Faces at the Mercat Grill opening.

Open days are a perfect opportunity  to snap the visitors,  yesterday was no exception and here are a few faces amongst the crowds.

not sure what they were watching here,  maybe thsi young lady getting her face painted.

A cone is a cone is a cone, so stop watching me.

Seriously grim looking individual here -John  just waiting for a lull in the music before he rode off into the sunset on his Harley

Young Craig had borrowed a shild for the occasion, probably in order to get a Mr softee ice cream !!!

I seee no ships - obviously looking for the gin bottle.

Our young Star singer winner of Edinburgh's got talent

 Table dressings, pretty as a picture.

Poor bear - no sleep last night, and the headache complaint would be ignored..

Mayfield Pipe Band at the Mercat Grill

Launch Day at the Mercat Grill and the Mayfield Pipe Band came over to play.  Band were excellent, their choice of tunes first class and there were many tapping feet around the car park.

Within the band were four members of the same family,  Iain Dillworth, his son and two twin daughters - a remarkable achievement.

Official Opening of Mercat Grill and Bar

All official now,  the Mercat Bar and Grill was opened yesterday with a ribbon cutting ceremony - cut by the Depute Provost of East Lothian, Jim Gillies

After several weeks of hectic works , the refurbishment is completed and what a transformation of the premises.

We had a great day, starting off with East Coast FM on site, face painting, magician, singer, pipe band -  Tea time the hog roast made an appearance - crackling and apple sauce,  then as dusk fell, into the building where Kiera Murphy held centre stage for a while and handed over to our visiting jazz band.

In the course of the day we started off the fund raising campaign for CLIC Sergeant, with an ongoing raffle running till 15th December.

Memories of the Mercat Grill, formerly the Dolphin Inn

A really interesting conversation today with this gent who arrived for lunch with his daughter and grand daughter.  Home on holiday from Australia.  Ian Hackett is the son of the late Tommy Hacket who built the Dolphin Inn and moved into the flat above on 10th  May 1956 when he was 13 years old.
Tommy Hacket had also owned the Elphinstone Arms and the Central Bar, Leith.
For ages we have wondered why it was called the Dolphin Inn and he was able to say that he and his brothers and sisters had sat with a book of pubs names from throughout the UK and eventually they picked the Dolphin as the name -  easy as that.
He even had a wee look into the flat to bring back memories of his childhood. 

Things progressing towards the re launch on Saturday first - no panic yet  ( who says).

Back from my travels in Ireland.

Home again after my sojourn in Ireland,  managed to clock 502 miles on the trip, hence the sore posterior.  Many thanks the members of the IPAGMC for their invitation and making us so welcome.

Left at 11.45 a.m. this morning and took the coastal route through Warren Point and up to Newcastle, before cutting across country to Belfast and up to Larne for the ferry.
Made it there early enough , first four bikes on board, smooth crossing to Troon, and then a fairly rapid run back to Edinburgh , via Glasgow as group members peeled off.
Some more pics of the bikes,

This one was way out in the country as the croup were heading up into the Mountains of Mourne

 

Taken in the lay by at Narrow Water Castle where on 27/8/79  -  eighteen soldiers were killed by two remotely detonated bombs.

 

Our lunch stop yesterday was at Carlingford Sailing Club, much appreciated as we were ravenous.

 

Folks might have thought we were daft,  however we thought this chap was mad,  dressed as he was he strolled into the sea and swam off into the distance, apparently training for a triathlon

 

However,  now home and ready for a snooze before the rigours of the week commence again at the Mercat Grill, on the build up to the Opening Event on the 28th.

 

A ride out in Ireland with the Guarda.

Just back after a long day out on the road - although we only did 144 miles,  but with fifty two bikes in convoy (reminiscent  of the old mobile column that the Police ran years ago) -   bit of a bind for the motorists who were sitting at junctions or waiting to turn right across our path -  with all these bikes evenly spaced the line it was nearly two miles long - apart from the few times the line missed the markers and we were split up- that time it took half an hour to find the missing bods.

Very interesting as we passed through lots of the towns which featured regularly in the news during the IRA troubles.

We stopped at Warren Point which was the scene of the biggest massacre of British troops by the IRA , and at the end of the run stopped to lay a wreath at the scene of the most recent murder of a Guarda  Officer  Adrien Donaho, at the Credit Union, Lordship, near Dundalk.

Dinner set for 8pm   should be fun
 

The Tain Tour 2013 - IPA motor bikes

Been a long day so far,  heard RGB getting up at 5.30 am for his meeting with BNI , then I was up at 6.30 and off on the road at 7.15 -  met Tom at the doughnut place at Hermiston Gait,  cannot believe how many folk are eating them at that time of day -  obviously topping up on E numbers.
 West on the M8 - weaved by the scene of an accident at Eurocentral,  picked up next rider at Showcase,  then on to Barrhead for next one before heading to Troon to meet five and six.   Onto the 11 a.m. ferry from Troon to Larne,  bit choppy but did not sit down so I was fine.  Went out to the observation deck -  bit of a joke as it is the smokers corner, so no fresh air, just nicotine and squealing kids.
Weather at Larne was lovely so onto the steeds once again for a fairly fast run South by passing Belfast, Newry and into Dundalk for the Rally / convention.   About 177 miles so far and we did think of meeting the northbound convoy but as the nearest meeting point was about 50 miles south we just settled for a quick spin into Dundalk town centre, bank, and top up Irish style  with petrol -  guess how much you might need, pay first then fill up.

The other group has arrived and a quick count from the window shows about forty bikes ion the car park.    Wee reception shortly, then tomorrow we have a 140 mile ride out around the area, the Mountains of Mourne  and eventually back to the hotel for a dinner and soiree.  All organised by the IPAGMC  North Eastern as their end of season rally/

Couple of senior moments -  brought my camera but left the memory card in the computer last night,  and also brought the wrong phone charger -  God help me if I decide to join the No 1. boys on their trip to Corsica and Sardinia next year.

In the meantime,  I hear from the Grill that things are going well -  even had a couple of old friends in for lunch, from Bonnyrigg,  lady worked with Mrs B when they left school, and husband worked with me at Dalkeith,  so nice to see Esther and Ian again,

Time for drinkies.