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The pub’s story
Harbour Inn occupies linked premises at 4-6 Fishmarket Square, beside Pier Place in Newhaven. Historic Environment Scotland dates the shells to the eighteenth century and records their recasting around 1970 by Ian Lindsay and Partners. The two listing records describe public-house space at No.4 connected internally to No.6, beneath retained upper windows and varied rooflines. A 1900 trades' directory records the Stone Pier Inn in Newhaven. Chris Garner's account, reproduced by Newhaven Heritage Centre, identifies that name with today's Harbour Inn and remembers its trawler-fishermen clientele. Inside, CAMRA describes a two-level drinking space, historical memorabilia and sea charts on the ceiling. The National Library of Scotland identifies a fishing saying painted on the facade, linking the willowbank tree with the decline of local fishing. A 2025 listed-building application proposed changes to the toilets and fixed seating.
What to notice
- 01
Sea charts decorate the ceiling of the drinking rooms.
- 02
The Pier Place building has crow-stepped gables and a slate roof.
- 03
A painted fishing saying links the willowbank tree with local fishing decline.
The time rail
The building, the pub and its interior may date from different periods. The timeline keeps documented dates separate from tradition.
The shells of the linked Fishmarket Square buildings date from this period.
A trades' directory records the Stone Pier Inn in Newhaven, the Harbour Inn's former name.
Ian Lindsay and Partners recast the buildings during conservation work.
The two linked building groups received Category C listing.
An advertised listed-building application proposed changes to the toilets and fixed seating; completed work is not established.
Sources & confidence
HES records establish the eighteenth-century linked buildings and their recasting around 1970. The 1900 directory and attributed local history distinguish the Stone Pier name from any unproved opening date. The September 2025 toilet and seating application remains proposed, not completed work. Hours use CAMRA's January 2026 survey and August listing, corroborated by consumer directories; the operator gives no accessible schedule. An undated Inapub weekend discrepancy is recorded and the stronger specialist schedule preferred. No first-opening date, current legal operator or new building work is inferred.
Research reviewed
- Harbour Inn: CAMRA survey 28 January 2026, listing updated 15 August 2026CAMRA, Edinburgh and South East Scotland branchspecialist
SupportsExact 4-6 Fishmarket Square address and phone; two-level bar, separate entrance, ceiling sea charts and memorabilia. Last surveyed 28 January 2026; listing updated 15 August 2026. Published hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:00-23:00, Friday-Saturday 11:00-01:00. Specialist schedule, not operator confirmation; update date does not prove hours changed that day.
- 4-5 Fishmarket Square: eighteenth-century shell recast around 1970Historic Environment Scotlandgovernment
Supports4-5 Fishmarket Square: mid/later C18 shell, recast c.1970 by Ian Lindsay & Partners, Category C listed 17 October 1996. Public house at No.4 internally linked to No.6. Projecting upper windows retained; proposed 1971 facade regularisation not executed.
- 6 Fishmarket Square and 1 Pier Place: eighteenth-century shell recast around 1970Historic Environment Scotlandgovernment
Supports6 Fishmarket Square/1 Pier Place: C18, recast c.1970, Category C listed 17 October 1996; public-house ground floor, grey slate/crowsteps. Proposed second-floor demolition was not executed. No original pub-opening date.
- All text credited to Chris Garner, Newhaven: A Scottish Fishing Community 1928-1978Newhaven Heritage Centre, reproducing Chris Garnerheritage
SupportsAll text credited to Chris Garner, Newhaven: A Scottish Fishing Community 1928-1978. Former Stone Pier now Harbour Inn; trawler fishermen used it, inshore fishermen the Ship Inn. No exact rename or first licensed-use year.
- 3 September 2020 article locates fishing-decline/willowbank-tree saying painted on Harbour Inn facadeNational Library of Scotland, Fraser Linklaterheritage
Supports3 September 2020 article locates fishing-decline/willowbank-tree saying painted on Harbour Inn facade. Local tradition, not haunting or exact painting date.
- Exact node 570313192 with named premises geometry/coordinatesOpenStreetMap contributorsappearance
SupportsExact node 570313192 with named premises geometry/coordinates. HTTP 200 retrieved 2 September 2026. Exact named premises node coordinates. Hours and operator tags not adopted.
- 1900 Edinburgh and South of Scotland Trades' Directory, printed page 66Trades' Directories Limited; digitised scan hosted by Electric Scotlandarchive
SupportsTitle page explicitly 1900; printed page 66/PDF index 69 lists Stone Pier Inn, Newhaven in Hotels. Newhaven Heritage Centre independently ties Stone Pier to current Harbour Inn. This is named hostelry evidence, not a licence grant or first-opening date; directory line itself gives no street number.
- City of Edinburgh Council notice of 26 September 2025: 25/04925/LBCCity of Edinburgh Council, published in The Gazettegovernment
SupportsNotice published 26 September 2025, exact Harbour Inn, 4-6 Fishmarket Square, EH6 4LW: application 25/04925/LBC proposed a new female WC, refurbishment of male WC and re-upholstery of fixed seating. Gazette 29175, printed page 1758 retains the same notice. This proves an advertised application, not approval or completed work.
- Harbour Inn controlled Facebook About page, inspected 3 September 2026Harbour Inn operatorofficial
SupportsThe public Harbour Inn Facebook page shows the, Fishmarket Square, Newhaven address and phone 0131 552 3968, agreeing with accepted identity. About has no opening-hours table. Confirms the current official endpoint only; no schedule, legal licensee or current building work is inferred.
