Scotmid

When I needed beer:
The bring your own solution.
Thank you, beer fairy.
— a Scotmid haiku.
At the end of the day, a Scotmid, is a Scotmid. But if you happen to be eating at Maki & Ramen around the corner, this is your closest bet for BYOB. For shame Tesco.

I went into this shop and bought an onion and some other stuff. The chap asked me if that was the only onion and I say «Just One-​ion» (wun-​ee-​un) and he didn’t laugh or high five me. Therefore I feel unable to score this place highly.
Other than that it’s a pretty decent (if rather expensive) shop that I only goto if drunk or if tescos is closed for some horrid reason. The fruit and veg is generally fairly rubbish, but they usually have some decent reduced to clear things if you’re looking for inspiration. I once got about 2 kg of gammon steak for about £1.50
Other than that it’s usually got a beggar outside, someone trying to steal things inside, and noone is really sure how to queue.

This Scotmid is open 24 hours a day, which is handy if you live in the area. Even in the middle of the night their shelves are still quite well stocked, I’ve seen me go in at 2am in the hope of finding bread and they still had plenty. Going in in the middle of the night does mean the place is full of drunken people on their way home from nights out.

If Palmyra is closed this is the place to be on Nicolson Street, the only other places that you will see bouncers outside shops are the very best designer shops. The fact that they can afford to hire their services shows how popular the place is on a Friday and Saturday night. Unfortunately, they don’t do a very good job, and have accused me of shoplifting on a few occasions (wrongly may I add). Furthermore, the bouncer seems scared whenever someone actually jumps the queue, and have actually seen others do his job for him and remove the queue cutter themselves.
The store is quite small, so they normally stock up on the more expensive items, so it would probably be better to shop at the Tesco’s opposite if you were food shopping during the day.

I easily visit this shop more than any other on Nicholson Street. But only when I’m drunk, and only in the early post-​clubbing hours of the morning. On Fridays and Saturdays it has a bouncer standing by the door at these times who, it has to be said, is pretty useless at both managing the queue at the front entrance and maintaining law and order. The guys who man the tills are actually more effective at this, having banned my flatmate for life for inappropriate behaviour at these times.
Once into Scotmid, however, it is a temple withholding the cure to your hangover and you must spend wisely using the little change you have left. My remedy of choice is usually a ready meal (two for £4 if my patchy memory serves me correctly) and a bag of crisps, washed down with plenty of water when safely back home.
During the day Scotmid is usually used to grab a paper or a sandwich when on the go. The Tesco Metro across the road is far superior in terms of its size and value. Nevertheless, the fact that Scotmid is open twenty-​four hours is a heroic feat and a true tribute to clubbers needs!

Late opening times and a well stocked pastry selection have tempted me here time and time again after a boozy night. Scottmids can be a little tacky at times but as far as they go this Nicholson st branch is a neat one.
I’d advise against buying veg from here as its well overpriced but for confectionary and drinks it’s all standard stuff.

Aah, Scotmid Nicholson Street — you are my favourate late night food haunt, forget all the burger joints and kebab shops.
24 hours of everything and anything you could fancy — its great.
I used to live across the road from here, and late at night you could see queues of late night party goers waiting for thier turn to buy late night snacks. Amazing really, I dont know anywhere like else like this.
During the day it isnt the best of shops — theres a much bigger tesco across the road for your day –to-​day shopping needs, so really it only becomes outstanding at one when tesco closes.
When you are drunk and hungry and everywhere else is closed — this is the place to be!

I have the fondest of memories of this place from my first year. After club closing time, all us intoxicated freshers stumbling into this store, getting a glare from the security guards, and buying the necessary carb-​filled grub and sugar to complete our night.
Good times.
It’s more or less geared to that and certainly is a small place, not much in the way of choice and the prices are a bit higher than the Tescos across the street.
What makes it special is it’s one of the few 24 hour supermarkets in the area– you would think someone would have clocked on to the fact that students don’t really do reasonable hours, and will spend money at stupid times to get a pizza or pot noodle. Also, for some reason this place has the best milk. I’m not joking the co-​op milk is delicious– far superior than Tescos and Lidl. Although do not buy milk when you are drunk. Not good.

This is pretty much the only place in the centre of Edinburgh you’re going to get your junk-​food carb hit after a night out, and it’s always busy at the weekend and during the wee hours. As a result they stock mainly fast-food…pot noodles, ready-​made meals, pizza’s, sandwiches, but they also stock most of your basic necessities.
At the weekends and on particularly busy week-​nights, they have bouncers at the door. This makes me feel safe… until CCTV captured one of the bodyguards stealing my friends mobile phone right out of her bag.
It’s a good thing that this Scotmid is open 24/​7, but it attracts homeless and drunk old men all the time. I don’t think I’ve ever been in here without the police.
Saying that, I always go back to get bacon and rolls for my midnight snacks.

I can honestly say I never thought I could be quite as fond of a supermarket chain as I am of Scotmid (along with pretty much every other person who’s ever been out drinking nearby).
When I first moved to Edinburgh I couldn’t believe how early the fast food places close at night — if I want a pizza or kebab on my way home I don’t want to have to leave whichever nightclub I’m in before 1am! But then I discovered Scotmid…
The only place that sells food at stupid o’clock in the morning. Yes, it’s annoying when you have to queue to get into the place, and yes, it’s annoying the way they charge stupid amounts for stuff that isn’t really great quality, but to be honest I don’t usually care. They sell me Quavers, cookies and ready meals, so in my book Scotmid is definitely in my good books.

Oh Scotmid. How many times have you saved me from the hangover from hell? Too many.
You see I have this problem when I drink that if I don’t eat before I go to bed I will spend the next 24 hours chundering. Not pretty. I discovered some time ago that the first step to curing a hangover is preventing it. And eating does that. As in Edinburgh most food places close around 1am this can pose a problem. Not if you go to the 24 hour Scotmid! I can’t count the times I have gone here, wrecked and woken up the next day with a pile of random food. Smoked salmon? Aye sure don’t even like it but I’ll buy it when I’m drunk. Yoghurt? Why not. Beans? Go ahead. It is quite dangerous going food shopping while drunk, I will warn you. By about 4am this place can be pretty raped as all the drunkards fill their baskets, which means you end up munching a packet of ham before bed. I heard a rumour they now have bouncers which pretty much sums up the level of drunk you get here.
Ah Scotmid how I love you.