Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 19/06/2026 20:29:00

The Banshee Labyrinth is an alternative rock bar and grassroots live music venue set within the historic underground vaults beneath South Bridge, at 29-35 Niddry Street in Edinburgh's Old Town. Frequently billed as Scotland's most haunted pub, it occupies a genuinely labyrinthine warren of seven rooms, with disorienting staircases, hidden corners and vaulted chambers that give it an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the city. The venue's name and reputation are steeped in the supernatural. According to its own history, the building was to be called simply The Labyrinth until a bloodcurdling scream was heard during renovations, after which it became The Banshee Labyrinth. Over the years staff and customers have reported a host of ghostly experiences, and the pub leans into this folklore as a key part of its identity within Edinburgh's famously haunted Old Town. Spread across its rooms are three bars, a pool room and a fifty-seat cinema, alongside dedicated gig spaces. The decor is gloriously dingy and dive-like, with wood panelling, old booths and churchy pews, and a soundtrack of rock and metal that sets the tone. It is strictly an over-18s venue, and its real-ale offering has earned it a listing with CAMRA. Live entertainment is central to the operation, with the cinema and other rooms hosting punk, metal and electronica gigs, club nights, karaoke, open-mic sessions, comedy and spoken-word events. The venue is particularly supportive of local and Scottish bands playing original material, and its programme expands further during the Edinburgh Fringe, when opening hours often stretch deep into the night. By combining a characterful, haunted underground setting with a strong commitment to grassroots music and a packed events calendar, The Banshee Labyrinth has become a cult favourite in Edinburgh. Its mix of multiple bars, a backroom cinema, live gigs and an unmistakable atmosphere makes it a memorable destination for rock fans, ghost-hunters and night-time explorers alike.