The Lyon Public House brings duelling pianos and live music to a former auction house on George Street

A George Street building that rang to the sound of the auctioneer's hammer for more than a century has a new soundtrack. The Lyon Public House has officially opened after a six-month redevelopment of the historic auction house, bringing together gastropub dining, an in-house bakery, live music and duelling pianos.

The venue comes from Edinburgh operator Encore Bars, which also runs The Boston Bar Old Town and New Town, Freddy's and Westside Rodeo. The company invested £1.5 million in the project.

The design draws on the building's theatrical past. Auction rooms were traditionally loud, reactive places where the crowd was as much a part of the action as the auctioneer, and The Lyon takes the same approach, changing through the day before the entertainment takes over at night.

At the heart of the venue is Hammer Hall, home to two pianos and long beer hall-style tables. During dinner service, pianists take requests from the floor, playing covers with a jazz and blues influence, before the duelling pianos take over later in the evening and the crowd becomes part of the show. Beyond Hammer Hall, The Sale Room hosts live bands and performers, and a glass-fronted courtyard opens onto George Street. A private room called Lot 51 has its own bar and can host dinners for up to 15 or drinks for up to 30.

Food is led by executive chef Jake Clayton and head chef Andrius Sabanovas, with reworked pub classics using seasonal produce from local suppliers, from a lobster roll to ham, egg and chips. At the centre of the kitchen is a bakery making fresh pies every day, and when the main kitchen closes, pies are still served from a late-night window until 3am. The menu includes steak pie, macaroni cheese pie and Lorne sausage rolls.

Behind the bar are 18 draught beers, collaborations with independent brewers, wine and cocktails, with live entertainment every day.

For a big night out in the New Town, a singalong round the pianos followed by a pie on the way home is hard to beat.

Details of live music, bookings and the private room are available from Encore Bars and The Lyon Public House.