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Edinburgh · small venue · Verified open

Sandy Bell's

Edinburgh's world-famous traditional folk pub — live sessions nightly from 9pm.

About 70 standing, live music 7 nights a week, house PA. Folk, Traditional, Scottish Traditional.

Nearby venues

Updated 12 November 2026

At a glance
Checked 4 Jun 2026

Here is Sandy Bell's in Old Town, Edinburgh at a glance. It has live music 7 nights a week. It books folk, scottish traditional and acoustic acts.

70
Standing
capacity
approx. · small room
In detail
Live music7 nights a week
TodayClosed12:00–01:00Opens in 4h 09m 10s
BacklinePA provided
BooksFolk · Traditional · Scottish Traditional
01 — Inside the room
4 photos

4 photos show the inside of Sandy Bell's. It books folk, scottish traditional and acoustic acts. Tap any photo to open it at full size.

Photos: Google
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02 — The details
Before you book
Everything you need to know

Everything about Sandy Bell's that matters before you book is set out below. It has live music 7 nights a week. It books folk, scottish traditional and acoustic acts.

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The facts
Capacityabout 70 standing
Live nightsMon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
Curfew–
Sound limiter–
Genres
FolkTraditionalScottish Traditional
Websitesandybells.com
The check
StatusVerified open
Last checked4 Jun 2026
03 — Find Sandy Bell's
Old Town
Getting there

You will find Sandy Bell's at 25 Forrest Road, Old Town, Edinburgh, EH1 2QH. The map below opens step-by-step directions in Google Maps. It is one of 118 rooms in our Edinburgh venue directory.

25 Forrest Road,
Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 2QH

The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away.

04 — Booking
Want to play here?

Sandy Bell's for artists: Sandy Bell's has not joined GigXchange yet, so acts vote here to bring it on - to hire the venue for a private event, choose Private hire.

Booking email and phoneLocked
Fee range per actLocked
How far ahead to bookLocked
Payment termsLocked
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05 — Opening times
Open 7 of 7

Sandy Bell's publishes its opening times for 7 of the 7 days. These are the venue's own opening hours, not the gig start times. Check the venue's own website before travelling on a bank holiday.

Mon12:00–01:00
Tue12:00–01:00
Wed12:00–01:00
Thu12:00–01:00
FriToday12:00–01:00
Sat12:00–01:00
Sun12:30–00:00
06 — What's on stage
3 provided

Sandy Bell's has an in-house PA for visiting acts. The list below shows the PA, drums, amps and mics we know about. Played here and the kit was different? Tell us and we will update it.

PA systemProvided
Drum kitBring your own
Guitar ampProvided
Bass ampBring your own
Keys / keyboardBring your own
2 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerNone
07 — About
Old Town, Edinburgh
About Sandy Bell's

Here is the story of Sandy Bell's in Old Town, Edinburgh so far. It books folk, scottish traditional and acoustic acts. It has live music 7 nights a week.

Sandy Bell's is a grassroots music venue in Old Town, Edinburgh with a standing capacity of about 70. It books Folk, Traditional, Scottish Traditional, Acoustic.

Listing notes

Sandy ‌​‌​‍Bell's is one of Scotland's most famous traditional pubs, a tiny folk bar on Forrest Road in Edinburgh's Old Town with a standing capacity of around 70. Traditional music sessions have run here since 1942 and the pub played a major part in the folk revival; today sessions are held daily — nightly from 9pm, with a slow session every Monday at 6pm, the Scottish mouth-organ group every second Monday, and afternoon sessions on Saturdays and Sundays. It pours an extensive range of Scottish malt whiskies and cask beer and serves homemade pies, soup and toasties through the day. The format is informal acoustic session playing, so it's ideal for folk, Scottish-traditional and acoustic musicians who want to join in.

Played here before?One tap
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It keeps this page true for the next act through the door.

08 — What's on
Open mic

The regular night at Sandy Bell's on GigXchange is its open mic. It has live music 7 nights a week. Venues often post their next nights on their own website first.

Open mic, every Wednesday - 21:00 · Free entry. More nights out in the wider Edinburgh gig directory.

09 — Edinburgh league
Next 30 days

The Edinburgh league ranks live music venues by the gigs listed over the next 30 days. It refreshes every night, so a busy month moves a room up.

#66
of 118
live rooms
Ranked by gigs on the calendar over the next 30 days, refreshed nightly.
01Backstage at The Green Hotel 10 gigs
02Cabaret Voltaire 9 gigs
03Edinburgh Corn Exchange up3 8 gigs
04La Belle Angele down1 7 gigs
05PJ Molloys down1 7 gigs
06The Alhambra Theatre down1 7 gigs
07The Queen's Hall New 7 gigs
08The Usher Hall up2 7 gigs
09Liquid Room Edinburgh down1 6 gigs
10DreadnoughtRock down3 4 gigs

Not seeing your venue? This ranking counts gigs listed in the next 30 days. Create a page free or add your gigs - it ranks on the next nightly refresh.

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This page - and this ranking - is yours.
What you get
01Edit your profile and photos
02Set your fee range
03Receive artist enquiries
04Update backline and capacity
Claim this venue Free account · no card · 30 seconds
Live music on stage: a band under the lights
Old Town · Small

Sandy Bell's

Edinburgh's world-famous traditional folk pub — live sessions nightly from 9pm.

c. 70
Capacity
7 nights
Live music
12:00
Open today
PA
Backline
Folk
Books
Verified
Directory status
Run Sandy Bell's? Claim your page free — keep specs current

Last updated: 12 November 2026

Sandy Bell's — Quick Facts

Sandy Bell's capacity: about 70 standing. Edinburgh's world-famous traditional folk pub — live sessions nightly from 9pm. Here are the key facts on Sandy Bell's at a glance.

Venue status Last verified 04 Jun 2026
How sure we are Verified open
Checked against the venue’s own listing View Sandy Bell's open mic nights →
Capacity 70 standing A listed figure, not yet verified - check it with the venue before you book.

By size, Sandy Bell's is the joint 45th largest of the 51 venues we list in and around Edinburgh with a standing capacity. Similar-size rooms: Home Bar (about 70); Leith Depot Bar (about 70) and The Black Rose Tavern (about 70).

With room for about 70 standing, Sandy Bell's is a small room by our directory's sizes. The typical Edinburgh room we list holds about 210, so this one is on the smaller side. Small rooms like this reward acts with a loyal local audience: the fee is often a door split, and a full room comes from your own guest list rather than the venue's marketing. The figure is listed, not yet verified, so check it with the venue before you plan around it.

Today12:00–01:00Opens in 4h 09m 10s
Directory statusVerified open
This pageNot yet claimed
SizeSmallvenueAbout 70 standing
Live music7nights a weekMon · Tue · Wed · Thu · Fri · Sat · Sun · from 21:00
BacklinePAPA + micsSandy Bell's provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and a guitar amp; bring your own drum kit, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
BooksFolk+3 moreGenres listed by the venue
Opening times

Sandy Bell's this week

Mon 12:00–01:00 Live music
Tue 12:00–01:00 Live music
Wed 12:00–01:00 Live music
Thu 12:00–01:00 Live music
Fri· today 12:00–01:00 Live music
Sat 12:00–01:00 Live music
Sun 12:30–00:00 Live music

Sandy Bell's for artists: Sandy Bell's has not joined GigXchange yet, so acts vote here to bring it on - to hire the venue for a private event, choose Private hire.

Member votes 0 votes to get Sandy Bell's on GigXchange GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - every vote tells the venue artists want to book it here.
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What’s on in Edinburgh this week — or see what’s on across the UK.

Inside Sandy Bell's

Sandy Bell's has an in-house PA for visiting acts. The room holds about 70. It has live music 7 nights a week. Below: the PA, drums, amps and mics we know about, what we know about the room, and its regular live nights.

PA systemProvided
Drum kitBring your own
Guitar ampProvided
Bass ampBring your own
Keys / keyboardBring your own
2 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerNone
About Sandy Bell's

Sandy Bell's is a grassroots music venue in Old Town, Edinburgh with a standing capacity of about 70. Sandy Bell's provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and a guitar amp; bring your own drum kit, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.

Sandy Bell's books Folk, Traditional, Scottish Traditional, Acoustic acts. This listing is part of the Edinburgh venue directory.

Listing notes

Sandy ‌​‌​‍Bell's is one of Scotland's most famous traditional pubs, a tiny folk bar on Forrest Road in Edinburgh's Old Town with a standing capacity of around 70. Traditional music sessions have run here since 1942 and the pub played a major part in the folk revival; today sessions are held daily — nightly from 9pm, with a slow session every Monday at 6pm, the Scottish mouth-organ group every second Monday, and afternoon sessions on Saturdays and Sundays. It pours an extensive range of Scottish malt whiskies and cask beer and serves homemade pies, soup and toasties through the day. The format is informal acoustic session playing, so it's ideal for folk, Scottish-traditional and acoustic musicians who want to join in.

Live nights
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun

Nights Sandy Bell's usually has live music — typical start 21:00

What to know

Sandy Bell's usually has live music on Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, starting around 21:00. Its listed genres start with folk. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you load in. Sandy Bell's isn't on GigXchange yet - vote to bring it on, and have a short EPK and a live clip ready, since that is what most venues ask for first. For the rest of the circuit, read how to get gigs in Edinburgh.

Similar rooms

By size, Sandy Bell's is the joint 45th largest of the 51 venues we list in and around Edinburgh with a standing capacity. Similar-size rooms: Home Bar (about 70); Leith Depot Bar (about 70) and The Black Rose Tavern (about 70).

Have you played here? Was the backline info accurate? One tap, no sign-up required.

Find Sandy Bell's

You will find Sandy Bell's at 25 Forrest Road, Old Town, Edinburgh, EH1 2QH. The map below opens step-by-step directions in Google Maps. It is one of 118 rooms in our Edinburgh venue directory.

Address25 Forrest Road
AreaOld Town, Edinburgh
PostcodeEH1 2QH
Getting there

The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. Sandy Bell's is in Old Town, Edinburgh — use EH1 2QH for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. 20 other venues sit in Old Town too, if you want to make a night of it. Before you travel, check the night’s start time and what’s on in Edinburgh this week; if you book acts, see who’s available in Edinburgh this weekend.

Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).

The Edinburgh League

Sandy Bell's is #66 of 118 Edinburgh venues for live music — ranked by gigs on the calendar over the next 30 days, refreshed nightly. Only gigs in the GigXchange directory count.

  1. #1 – Backstage at The Green Hotel 10 gigs
  2. #2 – Cabaret Voltaire 9 gigs
  3. #3 ▲3 Edinburgh Corn Exchange 8 gigs
  4. #4 ▼1 La Belle Angele 7 gigs
  5. #5 ▼1 PJ Molloys 7 gigs
  6. #6 ▼1 The Alhambra Theatre 7 gigs
  7. #7 NEW The Queen's Hall 7 gigs
  8. #8 ▲2 The Usher Hall 7 gigs
  9. #9 ▼1 Liquid Room Edinburgh 6 gigs
  10. #10 ▼3 DreadnoughtRock 4 gigs

Run this room? This page, and this ranking, is yours to take over.

Claim This Venue

Not seeing your venue? This ranking counts gigs listed in the next 30 days. If your room has no page here yet, create one free and it joins the directory. If it is already listed, add your gigs and it will rank on the next nightly refresh.

Rankings like this run across GigXchange: the national Hardest Working Rooms table tracks the UK's busiest grassroots stages week on week, the Pint Index prices a gig ticket in pints city by city, and UK market statistics covers what live music pays. All of it is built from the same directory this page lives in.

Common Questions

These are the 9 questions people ask most about booking and visiting Sandy Bell's. Each answer uses the details already shown on this page. Can't see your question? Send it to us with a correction.

These are the 9 questions people ask most about booking and visiting Sandy Bell's. Each answer uses the details already shown on this page. Can't see your question? Send it to us with a correction.

Sandy Bell's provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and a guitar amp; bring your own drum kit, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer. For venues with gear listed, see the Edinburgh venue directory.
Sandy Bell's books Folk, Traditional, Scottish Traditional, Acoustic. Browse artist profiles by genre on GigXchange.
Sign up free on GigXchange to see the booking details Sandy Bell's has shared — contact, fee range and how to submit, where listed. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music or EPK. Check current UK fee benchmarks before quoting.
Sandy Bell's has a listed standing capacity of about 70, a small venue. Check the figure with the venue before you book. See all Edinburgh venues for size comparisons. By size, Sandy Bell's is the joint 45th largest of the 51 venues we list in and around Edinburgh with a standing capacity. Similar-size rooms: Home Bar (about 70); Leith Depot Bar (about 70) and The Black Rose Tavern (about 70).
Yes — Sandy Bell's hosts an open mic. Day, time and signup details are on its open mic listing.
25 Forrest Road, Old Town, Edinburgh, EH1 2QH. See the map below for directions. Browse more Edinburgh venues nearby.
Fee ranges are available to signed-up artists on GigXchange. Grassroots venue fees in Edinburgh vary by event type, band size, and whether the deal is a flat fee or door split. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current UK percentiles.
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is EH1 2QH. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Sandy Bell's hasn't claimed its page yet — vote to bring it on, or claim it free if you run it.

Venues Near Sandy Bell's

16 other venues are close to Sandy Bell's in Edinburgh. Each one has its own page with its size, kit and live nights. Use them to plan a night out or a run of local gigs.

11 — Keep up with Edinburgh
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12 — More Edinburgh venues
All ›

We list 118 grassroots music venues in Edinburgh. Or search the full UK directory by town, size or genre. Every listing shows capacity, kit and live nights where we have them.

More rooms near Sandy Bell's: The Hive, Edinburgh, The Jazz Bar, The Piper's Rest, The Scotsman's Lounge, The World's End, Whistle Binkie's, Bannermans, Boston Bar Old Town, Captain's Bar, Fiddler's Arms, Finnegan's Wake, Backstage at The Green Hotel, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, La Belle Angele, PJ Molloys, The Alhambra Theatre, The Queen's Hall, The Usher Hall, Liquid Room Edinburgh and DreadnoughtRock.

Edinburgh has 118 rooms in the UK grassroots venue directory - why we built it, and what the data shows.

Rankings like this run across GigXchange: the national Hardest Working Rooms table, the Pint Index and UK market statistics - all built from the same directory.

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