Much like the daffodils, Edinburgh's bar scene is springing into life again. Here's the skinny on The Scottish Engineer and the Nor' Loft.

First up, Ecosse Inns are hard at work creating The Scottish Engineer, a new bar in the Telford Road premises formerly occupied by The Telford Arms.

The Scottish Engineer is pencilled in to launch on Monday 25th March with an Elvis tribute act getting the party started on Friday 29th March.

As well as drinks, the new venture will be open for breakfast , lunch and dinner and the large outside seating area will also be a big draw, especially if this summer is anything like last year's.

It will be interesting to see how far Ecosse Inns develop the Scottish engineer theme. One of their other pubs is The Barologist in Leith.

The Barologist is weather-themed and the designers really got their teeth into the concept. The bar is equipped with a snow machine, fog machine and a big red thunder button.

Is Telford Road ready for anything similar?

Champagne at Nor' Loft

Looking further ahead, the Nor' Loft will be a bar on the seventh floor of the Market Street Hotel by Waverley. The main pic, taken from the hotel's Facebook, shows an artist's impression of the space.

Pencilled in to open in May, the Nor' Loft will feature a Champagne table which will sport ten different brands of bubbles along with wine, spirits and cocktails.

On the food front, visitors can enjoy afternoon tea, small plates and light bites.

The bar takes its name from the Nor' Loch, the body of water which once occupied the area which is now Princes Street Gardens.

Of course, the seventh floor, panoramic views of the capital will be one of Nor' Lofts major attractions.

For such a beautiful city, Edinburgh's bars and restaurants have not always made the most of its vistas.

Honourable exceptions include Tower Restaurant, the Sky Bar, Chaophraya, The Black Dahlia and The Lookout by Gardener's Cottage.