COCO BOHO

George Street, Edinburgh

by Susan Young

Coco Boho, is a new late-night destination below Tigerlily on Edinburgh’s George Street. The venue, designed by Jim Hamilton, is owned by the Montpelier group, and aims to bring a new experience to the capital’s late night scene. The basement bar has been transformed to make the most of the space; and it now boasts an array of booths, tables for two and high tables to suit everyone’s taste. Glasgow based artists, Art Pistol have also created bespoke wall and ceiling murals to bring the space to life.

Montpeliers describe the venue as having a ‘rough luxe’ look. Explains MD Innes Bolt, “Jim Hamilton coined the phrase. An example of which are our walls which have been coated in Venetian plaster walls which look like concrete but feels much nicer to the touch.” He continues, “We haven’t updated the space for a while and times have moved on. We decided to adapt the venue and create a new late night bar which was accessible to everyone. People still want to stay out until 3am but they don’t necessarily want to pay door charges or book, which is why we no longer charge, and although we do take bookings, you don’t have to book.”

Designer Jim Hamilton who has worked with Montpeliers over the last couple of decades, played his part here too. He told DRAM, “The one thing about a basement bar is that it is always going to be dark, it will never be airy. Also with a late night venue when it is busy actually what people see is above head height, so what is above you becomes quite important. I kept it dark, took away the detail and then played with art as a medium to give it a point of difference.

“We have also made the bar bigger and longer and have created a series of little spaces.”

Innes adds, “We moved the front door, put in new fixed seating and all new flooring. We have opened up the bar up and moved the DJ booth. Now we have four booths, two day bed areas, and there is a mix of glass, marble and wood tables which feature small lamps.”

The new late night bar aims to be high energy and with this aim it has recruited a carnival of musicians alongside artistes who will showcase bespoke energetic and interactive performances to keep customers entertained.

Says Jim, surprisingly for a designer, “I have been to some amazing places where the interior wasn’t the be all – it was the whole mix – service, drinks, atmosphere, and I think that is what Coco Boho provides.”

Innes concludes, “Coco Boho aims to appeal to those who want a casual drink as well as people wanting a more high energy night out. It is open from 8am to 3am and it will adapt as the night goes on. We have put a lot of thought and effort into creating a properly fun experience for our guests. From the training provided to our staff, to the décor and the planned events, everything has been carefully curated to provide our guests with a truly unforgettable experience.”

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