Edinburgh is one of the UK’s most popular tourist destinations, with thousands of visitors flocking to the city every year. Yet while the city centre remains attractive for tourists and residents alike, retailers in the East End have voiced concerns over the area’s general state of disrepair – triggering a £100 million investment into refurbishing the maze of neglected backstreets in the heart of Scotland’s capital.
The proposed revival, which will see facades and properties surrounding West Register Street upgraded, will transform the area into “Edinburgh’s answer to Covent Garden”. A heavy emphasis will be upon transforming empty or derelict buildings into art galleries, restaurants and retail units while road maintenance will be addressed as a matter of urgency.
In total, the completed redevelopment will boast 40,000 sq ft of retail space, along with 23,000 sq ft of offices. As a result, 200 jobs are expected to be created and city leaders believe further investment from business tenants could reach around £97 million, significantly boosting Edinburgh’s local economy.
The project will be led by city economic leader Councillor Frank Ross, who believes the plans will go a long way in rejuvenating an area of Edinburgh “forgotten for quite a few years.”
He says; “There aren’t many people who know about the little gardens that sit behind the buildings there.
“The idea is to have a nice pedestrian area you can walk through, little cafes, perhaps some small independent shops or art galleries, artisan jewellers and some places for people to sit and enjoy the gardens.
“It’s a really interesting place in its own right, and the plans are designed to let people experience it.”
Councillor Ross revealed that, should work begin by the end of the year as planned, the new-look East End should be completed by January 2019. At this point it will be able to begin to contribute to the city’s economy, with this value estimated at around £6.6 million per annum.
Although councillors have been considering a revival of the East End for some time, this project has largely been kick-started by the acquisition of 42 St Andrew’s Square, along with several adjoining properties on West Register Street, by the Chris Stewart Group. The firm specialises in converting historic properties for modern use and has already shown great promise for Edinburgh during works within Advocates Close.
Chief executive of Essential Edinburgh Andy Neal welcomed the news, claiming it will prove hugely beneficial for Edinburgh.
He says; “We’ve had a prime site that has sat empty, and not only has that been a missed opportunity, but some of the space in front of it has been used by people sleeping rough.
“West Register Street as a lane is not a good advertisement for Edinburgh as things stand at the moment.
“Anything which gives that building [42 St Andrew’s Square] a lift and gets it being used positively we are absolutely in favour of and give our full backing to.”
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