‘Edinburgh Is Open’ Plea As Princes Street Fire Disrupts Trams And Hits Leith Businesses

The familiar ding of the tram bell on Constitution Street in Leith — once a near-constant signal that customers were on the way — has largely gone silent since a fire at the former Debenhams building on Princes Street earlier this month.

Tram services are currently running only as far as Shandwick Place, and many bus routes have been diverted off Princes Street onto George Street. City of Edinburgh Council says stabilisation and safety work at the damaged site will continue for at least three more weeks while a joint Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service investigation into the blaze continues.

Alistair Brown said his business had been affected by the partial closure of Princes Street [BBC]

Local Businesses Feel The Hit

Hospitality operators in Leith — where the tram was extended in 2023 — report a sharp drop in footfall since services were curtailed. Alistair Brown, founder of Bellfield brewery, which runs Nobles on Constitution Street, estimates trade is down about 35% compared with a typical July. Brown and other local business groups are coordinating a 'Leith is open' campaign to reassure residents and visitors.

'I would say we're down something like 35% from where we would expect to be in July,' Brown said. 'We were used to hearing the tram bell ding every seven minutes and knowing there would be people around, but that has stopped. We would love to see some support.'

Transport And Festival Adjustments

Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams said proposals to move trams by road to run between Newhaven and York Place were impractical. Passengers with tram tickets can use connecting buses, but many of these services now use George Street rather than the usual Princes Street stops. Several Fringe venues that normally sit on George Street have been relocated to St Andrew Square.

Dani Rae said relocating venues had been a 'Herculean effort' [BBC]

Assembly, a major Fringe operator, has moved 17 shows — around 300 performances — into the area surrounding the Melville Monument. Assembly managing director Dani Rae called the relocation a 'Herculean effort', warning the full impact on artists and audiences may not be known until the festival finishes at the end of August.

Building, Response And Restoration

At the height of the response, up to 50 firefighters tackled the blaze in the early hours of 9 July at the B-listed former hotel, which had already been closed since a 2021 fire. The property was being converted into Scotland's first Zedwell hotel after purchase by Criterion Capital. Conservation work before the blaze involved careful deconstruction and preservation of the 19th-century façade and other architectural features.

Trams to and from Leith are suspended due to the partial closure of Princes Street [BBC]

Officials say an original Victorian staircase and stained-glass windows commemorating former prime minister Benjamin Disraeli survived the fire. The council is installing steelwork to reinforce the façade so vehicles can once again pass, but this work is weather-dependent and requires low winds for crane operations.

Transport convener Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: 'The complexity of the remedial work cannot be understated, with specialists working, mostly by hand, under extremely challenging circumstances. I'm acutely aware of the impact this is having across the city each and every day, and I'll repeat my thanks to the public for their continued patience.'

He added: 'The city is very much open, and I'd encourage everyone to support our fantastic local businesses as we enter the August festival season.'