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The pub’s story
CAMRA’s account makes the Ormelie a place to inspect the joinery as closely as the beer. It dates conversion from a grocer’s shop to about 1904, while the operator’s earlier late nineteenth-century claim remains unresolved. A photograph from about 1920 shows the counter and carved-pillar gantry; two of the original four snugs survive, one with a Campbell and Company mirror. Alterations in the 1970s removed spirit casks, seating and a fireplace and added a false ceiling. John Gorevan records Mrs F. A. Marshall taking over during her husband’s wartime service and remaining in charge afterwards, although the year is unspecified. His account also places her among the Edinburgh Licensed Trade Association’s first two women directors in 1970, shortly before her death. The surviving snugs and bar fittings give the pub its character today, alongside cask beer and the operator’s advertised range of more than 80 malt whiskies.
What to notice
- 01
Two of the original four snugs survive; look for the Campbell and Company mirror in one of them.
- 02
The carved-pillar gantry and long counter are historic fittings, but 1970s changes removed other original elements.
- 03
The venue advertises more than 80 malt whiskies and CAMRA lists regular cask beer.
The time rail
The building, the pub and its interior may date from different periods. The timeline keeps documented dates separate from tradition.
CAMRA dates conversion from a grocer’s shop to about 1904; the operator’s earlier late nineteenth-century account remains unresolved.
By about 1920, the counter, gantry and former spirit casks were already present, as shown in a historic photograph.
John Gorevan records Mrs F. A. Marshall taking over while her husband was on wartime service and continuing afterwards. The war and takeover year are not specified.
According to John Gorevan’s trade-history account, Ormelie licensee Mrs F. A. Marshall became one of the Edinburgh Licensed Trade Association’s first two women directors, shortly before her death.
A false ceiling was added and the spirit casks, original seating and fireplace were removed.
Sources & confidence
CAMRA establishes the approximate conversion date, surviving snugs and historic fittings, and 1970s changes. The operator supplies current hours and whisky details; its earlier conversion claim conflicts with CAMRA and remains unresolved. Gorevan’s retrospective account adds two distinct stages in Mrs F. A. Marshall’s career: taking over during wartime and election to the licensed-trade association in 1970. The takeover year and war are not identified, and the original trade-paper issue is unknown, so both are attributed. No statutory listing is claimed. The approved frontage portrait and earlier mapped location are retained.
Research reviewed
- The Ormelie TavernOrmelie Tavernofficial
SupportsCurrent identity, address, telephone, seven-day hours, late nineteenth-century shop conversion claim, whisky range, cask ale and interior character.
- Ormelie Tavern, EdinburghCampaign for Real Alespecialist
Supportsc.1904 opening, c.1920 photograph, surviving historic fittings, snugs, 1970s changes, hours, cask beer and dated photographs.
- The Ormelie Tavern map recordOpenStreetMapappearance
SupportsMapped identity, address and coordinates.
- Capacity by intermediate data zone, December 2023City of Edinburgh Councilgovernment
SupportsLicensed-premises context for Joppa Road.
- Ormelie Tavern galleryOrmelie Tavernappearance
SupportsCurrent operator-controlled visual references for the long bar, fittings and venue identity.
- Edinburgh Pubs: Edinburgh Lady Director Dies, 1970John Gorevan, Old Glasgow Pubsspecialist
SupportsGorevan’s retrospective trade-history account records Mrs F. A. Marshall taking over during her husband’s wartime service, continuing afterwards, and her 1970 election among the first two women directors of the Edinburgh Licensed Trade Association. Neither the war nor takeover year nor original trade-paper issue is specified; both milestones remain attributed.
