Category: New Town

National Trust for Scotland offers insight into Enlightenment through Raeburn’s Edinburgh exhibition

  • Exhibition marks 200th anniversary of Raeburn’s death, giving fascinating insights into Enlightenment Edinburgh
  • Exhibition at Georgian House from 2 June to 26 November 2023 is free to NTS members and includes audio of sitters’ experiences, workshops, tours and a Raeburn’s Edinburgh walking route

A new exhibition of Raeburn portraits, at the National Trust for Scotland’s Georgian House in Edinburgh, opens the doors on the painter’s career, his subjects’ experiences of sitting for portraits, and life in Enlightenment Scotland.

The Raeburn’s Edinburgh exhibition brings together 18 carefully-selected portraits and engravings, including a self-portrait, from across six National Trust for Scotland properties for the first time. It tells stories of the artist, the people who sat for him, and the society and attitudes of the city they inhabited.

In parallel, a programme of events and interpretation organised by the conservation charity will illuminate different aspects of Raeburn’s Edinburgh, covering topics from print culture and maps, to historic links to the Caribbean and how visitors can research their own Scottish family history (perhaps finding a link to someone Raeburn painted). Family events include paper-cutting and collage workshops for children aged six and upwards.

Curating the exhibition is Dr Antonia Laurence-Allen, National Trust for Scotland’s Curator (Edinburgh & East), who said: “Many people are familiar with Raeburn’s work, through portraits such as The Skating Minister – or, to use its official title, Reverend Robert Walker (1755-1808) Skating on Duddingston Loch – on show in the Scottish National Gallery.

“But there’s so much more to Raeburn and his world. Using our charity’s Raeburn collection, we’ve created an intimate and inspiring visitor experience which aims to offer insights into the privileged and enlightened world he moved in.

“Raeburn was very much a man of the moment, during one of the capital’s most vibrant periods, painting everyone from advocates to astronomers and aristocrats. This is illustrated through the portraits we have chosen for the exhibition, each of which has a unique Edinburgh connection and an individual story about Raeburn, to provide a unique and fascinating picture of the city.

“We look forward to introducing both local visitors and tourists to Raeburn’s Edinburgh, and hope that the stories and histories woven into this exhibition will give them a richer sense of the city’s wonderful heritage and its relevance today.”

One feature of the exhibition, designed to engage visitors of all ages, is a series of audio recordings. These share the stories and viewpoints of sitters, such as why they commissioned the portrait, how they paid for it, how they chose their outfit, and what they felt about the experience.

The short multi-perspective audio stories give fresh insights into the sitters themselves and the working practices of one of Scotland’s best-known painters.

They also create a vivid mosaic of the time, helping the visitors of the 21st century to imagine, for themselves, the Edinburgh of centuries back.

Also helping them to do this is a map of Edinburgh, dating back to  1821, which covers one wall of the exhibition. This pinpoints key locations in Raeburn’s life, including his studios in the New Town’s George Street and York Place, and Ann Street in Stockbridge, part of a property development scheme he hoped would sort out his financial worries following a bankruptcy. Visitors can then walk around these locations themselves, as the map is also available in a takeaway leaflet.

The exhibition has also been innovative for its focus on developing staff and volunteer skills.

“Our goal has been to increase opportunities for learning as we develop projects like this,” commented National Trust for Scotland  conservator for Edinburgh and East, Lesley Scott.

“Employees and volunteers at the Georgian House were invited to take part in workshops on stabilising and cleaning frames, which was necessary for displaying the engraved prints. By upskilling our teams, allowing them to understand how materials age and learn methods for preservation, we are investing in future collections care in line with our strategic engagement objectives.“

Adding to the sense of engagement and community around the exhibition, the audio stories of the sitters have been voiced by Georgian House team members, including volunteers. Dozens of volunteers, and even their family members, have also stepped forward to steward for the exhibition.

Philip Long OBE, Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland, added, “Among the 300,000-plus precious objects our conservation charity cares for and shares are remarkable portraits by Raeburn, spread across properties including Alloa Tower, Castle Fraser,  Craigievar Castle, Fyvie Castle and Hill of Tarvit, as well as the Georgian House in Edinburgh’s New Town.

“It’s exciting to bring them some of them together for the first time, enabling our members, visitors and other supporters to see some of Raeburn’s finest work, and hear different perspectives on it.

“By using creative, inclusive interpretation and activities that connect and engage different audiences with this work, we’re helping to deliver the engagement objectives in the National Trust for Scotland’s 10-year strategy,

“Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone: providing access and enjoyment for everyone I hope that people of all ages will enjoy seeing and hearing the people, locations, stories, and experiences of Raeburn’s Edinburgh, and I’m very grateful for the support of National Trust for Scotland members, volunteers, donors and visitors. This support makes it possible to organise exhibitions like this and to protect, care for and share Scotland’s heritage.”

Raeburn’s Edinburgh opens at the Georgian House, in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square today – 2 June 2023 – and runs until 26 November. The exhibition is included in admission to the Georgian House, which is free for National Trust for Scotland members.

You can find out more about the exhibition, the Georgian House, and how to book for Raeburn’s Edinburgh events at www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/georgian-house.

Luxury New Town Mews join the capital’s property market

HOMEBUYERS looking to relocate to Edinburgh’s historic New Town now have the chance to purchase a dream mews home in a prime location on one of the city’s quaint cobbled streets.

Square & Crescent has officially completed works on its two new-build Georgian-inspired mews homes, nestled in Northumberland Place Lane, at the secluded rear of Abercromby Place.

Located within the city’s World Heritage Site, the high-spec three bedroom homes nod to the city’s past, providing a modern, high-quality build inspired by the traditional mews style which has become centric to Edinburgh’s built history.

The mews style of home is among the most sought-after in central Edinburgh, synonymous with the capital’s landscape and increasingly popular with homebuyers looking for a characterful and private home.

Euan Marshall, Co-Founder and Joint Managing Director at Square & Crescent said: “By mixing the old with the new, we’re certain that the properties will be well received.

“To add the finishing touches to the homes and finalise the works at Northumberland Place Lane was a great feeling and it marks another important milestone for one of our Edinburgh developments.”

Priced at £995,000 and boasting access to Edinburgh’s Queen Street Gardens, the 141sqm homes benefit from a spacious dining kitchen, ensuite to the principal bedroom, separate utility and integral garage with infrastructure for future electric charging points.

The homes feature a specification list befitting of the surroundings, with German-style kitchens designed by Cameron Interiors complete with a suite of high-end appliances.

The mews homes play part to Square & Crescent’s wider Abercromby Place development, which saw the careful conversion of two Georgian townhouses into eight contemporary apartments.

Euan added: “The mews homes offer something different for everyone and are designed to cater for all buyers from downsizers to growing families all the way to couples and individuals.

“With a number of new projects underway and in the works, we’re especially pleased to be bringing such a broad mix of premium homes to the Edinburgh market – it’s most definitely an exciting time for us at Square & Crescent.”

Square & Crescent is now a widely-regarded residential developer with a primary focus on the acquisition, development and refurbishment of beautiful homes.

It recently announced its largest project to date, the conversion of the city’s famous former Royal Hospital for Sick Children building into eight townhouses and 85 apartments.

The firm was founded after friends Euan Marshall and Simon Cook’s career paths crossed on a number of property projects around Edinburgh, with their complementing skillsets providing the perfect testbed to found Square & Crescent in 2013.

Square & Crescent has since gone on to build a strong track record and trusted reputation in providing some of the best residential conversion projects over the past 10 years, making a move in recent years into developing unique new build homes, providing exceptional and sustainable modern living in a variety of different locations within Edinburgh.

To enquire about Square & Crescent’s Northumberland Place Lane mews homes, call the New Homes Sales Team at Rettie on 0131 603 8357.

For more information on Square and Crescent’s Abercromby Place development, visit www.abercromby-place.co.uk

For more information on Square & Crescent, visit https://squareandcrescent.com/

Extraordinary new artworks by Alberta Whittle debut at the Modern

Alberta Whittle: create dangerously   

1 April 2023 – 7 January 2024  

Free   

National Galleries Scotland: Modern One  

Alberta Whittle | create dangerously | National Galleries of Scotland 

New multi-media works by the celebrated Barbadian-Scottish artist, Alberta Whittle, will be revealed today [Saturday 1 April] in a free exhibition at the Modern (Modern One) in Edinburgh. Alberta Whittle: create dangerously will run until 7 January 2024.

Experience the ambition and breadth of Alberta’s career to date and come away feeling her call to ‘invest in love’. At the heart of Alberta Whittle: create dangerously is the artist’s generous spirit and her powerful and poetic storytelling. Alberta pulls apart the belief that ’racism and police brutality is [just] an English problem or an American problem’.

Instead, she underlines Scotland’s complicity in the structures of white supremacy. Often deeply personal, weaving stories of family and belonging, Alberta offers a message of hope, asking us to imagine a world outside of these damaging systems and ways of thinking.  

Step inside a sound installation and listen to the voice of poet Kamau Brathwaite (1930-2020), a much-loved and hugely influential figure in Caribbean literature. Dealing with the themes of grief and loss, Alberta made this in personal tribute to Brathwaite, who was a close friend of her family as well as a collaborator.

Titled A portal for breathing love into the Elders or an Adoration for kith-folk who we long for (2021), this installation is comprised of objects of significance to the artist. 

There will be a room dedicated to addressing the themes of rest and care, and connection and belonging in Alberta’s practice, where you can slow down and pause. Inside this room, visitors will find a beautiful bespoke quilt hanging on the wall, crafted by a group of women from North Edinburgh. 

Inspired by Alberta’s practice and use of textiles and fabrics in her work, the quilt is being caringly made by a sewing group run by Project Esperanza, a charity dedicated to supporting women of African heritage, as well as women from other culturally diverse backgrounds. Facilitated by textile artist Francia Boakye, this quilt draws upon the makers’ lived experiences, weaving together their stories and their journeys as migrants to Scotland.    

To coincide with Alberta Whittle: create dangerously, Edinburgh Art Festival and the National Galleries of Scotland will also support a new performance by the artist due to take place during the festival this summer (11-27 August). 

The National Galleries of Scotland recently announced the acquisition of two major works by the celebrated Barbadian-Scottish artist, Alberta Whittle. The artist’s extraordinary installation with tapestry, Entanglement is more than blood (2022), and thought-provoking film, Lagareh – The Last Born (2022), will form an integral part of Alberta Whittle: create dangerously.

The two works were at the heart of the artist’s critically acclaimed exhibition at the 59th Venice Biennale, 2022, where she represented Scotland. Their entry into the national collection forms a significant legacy of this landmark project.

Indicative of Alberta’s art practice, Entanglement is more than blood and Lagareh – The Last Born promote compassion and collective care as a means of resisting racism and anti-Blackness. The sculpture and film installation confront the violence of colonialism, the legacies of transatlantic chattel slavery, and the impact of the climate crisis. 

Co-commissioned and created in collaboration with Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh, Entanglement is more than blood is a large-scale tapestry on a gate-like structure. It is imbued with the artist’s rich symbolism, including water, snakes, diamonds, hands, and shells. Acting as a portal, the tapestry explores the meaning of family, kinship and ancestral histories, themes that will echo throughout the exhibition.  

The imagery in the tapestry is also seen in Lagareh – The Last Born, which was co-commissioned and produced by Forma Arts, London. Centring the collective strength of contemporary Black women, this 43-minute film is anchored in ideas of abolition, rebellion, grief, and love. 6

Shot on location in Scotland, London, and Barbados, and featuring footage from Sierra Leone and Venice, Alberta has woven together contrasting stories of individual acts of resistance against racist violence with gentle moments of intimacy. 

Lagareh – The Last Born will play continuously throughout the day, and for visitors who wish to see it from the beginning, screening start times will be made available in the gallery and on the National Galleries of Scotland website. 

Alberta Whittle said: ‘This is an exhibition about hope. It is about the hope we can nurture within ourselves, but also the hope that we can have difficult conversations about the harm caused by colonialism, the Transatlantic trade in enslaved people, and the climate crisis.

“The exhibition presents an opportunity for self-reflection, and to think about the types of power we hold in the world and how we can use it compassionately.’

Lucy Askew, Chief Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: ‘We are incredibly happy to reveal more details about Alberta Whittle: create dangerously.

“This hugely important exhibition, devoted to the work of one of the leading artists working in Scotland today, is underpinned by Alberta’s deep generosity and warmth. Alberta speaks of fundamental truths about the violence and injustices of our past – ‘the burden of proof’ – and the legacy of systemic racism which permeates through our society today, asking us to confront this with her.

“With compassion and care, she holds and guides us, encouraging us to pause, to breathe, and to think differently.”

The Edinburgh Practice unveils major expansion plans

 LAUNCH OF STATE-OF-THE-ART HEALTH CLINIC AT WAVERLEY SQUARE

The Edinburgh Practice, which specialises in providing expert mental healthcare, has unveiled major expansion plans to triple the size of their current premises into a purpose-built, 6,500 sq ft practice in Waverley Square, set to open in the summer, allowing them to expand their range of services, increase their client base and double the team from 50 to 100.

The New Town-based, award-winning company, which offers psychiatric assessment and treatment and a range of therapies including psychological, speech and language, educational and family therapy, began with one member of staff, Clinical Psychologist and founder, Dr Fiona Wilson, in 2017. Within three years the team increased to 32, resulting in the opening of two additional premises in the area.

Plans to combine all three sites into a single, purpose-built clinic to allow the company to expand its services and grow the team further have been in the pipeline for the last 18 months and now that building work has begun, the timeline to launch the new premises is on track for early summer. 

The state-of-the-art practice will feature 26 therapy rooms, a large meeting space for in-house and community events, and a dedicated staff area. It has been carefully designed to be a healing space which matches both clients’ therapeutic needs and staff wellbeing. 

Dr Wilson said: “We’re delighted to be taking this next step in our journey and finally be able to match up service demand and service provision in our own custom-built practice set to open in the summer.  As opposed to continuing to open more and more practices in the city, it made sense to us to bring everything together under one roof.

“Searching for help when struggling with your own or a loved one’s mental health difficulties is extremely hard, which is why our goal has always been to provide easy and fast access to high-quality, evidence-based treatment and therapy, in a safe, compassionate way.

“Our new custom-built practice, which is tripling the size of our current square footage, will allow us to be able to help even more people by expanding our existing wide range of services and launching new ones across all age groups, including an Early Years Service, Occupational Therapy Service and an Older Adults Service, where dementia assessments will be accessible through the practice’s new Memory Clinic.

“This expansion represents an exciting continuation of the development of The Edinburgh Practice, and we have a strong pipeline of new service development projects for 2023 and beyond.”

The Edinburgh Practice Awards include ASB Young Business of the Year Award 2018 and 2019 Finalist for Start Up Business of the Year Women’s Enterprise Scotland Awards.

Website: www.edinburghpractice.com

Facebook: The Edinburgh Practice

Instagram: @theedinburghpractice

Royal Bank of Scotland formally hands over New Town site for Edinburgh’s new concert hall

  • Royal Bank of Scotland transfers the ground behind Dundas House in the final step before work begins on site
  • City’s first new concert hall in over 100 years will complete James Craig’s plans for Edinburgh’s iconic New Town

IMPACT Scotland and Royal Bank of Scotland today marked the transfer of the land behind the Royal Bank of Scotland’s iconic Dundas House, clearing the final step to allow work to begin preparing the New Town site for the construction of Dunard Centre which will begin later in 2023. 

The music venue, which was given the green light by Edinburgh’s planning authorities in November 2021 is set transform the city’s cultural offering with the construction of its first purpose built concert hall in over 100 years.

Alison Rose, Chief Executive of the NatWest Group, of which the Royal Bank of Scotland is part, visited the site with Gavin Reid, Co-Chair of IMPACT Scotland and Chief Executive of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, to mark the moment the site was handed over.

Alison Rose said: “Edinburgh is a global capital and world stage for international arts, culture and music. The Dunard Centre will provide further space to continue that tradition and offer further opportunity for more musicians and artists to develop and create.

“This project is a great example of what can be achieved with close collaboration across the city’s public and private sectors.  Royal Bank of Scotland is delighted to play a part in helping bring this project to life.”

Gavin Reid said: “Together, we are building a bold and brilliant venue which is an expression of faith in our city, our country and our future. The Dunard Centre will be a place where musicians and audiences come together to create and share extraordinary experiences.

“Through this final design stage we are enjoying the challenge of ensuring excellence in every surface, corridor, seat and handrail. Every detail of the building will be finely tuned to make sure that concert going is an inspirational and exhilarating experience.”

RBS as per order of itinerary , Copyright photo Paul Chappells

A specialist team led by award winning David Chipperfield Architects and Nagata Acoustics has designed the Dunard Centre to rival any in the world for design, intimacy and clarity of sound. 

With seating for 1000 people, the venue will be a transformational new home for Scottish Chamber Orchestra, an iconic new venue for Edinburgh International Festival and a gift to music lovers and performers of all genres. 

It is expected that all clearance work will complete later in 2023 and that work will begin on the new concert hall soon after.   

Dunard Centre is being funded through substantial philanthropic donations, including the visionary support of Dunard Fund, and underpinned by £25 million support from the Scottish and UK governments and the City of Edinburgh Council, as part of the City Region Deal. 

Royal Bank of Scotland is supporting the project by providing a long-term lease for the land which sits directly behind Dundas House on St Andrew Square.  A campaign is well underway to secure the remaining funds required before construction begins later in 2023.

PICTURES: Paul Chappells

Sonder expands Edinburgh serviced apartment operation on Queen Street

Sonder, a leading next-generation hospitality company that is redefining the guest experience through technology and design, has expanded its managed serviced apartment operation at Sonder Royal Garden Apartments in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town.

Located opposite the National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street, the next-generation hospitality company has increased its previous 30 serviced apartments at the property to 41 units.

With the addition of these 11 new apartments, there are now 18 two-bedroom apartments, 15 one-bedroom apartments and 8 studios in total.

The apartments are thoughtfully designed, and come with simple contactless check-in and 24/7 on-the-ground support available via the Sonder app. They also offer access to the splendid Queen Street Gardens. These private gardens are located next to the building and are only open to neighbouring residents.

The property offers accommodation with in-unit kitchen and laundry facilities, ideal for extended stays, whether for business or leisure.

Sonder distinguishes itself in the hospitality industry through modern design and by infusing technology into its guest experience.

This tech-enabled experience puts guests in full control of their stay. They can access everything they need – from booking, to interacting with guest services, to check-out – via their own mobile device from anywhere and at any time, using the Sonder app.

The high quality of accommodation being offered has seen Royal Garden Apartments rated in the top 20 by TripAdvisor for Edinburgh.

Launched in 2014, Sonder operates in over 40 cities globally, including those located across North America, as well as London, Dublin, Rome and Dubai among others in EMEA.

Giulio Leporatti, Area General Manager for UK & Ireland at Sonder commented: “We’re excited to expand our Royal Garden Apartments property in Edinburgh, increasing our presence in the heart of this wonderful city.

“The rise of hybrid and remote working, as well as travellers combining business and leisure into a single trip, means that a new cohort of travellers are demanding flexible accommodation which provides space to work and relax.

“Our Royal Garden Apartments meet this need perfectly, while also appealing to families. Millennial and Gen Z guests in particular appreciate our ‘Instagrammable’ design and frictionless app-enabled service.”

Kay’s Bar scoops CAMRA beer quality award

Kay’s Bar in Edinburgh’s New Town has a reputation for selling top quality real ale and this has resulted in Kay’s being awarded the local CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) Branch’s 2022 Real Ale Quality Award.

CAMRA’s members provided beer quality scores during 2022 when visiting real ale pubs in the Branch area (there are over 300) and Kay’s came out top for its average score – not only in Edinburgh but throughout the Lothians and Borders.

The presentation will be made by the CAMRA Branch Chair, Pat Hanson, to Simon Fisher, manager at Kay’s, at 8pm on Thursday (19th January 2023) at the pub.

On hearing the news of the award Kay’s landlord Fraser Gillespie said: “We are delighted with this recognition by CAMRA of our commitment to serving a range of  quality real ales”

Runners up in Edinburgh were the Mitre (Royal Mile) and the Dreadnought (Leith).

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay: First Footin’

Your First Footin’ lineup is here! 🎶

Enjoy a trail of FREE entertainment in Edinburgh venues on New Year’s Day, embracing Hogmanay traditions of friendship, food & drink, and live music.

Explore the city, discovering (and rediscovering) some of Edinburgh’s incredible venues, landmark attractions and independent pubs alongside a feast of Scottish artists including Callum Beattie, Swim School and many more! 🤩

See the full schedule and line up at www.edinburghshogmanay.com/event/first-footin/

Dundas Street plans ‘unacceptable on many fronts’

The developers of the RBS site on Dundas Street, Ediston, wish to construct a (temporary) 4-/5-storey office accommodation block on Dundas Street while post-demolition redevelopment onto scores of flats etc. takes place.

Fettes Row & Royal Crescent Association, the local residents’ group, is objecting strongly (see letter to Ediston, below) and so is New Town & Broughton Community Council.

The block would encroach upon the street and be permanently lit with an “underpass” for pedestrians … a bit like George IV Bridge outside the hotel but probably bigger.

David Gow,

Fettes Row & Royal Crescent Association acting secretary

The letter reads:

Having considered your plans, we would say the plans are unacceptable on many fronts: 

They amount to unnecessary and extensive street clutter. The process of planning this project should surely have planned adequate accommodation for the duration of the project. If this is not the case, the failure will amount to further inconvenience, disruption, pollution and loss of amenity for local residents over and above that already being endured by local businesses and residents. 

Despite your point that the ‘tunnel’ underneath the proposed accommodation will be lit and provide adequate space to pass through, it will still amount to a significant obstruction to the passage of pedestrians and traffic, possibly resulting in pedestrians having to walk on the roadway at very busy times.

The obstruction in this location will cause a sclerosis of traffic on a very busy thoroughfare. Dundas St. is a route for public and tourist buses, delivery lorries and, critically, ambulances and fire engines. The current tunnel walkway on George IV bridge, similar to that you propose, is partially dark at night, and does not feel safe or comfortable for pedestrians at night-time;

The presence of the accommodation will result in a prolonged loss of parking spaces in front of the site. This will further congest the limited parking available to residents and business in the area;

 Why is this project unable to accommodate its workers on site when other huge developments locally (eg the St. James Centre) have managed to execute their works without intruding further on local surroundings? 

There are areas (admittedly limited) which are planned to be open areas in the completed project. Why can these not be used to house the accommodation? Furthermore, why can’t the project’s use of Centrum House continue in effect as accommodation for contractors?

The site development will be phased and accommodation could, and should be moved within the site, as phases progress.

You say the local residents will benefit from the location of the accommodation on Dundas St. Frankly any benefit residents would receive, and that would be questionable, would be at the margins, given the wholesale long term disruption to life and amenity this project is already causing by its execution.

The only beneficiary of the proposal we can see, in fact, is the developer who will save costs which might or might not have been incurred by inadequate planning. In any event, we can see no benefit which would go any where near compensating residents for the inconvenience this plan would cause.

Yours sincerely, 

Judith Symes,

Acting chair, for and on behalf of the Fettes Row and Royal Crescent Association

Refurbished Native Edinburgh reveals city’s hottest new speakeasy

Native, the leading UK aparthotel brand with eleven sites across London, including Bankside, Hyde Park and Mayfair, Manchester and Scotland has announced Native Edinburgh, has re-opened following a 14-month refurbishment.

The half-a-million-pound revamp covers the public spaces and eighty-two apartments comprising of Studios, One Beds and Premium One Beds. Additionally, a new cultural programme and a speakeasy bar, Counter, is launching.

The design for Native Edinburgh’s refurbishment was inspired by ‘The Inventors’ who lived within the city.

The famed Scottish inventors include John Logie Baird, inventor of the television, Sir Alexander Fleming who discovered penicillin and won a Nobel Prize, and William Cullen, inventor of the refrigerator

. The history of the Scottish inventors surrounds the streets around the property, and the new design aims to highlight this unique history through the décor, artwork and quirky gadgets used decoratively. 

The chic new interiors combine amber whisky tones with the midnight teal colours of the night sky above the Georgian facades of Edinburgh’s New Town, where the property resides. 

Rich colours including the bright gold palette is reminiscent of the local area that was originally built to bring wealth back to the burgh of The Whisky Barone. The reimagined heritage-inspired Lobby space showcases opulent green hues and botanical themed prints, taking inspiration from the Royal Botanic Gardens – a natural treasure of Scotland.

The original Georgian windows allow natural light to flood in over the mid-century style furniture and lighting. The wallpaper in the lobby has been designed by Edinburgh Mairi Helena, known for her vibrant designs inspired by a love for Scotland’s colourful and textual landscapes. 

Olivia Immesi, Managing Director says, “Each Native site celebrates the best of its surrounding area and Native Edinburgh’s refurbishment reflects the history of the city, and a focus on local culture to allow guests to plug into the city, whether they’re passing through or staying for longer.”

Coinciding with the re-opening, Native Edinburgh is launching a new speakeasy bar; Counter.

Counter will serve coffee by day and cocktails by night providing an undiscovered destination bar in the heart of city centre for guests and locals.  

The Counter at Native Edinburgh will also be home to a new bespoke cultural programme: it will host a selection of carefully curated eclectic events, spotlighting local produce in the daytime and homegrown talent at night. 

Late night summer programming will see the venue host a range of acts from neo-soul jazz nights and vinyl DJs to spoken word poetry.  Counter will shine a light on up-and-coming creatives from around the city, including artists, writers, musicians and more. 

Combining the freedom and authenticity of a local apartment with the comfort, convenience and premium service of a boutique hotel, Native breathes new life into historic city-centre buildings through thoughtful restoration and refurbishment.

Embracing local culture, Native collaborate with local, independent like-minded businesses, designers and artists meaning each site has its own unique personality, creating inspiring, ‘native’ experiences. 

Perfectly situated 20 minutes by car from Edinburgh airport, rooms at Native Edinburgh are priced from £100 per night.