New Edinburgh Pub to close Saturday after 27 years

The New Edinburgh Pub, a local institution on Beechwood Ave. for close to 30 years, is pouring its last draft on Saturday, after the owner and landlord could not come to an agreement on a new lease.

For longtime customers, the closure of the pub is a loss of a familiar friendly place where they felt at home.

"I'm pretty down and depressed...[but I've] accepted it," said Ernie Smith, who had been coming to the pub for 16 years.

Peter Hustwit has been coming to the pub for 20 years, once a month getting together with his former coworkers. He's not sure where he'll come for his mid-afternoon get togethers.

"I think its terrible... we're very, very sorry," said Hustwit.

Replacing the pub will be a Royal Oak, after some renovations are done on the space.

Pub owner to take over Whispers in Westboro

New Edinburgh Pub owner Paul Williams said he wasn't leaving by choice, but was unable to come to an agreement with the landlord over the terms of a lease. 

CBC News spoke with the landlord, however, who said the negotiations broke down over a number of issues, including a request that the pub undergo renovations.

Williams is moving on, however, having taken over as the owner of Whispers in Ottawa's Westboro neighbourhood, buying the business from his longtime friend Don Cogan.