News: Scotland’s largest Tabletop space – Thistle Tavern announces Edinburgh launch

Thistle Tavern is set to open a major new flagship venue at 79 Shandwick Place in late May 2026, marking a significant expansion for the independent tabletop retailer. This move follows a period of record-breaking growth for the business, which recently hit a £2 million annual turnover milestone and is currently finalising negotiations to double its capacity in Aberdeen. The Edinburgh site, situated near Haymarket Station and the West End tram stop, will provide dedicated seating for more than 70 players, mirroring the successful community-focused model developed on Aberdeen’s Union Street.

The expansion introduces a unique service to the Scottish gaming scene: a weekly “Stock Rotation” where hundreds of rare singles for Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering will be swapped between the two cities. This strategy ensures that local collectors in both the capital and the North-east have regular access to a refreshed inventory of rare cards without relying solely on online markets. We sat down with Stuart Robb, Director of Thistle Tavern, to discuss how this new West End hub will integrate into Edinburgh’s competitive gaming landscape and what players can expect from the space’s sensory experience.

Stuart, you’re bringing a massive new venue to the capital while other independent retailers are feeling the squeeze. What makes Thistle Tavern the shot in the arm that Edinburgh’s tabletop scene needs right now?

We’re in the fortunate position of building on the success story we’ve already created in Aberdeen, where our store has seen a 100% increase in its first two years. Andrew and I pride ourselves on bringing players together and giving them the space to foster a real sense of community. Thistle Tavern Games Hub will add another dedicated venue to a city that’s already thriving with players. We’re excited to bring additional playspace to Edinburgh and help meet the growing demand for trading card and tabletop gaming in the capital.

You’ve secured 79 Shandwick Place, specifically noting its proximity to Haymarket Station and the tram stop. Shandwick Place is a heavy transit and nightlife corridor – why choose this specific stretch over established student hubs like Marchmont or the traditional geek clusters near the bridges?

Being right in the heart of the city helps demystify tabletop gaming and makes it far more accessible to people who might be curious but hesitant to take the plunge into the hobby. Pokémon is a great example of a TCG that has stood the test of time, but the collector base still heavily outweighs the player base. By offering a central, highly visible space, we can shine a light on the community side of trading card games and show that they’re about more than just collecting. Our goal is to turn passing interest into weekly rituals – friends meeting up in the middle of Edinburgh to play, trade, and discover just how welcoming and social this hobby can be.

Shandwick Place buildings come with their own historic quirks and tight footprints. What has been the most uniquely “Edinburgh” hurdle in outfitting the space to accommodate your target of over 70 players, especially compared to your Union Street expansion in Aberdeen?

Fortunately, there have been no major hurdles for us so far (fingers crossed)! The only small nudge is that the basement at Shandwick Place isn’t suitable for playerspace as we had hoped, but the overall location and size were still too good an offer for us to pass up. We hope 70 seats will be more than enough for us to begin with in Edinburgh, and I challenge the community to prove us wrong.

Edinburgh already has a fiercely loyal, albeit fragmented, tabletop community. With plans to seat 70+ players, how do you plan to complement the existing local indie ecosystem rather than just stepping on established toes?

We have nothing but respect and admiration for Edinburgh’s local scene; Andrew and I have been coming through for events here for years. What we’ve seen in Aberdeen is that when you bring players together, they naturally want more time and more opportunities to play. That’s where we see Thistle Tavern fitting in. Our additional seats are designed to complement the existing venues, not compete with them; offering extra capacity for people who can’t make current scheduled nights, and giving those who would happily play every night of the week another welcoming place to do just that.

When a player escapes a dreich Edinburgh Tuesday and walks through your doors on Shandwick Place, what is the exact atmosphere you want them to feel, see, and hear?

Thistle Tavern Games Hub is a bright, welcoming playspace. As you step in out of the drizzle, we want you to be greeted by light, colour, and the quiet buzz of games in full swing. Players can take their time browsing our wide selection of singles, beautifully displayed in Japan‑manufactured Senbi cases or organised in binders at the counter, before picking up fresh sleeves or the latest board game release and heading through to the playspace. There, regulars and newcomers alike will be able to sit back, relax, and either dive into the evening’s organised play or simply hang out with friends at their own pace. One thing that might surprise people is that we don’t serve coffee or food in-house. Instead, we actively encourage folks to bring their own, or better yet, support the local economy by ordering from nearby cafés and takeaways. All we ask, and will firmly but fairly enforce, is that everyone respects other players, looks after the space, and cleans up after themselves so it remains a comfortable home for the whole community.

You’re launching in late May. That gives you just a couple of months to bed in before the city completely transforms for the August festivals. How will the sensory experience and operations of the Tavern adapt when the city’s population explodes?

It’s absolutely front of mind for us as we plan our opening weekend and the first few months. While it’s still a little early to lock anything in, we’re already looking at options we can trial once we open; extended opening hours, dedicated trade‑in days or weekends, larger prize-pool events, and a range of festival‑season offers. The goal is to be flexible and responsive. We want to be ready to scale up when the city fills with visitors in August, without ever losing the welcoming, local‑first feel that will define Thistle Tavern the rest of the year.

The weekly “Stock Rotation” of Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering cards between Aberdeen and Edinburgh is a fascinating concept. Logistically, who is making that run up the A90 every week, and how does this system guarantee a better, fresher experience for an Edinburgh collector compared to buying online?

While Andrew and I won’t be able to be in Edinburgh as often as we are at Thistle Tavern Aberdeen, we absolutely plan to be semi‑regulars. One of the things we’re most looking forward to is comparing the buylists that Edinburgh and Aberdeen each build up, then rotating stock between the two to keep things feeling fresh. Our bulk boxes are already a big hit in Aberdeen, and I fully expect the same in Edinburgh. The ability to swap out thousands of cards for thousands of different cards on a regular basis is a huge draw – it gives people a real reason to swing by, grab a Monster or another drink, and happily browse for hours, hunting for that next hidden gem.

Your success in Aberdeen was built on a 50/50 split between online and in-store sales, backed by proprietary technology. However, brick-and-mortar hospitality in the capital is ruthless right now. What is the one thing you are doing differently here that no other gaming café has dared to try?

As much as the competition for people’s time in Edinburgh will be tougher than in Aberdeen, I don’t think anyone would argue that Aberdeen’s retail landscape is in a far more tumultuous position – and we’ve successfully learned how to navigate that. What we’re doing differently with Thistle Tavern is doubling down on that lesson. Our core focus is to build a space people genuinely want to spend hours in, week after week. If you create an environment that feels comfortable, social, and alive, you give people a reason to step away from their screens and online baskets and actually choose to be in a physical space. That, more than anything else, is the risk we’re willing to take: betting on atmosphere and community as the real differentiator in a brutal retail climate.

The Tavern is pioneering support for newer titles like the Cyberpunk TCG, Neuroscape, and the upcoming Palworld launch. Do you anticipate the Edinburgh gaming crowd having a different appetite for these niche titles compared to your Aberdeen base?

As the capital, Edinburgh will almost certainly attract a broader mix of players than Aberdeen, and we fully expect that to translate into a greater appetite for niche and emerging titles. Our commitment is simple: if there’s demand, we’ll support it; whether that’s brand‑new games or smaller titles that don’t yet have, or could really use, more organised support. We’re already laying the groundwork on our Discord, where we’ve set up channels and polls for all the major games. If there’s something we’ve missed that you’d love to see us run organised play for, jump in and tell us. Edinburgh’s community will help shape what we champion from day one.

You are bringing in five new team members for the Edinburgh launch. Beyond just game knowledge, what specific local insight were you looking for to ensure the Shandwick Place branch feels like an authentic Edinburgh institution from day one?

Just like in Aberdeen, every member of our Edinburgh team will come in with real game knowledge, whether that’s a single favourite TCG or a handful they actively play, and genuine roots in the community. We want players to feel immediately at home with a team that not only speaks their language but shares their hobbies. Our new hires have also been working closely with our Aberdeen staff to learn what it takes to create a welcoming, professional atmosphere. The goal is that when you sit down to play at Shandwick Place, you can expect top‑tier organisation, a smooth retail experience, and staff who are as invested in the games as you are.

The West End location on Shandwick Place positions Thistle Tavern within one of Edinburgh’s most active transit corridors, ideally situated for those commuting via Haymarket or using the tram network. This stretch of the city has seen various retail shifts in recent years, and the introduction of a high-capacity venue for roleplaying games and competitive card play offers a distinct alternative to the traditional nightlife and hospitality options nearby. The tavern’s decision to forgo in-house catering in favour of supporting local cafés and takeaways reflects a collaborative approach to city centre revitalisation that has already proven successful for their Aberdeen branch.

This expansion comes at an exciting time for the local gaming community, as Tabletop Scotland is confirmed to return to Edinburgh in late 2026. With 70 new seats available in the West End, the city’s capacity for hosting major regional and national tournaments is set to grow significantly. For those interested in joining the community ahead of the late May launch, you can connect via the Thistle Tavern Discord or browse their inventory on the official Thistle Tavern website.