The Starbank Inn
The buildings containing the Starbank Inn are thought to date from approximately 1810. They were originally built as houses, and seem to have consisted of two ground floor houses entered directly from the street and two upper floor houses entered from the rear of the building. The upper floor houses occupied the first floor and an attic floor above, with dormer windows.
On a map dated 1852 the area east of these houses, towards Newhaven, was the private grounds of Starbank House, with a row of cottages fronting onto Starbank Road and named Starbank Cottages. At right angles, and parallel with Laverockbank Road, was a short street called Starbank Place. Later in the nineteenth century, Starbank House and grounds were bought by Leith Town Council for use as a public park, the cottages were demolished and the two small streets eliminated. Until 1920, the area was part of Leith.
A new stone wall with iron railings was erected place of the cottages. This had been completed by the 1890s. In 1910 the Devlin Fountain was added to the park.
It is not clear when part of the premises was first used as a public house, but the ground floor at the north end, next to Starbank Road, first became licensed premises. In the picture above, this is painted in white or a light colour.
Over the years, the public house has been extended, to include the ground floor of the adjacent house, a single storey to the west (Granton) end, and most recently a conservatory to the rear. Internal alterations were also made.
The pub has changed hands a number of times. The better known proprietors include Willie Scott, in whose day the pub was officially known as the Starbank Arms but unofficially as Scott’s; Peter Todd, later to have Todd’s tap in Bernard Street (now the Carrier’s Quarters) and, until the end of January 2010, Scott Brown. The Starbank Inn was altered internally and had a conservatory added at the rear over the winter of 1991/1992.
The Starbank Inn was refurbished in March 2010 and is now a Belhaven managed house.