Edinburgh evolution
Changing the city fabric is vital in attracting new opportunities
WHEN WE WITNESSED the wrecking balls, diggers and giant claws attack the out-of-date St James Centre five years ago, little did we know that when it reopened in 2021 it would be at such a time of change, and it wouldn’t necessarily be the biggest factor in our city transforming to meet the needs of its residents and visitors. Much was predictable as trends change, but no one had a global pandemic on their radar, or the seismic shock this sent through city centres across the world.
As the magnificent St James Quarter opens its doors, it will add immeasurably to the evolution of our city centre. The fast forward button has been pressed, more so than any revolutionary town planner or visionary developer could have imagined. At a time when most city centres retail offering is reducing, Edinburgh’s will emerge larger and more diverse than before. Of course we’ve lost some notable and iconic Edinburgh names, but the St James Quarter has attracted many new brands to the city. As a retail destination our standing will increase, hopefully followed by more residents and visitors frequenting our city centre shops.
OPPORTUNITY
The loss of retail from some prominent city centre buildings affords opportunity for further change, such as The Johnnie Walker Experience and new mixed-use developments at Debenhams, BHS and Jenners. Yes, this has and will change the fabric of our city and disappoint people who loved these old stores and names, but it’s vital for the city to manage this opportunity.
We live in one of the greatest, most attractive city centres in the world, but to thrive in the future it must adapt. I firmly believe we have the collective will of property owners, city council and developers to make this happen. This is borne out by many recent announcements and examples as to how to bring historic buildings back to life and provide new uses for buildings as we prepare for the next phase of Edinburgh’s city centre history.
Our World Heritage status is a fantastic honour, and we must continue to do a superb job of protecting this heritage whilst developing our infrastructure for the years ahead. It’s been a very welcome feature of the recent past that so many historic buildings have been redeveloped for modern use whilst retaining the features that make Edinburgh stand out. The city planners, Councillors, developers and heritage bodies deserve praise for this, but we cannot rest on our laurels.
The St James Quarter is a game changer, but we cannot be complacent and think Edinburgh’s recovery will just happen. The rise of online shopping, the changing work patterns for office-based businesses, changes to how we all want to spend our leisure time and the need for a more “experiential” time when visiting our city centres – we need to embrace these changes.
Our cultural offering, festivals, events and heritage add to our attractiveness. To thrive we need to welcome investment, and imaginative and innovative partnerships to foster change, encourage residents, visitors and tourists to return, showcase our cultural events, and promote our city to the world.
Edinburgh’s recovery and future will depend on it.