Anyone in Edinburgh know what this building is? - Advice

RonnieL · 27-05-2007, 12:48

Title says it all. I pass this creepy-looking building quite often and have always wondered what it is. This is on Abbeyhill, the steep road that takes you from the bottom of the Royal Mile to the junction of Regent Road / Montrose Terrace. I assumed it was derelict until recently I saw a huge, fat old man let himself in one night. Sometimes there's a light on in the window next to the entrance - but it's a frosted window and all the rest are boarded up. I've even knocked on the door when the light's been on just to ask what it is but didn't get an answer. There was a bag of "Industrial Waste" outside at the time, so it's not a house.

Crappy photo taken with my phone
X marks the spot on Google Maps

I've asked a few taxi drivers when we've been passing, one said it used to be a police station, another said it was a turkish restaurant and another said it was a railway station waiting room (at the right-hand side of the photo in the background you can see a bit of the railway bridge above the road).

Anyone got any ideas? There's no signage or anything to give any clues.

grotbags1975 · 27-05-2007, 13:00

Im wondering if that bridge on the right has 'gouranga' written on it

cpu121 · 27-05-2007, 13:17

A quick google suggests there was a station at Abbeyhill, but I can't get a confirmation that it was that building (which is quite far from the actual track). A look at historic maps suggests it was a police station. And finally a modern 1:1000 map calls it a hall. Sorry I haven't narrowed it down much.

OcdGirl · 27-05-2007, 13:25

I think I found another picture of the place you mean...

http://www.streetsofedinburgh.co.uk/...yhill%20BW.jpg

doesnt help much though

magwitch · 27-05-2007, 13:45

It is the Armenian Aghtamar Lake Van Monastery In Exile.

No, honestly it is. See here: http://www.thefoodplace.co.uk/restau...+in+Edinburgh/

I didn't know it was still operating. I went there once in the lat '80s. It was run by a crazy old Armenian who would serve a set menu and shout abuse at everyone. This was it's selling point. Very weird place.

There's a description of the sort of dining experience you could expect on this page (about half way down):
http://pacificpalate.typepad.com/pac...palate__5.html

tribade · 27-05-2007, 14:38

..........................

tribade · 27-05-2007, 14:41

Opps, sorry, must read threads properly ... dur.

RonnieL · 27-05-2007, 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by magwitch

It is the Armenian Aghtamar Lake Van Monastery In Exile.

No, honestly it is. See here: http://www.thefoodplace.co.uk/restau...+in+Edinburgh/

I didn't know it was still operating. I went there once in the lat '80s. It was run by a crazy old Armenian who would serve a set menu and shout abuse at everyone. This was it's selling point. Very weird place.

There's a description of the sort of dining experience you could expect on this page (about half way down):
http://pacificpalate.typepad.com/pac...palate__5.html

Wow, looks like you're right!

The map points to it exactly.

There are a few reviews of it out there on the web, sounds like a hair-raising experience. It's still in the phone book so I just phoned it and got what sounded like an antique cassette answering machine - looks like he's still taking reservations.

Apparently if you're a minute late, or if he just doesn't like the look of you or your group, he slams the door in your face and won't let you in. He once apparently threw an entire group out mid-meal because someone asked him for a turkish coffee. And he DOES sound mad.

More about it here

Might arrange a meal there, sounds unique at least

Cheers magwitch

27-05-2007, 12:48	#1
RonnieL Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 298	Anyone in Edinburgh know what this building is? Title says it all. I pass this creepy-looking building quite often and have always wondered what it is. This is on Abbeyhill, the steep road that takes you from the bottom of the Royal Mile to the junction of Regent Road / Montrose Terrace. I assumed it was derelict until recently I saw a huge, fat old man let himself in one night. Sometimes there's a light on in the window next to the entrance - but it's a frosted window and all the rest are boarded up. I've even knocked on the door when the light's been on just to ask what it is but didn't get an answer. There was a bag of "Industrial Waste" outside at the time, so it's not a house. Crappy photo taken with my phone X marks the spot on Google Maps I've asked a few taxi drivers when we've been passing, one said it used to be a police station, another said it was a turkish restaurant and another said it was a railway station waiting room (at the right-hand side of the photo in the background you can see a bit of the railway bridge above the road). Anyone got any ideas? There's no signage or anything to give any clues.

27-05-2007, 14:38	#6
tribade Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Gender: Female Posts: 4,916	.......................... Last edited by tribade : 27-05-2007 at 15:05. Reason: being dim.

27-05-2007, 13:00	#2
grotbags1975 Banned User Join Date: May 2006 Location: notts Services: sky/ntl Posts: 3,187	Im wondering if that bridge on the right has 'gouranga' written on it

27-05-2007, 13:17	#3
cpu121 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,876	A quick google suggests there was a station at Abbeyhill, but I can't get a confirmation that it was that building (which is quite far from the actual track). A look at historic maps suggests it was a police station. And finally a modern 1:1000 map calls it a hall. Sorry I haven't narrowed it down much.

27-05-2007, 13:25	#4
OcdGirl Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: The right hand side of Satan Posts: 3,188 Blog Entries: 4	I think I found another picture of the place you mean... http://www.streetsofedinburgh.co.uk/...yhill%20BW.jpg doesnt help much though

27-05-2007, 13:45	#5
magwitch Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 2,764	It is the Armenian Aghtamar Lake Van Monastery In Exile. No, honestly it is. See here: http://www.thefoodplace.co.uk/restau...+in+Edinburgh/ I didn't know it was still operating. I went there once in the lat '80s. It was run by a crazy old Armenian who would serve a set menu and shout abuse at everyone. This was it's selling point. Very weird place. There's a description of the sort of dining experience you could expect on this page (about half way down): http://pacificpalate.typepad.com/pac...palate__5.html

27-05-2007, 14:41	#7
tribade Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Gender: Female Posts: 4,916	Opps, sorry, must read threads properly ... dur.