A hundred students walked into an Edinburgh pub? What the viral Reel really shows

Checked on 10 October 2026. A viral Reel posted on 18 September shows a large group of young men in jackets filing into a pub in Edinburgh. The creator says there were “about 100 or more”, that they appeared to be students and that other customers were filming too. Crucially, she also says she does not know whether it was a tradition or a separate event.

Our conclusion: the scene coincided with the city’s main student welcome period and could plausibly be a society, sports club or pub-crawl outing. However, the pub, university, club and purpose have not been identified. Claims that these were “100 eligible bachelors” or participants in a Scottish matchmaking tradition are unsupported.

The dates that do match

The Students’ Association says it supports a community of more than 49,000 students. Welcome programmes include society fairs, city tours, concerts, themed nights and club events, so a large similarly dressed group in the city centre would not be extraordinary. A jacket may be a society, team or event dress code; it does not prove membership of an elite club or anyone’s relationship status.

Official event or commercial pub crawl?

The University of Edinburgh and its Students’ Association say that official events appear on their websites and the UoE Events app. The association specifically warns about third-party “Freshers packages” that can look official, says it does not sell wristbands, and lists its own venues as Teviot, Potterrow, Pleasance, King’s Buildings House and Wee Red Bar rather than off-campus venues.

Other universities have separate programmes. Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association advertised a Napier Pub Crawl for 6pm on 10 September 2026, starting at Teviot or Potterrow, crossing Old Town and Cowgate and ending at Westside Rodeo. That is a verified example of a large student night out, but it happened eight days before the Reel was posted and does not identify the group in the video.

How much does it cost?

The Reel names neither the event nor a ticket or pub, so there is no honest price for this particular scene. Napier’s 2026 guide confirms a ticketed pub crawl but does not display a price in the available event description. At the University of Edinburgh, fairs and See the City tours during Welcome Week were free, while parties could require separate tickets. Pub drinks are normally extra unless an organiser explicitly says otherwise.

Before paying: do not trust a package merely because it says Freshers or Official. Find the event on the university or students’ association website or app, verify the organiser, age limit, guest policy, venue, inclusions and refund terms.

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Can tourists and non-students join?

• Students: use your own university, students’ union or association, clubs and societies. Carry student ID and acceptable proof of age.
• Guests: some events admit non-students, but only when the individual ticket and venue rules allow it.
• Tourists: commercial pub crawls exist, but they are not necessarily university events. Do not attach yourself to a private group without the organiser’s agreement.
• Everyone: a ticket does not override capacity rules, security checks or a venue’s right to refuse an intoxicated person.

Age and safety in Scotland

The legal age to buy alcohol is 18. Licensed premises must operate an age-verification policy and challenge customers who appear under 25. A photograph of an ID on a phone may not be accepted, so check the venue’s requirements.

• Keep your drink in sight and do not accept an open drink from a stranger.
• Agree how your group will travel home, charge your phone and save your accommodation address.
• If you suspect spiking, tell venue staff immediately, stay with someone you trust and call 999 in an emergency; report non-emergency crime to Police Scotland on 101.
• After sexual assault in Scotland, the Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service can be contacted on 0800 148 88 88 without first reporting to police.
• Do not drive after drinking; there is no universal safe number of drinks.

Editorial verdict

The video captures a plausible Edinburgh student-nightlife scene during Welcome Week. But the creator’s caption is an observation and a joke, not an official record. Until the organiser or venue identifies the event, the accurate wording is: a large group of young men entered a pub; a connection to a student event remains unconfirmed.

We have not reproduced the Reel and use an original editorial reconstruction. If a participant or organiser can verify the event, we will update this article.