh MacDiarmid would meet there. Pictures of various Scottish poets appear on the walls.

Rose Street, along with the history, is also famed for a rare drinking game. This game, named the Rose Street Challenge, is not for the faint of heart. It involves making your way along Rose Street while having a drink in every bar/pub/restaurant on the way.

Rose Street is also the home to the BT Rose Street Exchange, which connects much of the telecommunications infrastructure for the west side of the New Town of Edinburgh.

[edit] Retail

Many of Princes Street's main shops have back entrances into Rose Street, including Jenners. It is also a minor shopping street in its own right, with a number of small businesses on it, such as hairdressers, a small Sainsbury's which closes late, northern access to Marks and Spencers and BHS, record shops such as Fopp, shoe shops and novelty shops.