Anyone with experience of a Scottish summer will know two eternal truths:

1) It can be gloriously hot and sunny

2) It probably won’t be

Recent weather has borne this out. At present, this writer can see blue skies in the distance while rain lashes against the window.

I may have dreamed this but I’m sure Sean Batty was forecasting that it will rain frogs at some point this weekend.

Bearing this in mind, we admire the thinking behind a new promotion from Edinburgh’s Monboddo Bar.

They have decided to take summer into their own hands and bring al fresco dining indoors by serving an indoor BBQ picnic.

Glass of Pimm’s?

Guests will be given a glass of Pimm’s on arrival before being served a hamper packed with slider sandwiches, corn on the cob, coleslaw and baby baker potatoes, with cocktail sorbets to finish.

Diners can polish off proceedings with two cocktails from the bar’s extensive menu, or for those with specific requests, the team of mixologists can shake up special creations.

Sand-free picnic

Guests who want to really nail the whole authentic picnic vibe will have to bring their own ants/sand to mix with their food.

Taking the view that eating outside is possibly the first sign of society’s order breaking down, this scribbler applauds Monboddo Bar’s initiative and forward thinking.

Billed as being ‘perfect for intimate gatherings and girly get-togethers’, Monboddo’s picnic cocktail package is priced at £25 per person and is available Thursday to Sunday from now until 31 August.