Take the tram to Leith’s award-winning Open Comedy night before everyone hears about it - Vladimir McTavish

After all the upheaval of the past couple of years, the place looks stunning, especially on a hot night in June.

I spent an evening at the foot of the Walk on Tuesday, and at the risk of sounding pretentious, the atmosphere felt positively continental.

On a wonderful, balmy evening, as people sat outside the bars, and trams glided elegantly past, I felt as if I could be anywhere in Europe. It was even warm enough to sit outside at ten o’clock.

The trams have long divided opinion among the Capital’s citizens, but their effect on Leith has been transformational, even if only superficially.

I totally realise that some businesses went to the wall because they did not have the cash flow to get them through the disruption caused by the works over the past two years.

However, for those who have managed to keep their heads above water, they are now likely to reap the benefits. Deservedly so too, as there are so many nuggets of gold down by the city’s waterside.

The reason I was at the Foot of the Walk was to perform at Open Comedy, a relatively new gig set up by a group of young performers at Artisan Roast on the block between Jane Street and Great Junction Street.

The night has a wonderfully bohemian vibe, where new comedians can perform for the first time and old lags such as myself can road test new material in the run up to the Fringe.

The coffee shop has shut for the evening but the there is a BYOB policy which allows for a fantastically relaxed and informal evening, unlike any other show in Edinburgh. Close your eyes and you could be anywhere in Europe.

However, one is very much in Edinburgh as the punters are 100 per cent local, unlike virtually every other Edinburgh gig where regulars are well outnumbered by tourists.

The audience are wonderfully supportive and some of the acts are delightfully off-the-wall. It is a wonderful antidote to anyone’s start-of-the-week blues.

At the end of the night, everyone is invited to go next door to the Mother Superior pub, although I was unable to do so as I have a suspicion I may be barred from that establishment as a result of some rather bad behaviour after a funeral.

I use the term “suspicion” as my memories of the night in question are somewhat hazy, so I may actually be persona non grata at a totally different boozer.

Anyway, back to the comedy night. Open Comedy is a free show, with contributors in a bucket at the end of the night.

They recently won a much-coveted Chortle award, and thoroughly deserved this accolade.

Do catch this hidden gem in the Capital’s entertainment scene before the tourists find out about it and jump on a tram to the real Edinburgh. Hopefully I will be playing there again soon and maybe I will be allowed back into the pub next door. Who knows ?

I might enjoy myself so much, I end up getting barred again.