2 days ago
Life on Edinburgh's Princes Street as high streets suffer 'decades of decline'
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New figures show one in eight of Scotland's high street shops are empty following 'decades of decline'.
Scottish Labour have called for rates to be slashed for local businesses to improve the growing problem. But the Scottish Government pointed to a rates relief package worth around £733 million, with a spokesperson adding: 'We are working with businesses to drive economic growth and prosperity…this includes the most generous small business rates relief in the UK.'
So Edinburgh Live checked in on Princes Street, to see how Edinburgh's famous thoroughfare is shaping up.
In 2023-24 the average rate of empty shops across Scotland rose to 12.3 percent, up from 11.9 percent the previous year.
Edinburgh has a lower proportion of empty shopfronts, at 5.4 percent. But Princes Street has come under fire in recent years, with residents branding it 'a disgrace' and 'embarrassing' on social media.
Shopkeepers complain of theft, antisocial behaviour and littering while locals object to the broken paving slabs, litter and empty shopfronts.
(Image: Edinburgh Live)
But things could be looking up for the historic high street, with new hotels and shops filling the empty gaps, and the police vowing to crack down on anti-social behaviour and youth disorder.
Muhammad Amin, who runs phone repair and accessory shop Mobile Plus, said that during school holidays they still have problems with anti-social behaviour from kids.
He explained how teens throw food and bottles into the shop, just to get a rise out of him. He also has trouble getting drunk people to leave the premises.
He said: 'We call the police when trouble starts, but they always take too long to arrive.
'At our old shop in Glasgow there weren't so many problems… you get to know the troublemakers and it's easier to deal with.'
Despite this, Amin had a positive attitude looking forward. He was happy that the street cleaners had, for the first time in two and a half years, cleaned his shopfront of rubbish and weeds.
(Image: Edinburgh Live)
Visitors were also positive about Princes Street. Amy and Mcclean Titterington, from Texas, chose Edinburgh for their honeymoon and spoke highly of the area.
Amy said: "The gardens are gorgeous, and it's easy to spot [and avoid] the touristy shops on Princes Street… Obviously there is a fair bit of construction at the moment, but that's okay."
Her husband added: 'You can easily spot the gimmicky shops.'
But Alex Currie, a local, believed the street had seen better days.
'I like Princes Street, but its charm has been diluted by tourist traps and too many sweet shops.
'It has almost been replaced by the St James Quarter, where a lot of the high-end shops have moved to.
'The east end of Princes Street is still really good though, and I think once the construction is finished at Jenners the whole area will look a lot better.'
Although not a fan of tourist and sweet shops, Alex conceded they were better than empty shop fronts.
Edinburgh Council chiefs, meanwhile, launched a plan to 'revitalise' Princes Street in 2024.
The proposals included more pop-up stalls and improvements to the pavements. They also said they would introduce street art and building wraps.
