These are the very best club smoking areas of Edinburgh

Edinburgh clubs would all love to claim the 'best smoking area' title, but really these clubs are in a league of their own. Many of Edinburgh's clubs offer nothing but the pavement for the smokers.

Not these clubs though. They go above and beyond, trying to make their outdoor areas just as popping as the insides.

The Liquid Room

This is the Chancellor's Court of smoking areas. The Liquid Rooms treats its smokers to a luxury smoking experience. The tables, cushioned chairs, mood lighting, outdoor heaters, and the outside bar all contribute to making this smoking area like an all inclusive holiday resort for Edinburgh’s smokers. It might be worth grabbing a pack of straights for this one.

Credit: The Liquid Room

Why Not

Many people argue that the Why Not smoking area is actually better than the inside of the club. It makes it's guests feel very comfortable, on the cushioned wicker chairs, basking in the heat of the heaters, and also the fact that they have a DJ just for the smokers to enjoy is kind of mental.

The Mash House

A slippery staircase that offers a glimpse of freedom and boundless opportunities for re-entry – what Mash House lacks in facilities for smokers, it makes up for in its general vibe and opportunity for edgy group photos. The club is the host to a wide range of different nights, and an evening spent on the stairs outside The Mash House is never a dull one.

Cabaret Voltaire

There's something charming about the 3×5 metre smoking area out the front of the club, half of that space being taken up by the bench. People love to gather there, talking about how 'lit' the night is, whilst the rain leaks down their back from the scaffolding above.

The Bongo Club

An oasis of calm just off Cowgate – the Bongos smoking area, brimming with rollie smokers, donning their Ralphie caps, throwing the occasional gun-finger, and constantly reiterating how ‘safe’ everything is ‘bruv’.

Its picnic benches and astroturf give it an odd school playground kind of vibe, however the fact that it's actually within the club and not on the street sadly means that nipping out for a quick one at The Three Sisters, then returning later already stamped is not an option.

Moreover, its lack of shelter means smokers are often left sodden when they nip out. This wouldn't cause too many problems for it's occupants anyway with their North Face puffers.

Credit: Jamie Heseltine