Wemyss Bay Station Bar has been named Scotland's best railway station pub in a new study published by travel website Locals Insider. The independent bar topped a list of three Scottish venues included in the research, which looked at 46 railway station pubs across the UK. It received an overall score of 63.2 out of 100, placing 33rd in the UK-wide ranking.
How the ranking was calculated
Researchers assessed each pub across five different categories, including customer satisfaction, value for money, opening hours, convenience for passengers and the overall appearance of the pub. Customer satisfaction carried the most weight, accounting for 35 points, followed by value for money at 25 points. Opening hours and station convenience were worth 15 points each, while the appearance of each venue made up the remaining 10 points.
The scores were calculated using Google customer ratings, the price of the cheapest draught pint, weekly opening hours and whether the pub was located inside the station or required a train ticket to access.
What made Wemyss Bay Station Bar stand out
Speaking about the findings, Locals Insider spokesperson Martin Danemaq said: "A station pub can make or break a journey, whether you're killing time before a delayed train or meeting friends on the way home." He added: "Wemyss Bay Station Bar came out on top in Scotland thanks to the best-value pint north of the border and great customer reviews, at one of the most beautiful stations in the country."
One of the biggest factors behind the bar's result was the price of its drinks, with a pint costing from just £4. This makes it almost £2 cheaper than any other Scottish pub included in the study, giving it a major advantage when it came to value for money. It also received plenty of positive feedback from customers, with the bar currently holding a 4.5 star rating on Google from more than 340 reviews.
Opening hours and location
Additionally, Wemyss Bay Station Bar is open for 76 hours each week, giving passengers and visitors plenty of opportunities to stop by. Its setting is another major attraction, with the bar sitting alongside Wemyss Bay railway station, which is a Category A-listed building. The station is particularly well known for its impressive curved glass and iron roof, making it one of the most distinctive railway buildings in Scotland.
