By Rosalind Erskine

Copyright scotsman

Auld Hag, the cafe and takeaway that brought Scottish food and drinks to East London is making a move up north to Edinburgh. Known as The Shoap, Auld Hag is the brainchild of Gregg Boyd, who opened the business near Angel tube station in early 2024. It serves Scottish fayre, such as square sausage in homemade morning rolls, homemade tattie scones, pies, Tennent’s on tap, and glass bottles of Irn-Bru, traditional cakes and bakes and produce from small, independent businesses that people may not realise are based in Scotland. Now Mr Boyd is opening a second venue in Edinburgh, as a pop-up at first but with a view to making it permanent in 2026. Speaking about the new venture, Mr Boyd said: “I am buzzing to open our pop-up site in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge in November – one of my main goals has been to have a second Shoap in Edinburgh and this gives us a really good opportunity to see if our morning rolls, pies and all the rest is what the city wants. “I’m also looking forward to collaborating with some friends in the brilliant food and drink scene in Edinburgh across the month and all going well, open permanently going into 2026”. The Edinburgh Auld Hag will be located at 72 St Stephen Street in Stockbridge and will open on 1 November with takeaway rolls, pies, Scottish roasted coffee and Scottish soft drinks. Auld Hag in London has seen great success with live events at Burns night, collaborations and a famous face or two including James McAvoy. The business came about during lockdown, when Mr Boyd set up the Auld Hag Instagram page to deliver haggis, neeps and tatties to whoever got in touch. “I was actually delivering it for free at the start and just asking for feedback, just to see how that kind of food was perceived locally in Hackney,” he said. This went from a street food stall to permanent location on St John Street, after Mr Boyd gave up his full time job to start the business properly. As for the name, it’s short for old haggis, which Mr Boyd explained to The Scotsman ahead of the London shop opening. He said: “I thought, why do we only get haggis when there’s tartan and bagpipes, and on the 25th of January? Why can’t we make it more casual or even creative and funny? “So I came up with the name Auld Hag and thought we could make the haggis like an old granny and then it becomes our character as a kind of spin on the haggis as a mythical creature. It has allowed people to approach Scottish food in another way as it’s not formal and over the top with tradition. It’s more light hearted and I think it has allowed people to try it for the first time or try it again, in a more casual setting.” While traditional food is on the menu, Mr Boyd’s aim was always to move people away from thinking about the Scottish deep fried Mars bar stereotype of our food and focus on true Scottish scran. He said: “I’ve had Americans or people from Nepal or all over the world who ask what scran is, and then go on to ask what Scottish food is, and reference the deep fried Mars bar. Although it’s disappointing to hear that every time, it’s fuel for the fire for what we’re doing. “Look at wild venison, raspberries, cheese – and for me a roll and square sausage is equally as good – but a lot of people don’t really know that we have those ingredients in Scotland. People also don’t really know that we have these dishes that mean a lot to people all over Scotland, and I think that’s a shame, so I am trying to sort it.”