The Gauntlet pub in Edinburgh, known for gang activity, closed despite efforts to save it. It is now a convenience store.
People posted memories in a Facebook group. Scott Dow missed the pub and its great times. Stevie Hill thought it was a shame it closed. The pub made news in 2009.
A masked drug dealer fired shots there. He meant it as a warning to a rival. The Daily Record reported the story. Drinkers hid as Sean McGovern fired his gun. He aimed to scare Jamie Hyland. Hyland was with his family inside. McGovern also sold heroin. Police found out after bugging his home.
You needed local connections to enter. One person on Twitter got invited. They were told they’d be fine with company. Another said it was a “murder pub” without a flat roof. Gangs didn’t attract many people. But karaoke nights were popular. Saturday nights were always crowded with singers.
New owners changed things in the 2010s. They renamed it the Redgauntlet. They hosted bingo, discos, and darts. Someone started a petition to save the pub. It had 75 signatures in 2015. This was not enough to keep it open.
The petition stated the pub gave locals a social space. It was a place to meet friends. Past owners misused the pub. The new owner made it respectable. It became enjoyable for locals. Residents wanted a youth center instead of another shop.
Today, the building is a convenience store. It is called Broomhouse Convenience Store. The atmosphere is very different now. The Gauntlet first opened in the 1970s.