A musical theatre actor and fine artist was so inspired by music-loving Scots who visited his New York-style piano bar in Lisbon that he has moved it to Scotland, writes JULENA DRUMI
Edinburgh Fringe venue 245 will offer this year’s festival goers something new. Downstairs at Betty’s makes its debut in the capital’s West End ahead of the annual jamboree, bringing a New York-style sing-along bar to the country.
Bar owner Matt Colagiuri, a musical theatre actor and fine artist, has teamed up with bartender Stefan Creran who has headed up some of the city’s top cocktail bars including Nightcap and Lucky Liquor.
Colagiuri adapted the Broadway concept when he moved to Lisbon in the late 2010s. His piano bar was named after his grandmother Betty, who gathered the family around the piano for holiday sing-alongs in her downstairs den.
The bar quickly became a five-star attraction on Tripadvisor, but its popularity with Scottish visitors made him decide to uproot the concept to Charlotte Lane, Edinburgh.
He has influenced the design which has a retro mid-century aesthetic, similar to the bars in New York and which he visited during his theatre career. The piano will be at one end of the lounge with seating and booths stretching to the far end, enabling guests to choose how involved they want to be in the sing-alongs.
He says he has a vision to bring people together through a love of music and cocktails, with a “bartop” designed around the piano to allow for a connection between customers, musicians and staff.
The bar will feature a community arts noticeboard for guests and arts lovers to share news and opportunities.
Downstairs at Betty’s may bring a touch of New York to Edinburgh, though it isn’t the first of its kind. Fingers Bar in Frederick Street has been a regular haunt for late night revellers since the early 1980s and is also a Fringe venue.
Thanks to a fund-raising campaign the Jazz Barr in Chambers Street, another popular Fringe venue, has just reopened after its sudden closure earlier in the summer.
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