Kinleith Arms, 604 Lanark Road
The Kinleith Arms is thought to date back to the 1830's when it was opened probably as a coaching inn with a change of horses after the pull out of Edinburgh along the main route to Lanark. The smithy was found next door during this time. There are still iron hooks in the cellar of the bar today, which would have been used to tie up the horses.
The current proprietor is Ben Smith and his wife Gill. Gill grew up in the area. It is thought to be formerly known as Angus Bar. The bar area was last overhauled around 1977. The Kinleith Arms is still a thriving Inn serving food with many old local regulars with a tale to tell.
The painting hanging in the bar of the Kinleith Arms depicting Burns reciting to a crowd of regulars
Inside the bar is an oval shaped painting of a fictional scene with Burns reciting "A Man's A Man For A' That" to regulars that drank there in the late 1940's. A framed article in the wall of the lounge by The National Guardian in 1949 explains that it was gifted by a Mr W. Forrest who features somewhere in the painting. At the back of the painting is Angus Calder who was the former licencee and is the man with folded arms. Also at the back is Angus' granddaughter, who is still thought to be alive today and living in England, and to her right in the wig Arthur Scott, Angus' farther-in-law and the proprietor. The picture also includes a taxi driver (Rab Swanston perhaps, man coming through door with a cap), chimney sweep, slater (man with pipe), and a mill worker. The man bottom left is holding snuff. The men at the table were also thought to be regular domino players. This remarkable piece of work The National Guardian goes on to say, attracted widespread attention in the east. Along the top of the painting is a quote from the last line of the poem:
"That Man to Man, the world o'er, Shall brothers be for a' that."
