Shoppers at Fort Kinnaird were treated to a very special visit from the Coca-Cola Christmas truck on Saturday as part of its tour of the UK.
The festive experience offered a whole host of fun for all the family, including ‘elfie selfie’ photo opportunities and food huts serving delicious seasonal treats, as well as free personalised cans of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar given out to mark the occasion.
Visitors were also able to snap their all-important photo in front of the famous truck with the iconic image of Father Christmas on the side.
Picture – Chris Watt Photography
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Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said:“Christmas is a really special time for us, and we were thrilled to be chosen as one of the locations on the tour, bringing the famous truck to Edinburgh.
“It was great to see so many visitors from across the region join us on Saturday for some festive fun as the countdown to Christmas officially begins.”
Find out more about Christmas at Fort Kinnaird here:
The Leith Collective launches Christmas tree and festive food exchange
As the temperature drops and heating bills rise, many families across Edinburgh are facing a crisis this Christmas.
The choice between heating and eating is an all too real dilemma for many, which means this Christmas will be one of sacrifices and shortages for those struggling to make ends meet. However, one local Community Interest Company is working hard to ensure those in need can still experience the spirit of Christmas.
Friday 1st December will see The Leith Collective launch its Christmas tree and festive food exchange across its four Scottish stores. Locals are being urged to search their homes for any unwanted Christmas trees and decorations that may be languishing in cupboards and attics.
Non-perishable store cupboard essentials and festive treats are also being accepted. Because it’s the little things that can make all the difference and lift the spirits of families in need at this time of year.
All items will be available for anyone to collect at Edinburgh’s Fort Kinnaird and Ocean Terminal, and Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre and Glasgow Fort completely free of charge. No stigma, no judgement, no questions asked.
The Leith Collective founder, Sara Thomson, explains why the Christmas tree and festive food exchange is so necessary; “We’ve heard a lot of talk this year about people ‘feeling the pinch’ of rising costs, but from what I’ve seen, that’s a massive understatement.
“There are people genuinely struggling to survive. Christmas is a time for giving, and the gift of a Christmas tree, some decorations and a few treats to a family that has nothing is a lovely way to show them that they matter, that they are not forgotten, and that they too deserve to be included in the magic of Christmas”.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “The Leith Collective works hard all year round to support our local community. We saw first-hand just how needed the free school uniform exchange was in the summer and the impact it made to local families – and the festive season will be no different.
“Many of us have Christmas decorations we no longer use which could make another family’s festive season really special. I’d like to thank our visitors for their ongoing support towards these initiatives and ask that they donate what they can to The Leith Collective this Christmas.”
Christmas trees, decorations and non-perishable festive food can be dropped off or collected at The Leith Collective at Fort Kinnaird, Ocean Terminal, St Enoch Centre and Glasgow Fort during opening hours.
It is hoped that by hosting the Christmas tree and festive food exchange in these accessible locations, those that have can help those that don’t, which is after all what Christmas is all about.
Picture – Chris Watt Photography
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Christmas has come early at Fort Kinnaird as retailers reveal a range of exclusive, money-saving Black Friday deals for shoppers in Edinburgh – with many discounts already available in stores now.
Savvy shoppers can discover offers including up to 50% off in store at Mamas & Papas, up to 60% off at Mountain Warehouse, up to £250 of saving per booking with TUI, up to 50% at H.Samuel and a range of tech deals at Currys, with more still set to be revealed.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said:“Black Friday can be a great opportunity to tick off some of your Christmas list, or maybe even treat yourself ahead of the festive season, and lots of our retailers will be offering a wide range of exclusive deals.
“A number of retailers are launching bigger deals than ever before, and with many offers also running until the end of the month there are plenty of opportunities for shoppers to take advantage of savings.”
A full list of the Black Friday offers currently available at Fort Kinnaird can be found here, with more still to be added.
*Please see individual retailer websites for terms and conditions.
Fort Kinnaird is open from 9am – 9pm on weekdays, and 9am – 6pm on weekends.
Fort Kinnaird has announced that the Lush Snow Fairy Tour will be visiting the centre this weekend.
The 2023 Lush festive collection is designed around ‘Out of this world Gifting’. Shoppers at Fort Kinnaird will be able to visit the themed pop-up to browse products from both the Lush Snow Fairy and Intergalactic ranges, including body sprays, bath bombs, and the biggest ever Snow Fairy gift set. The space will also have a photo opportunity and ‘kindness wall’.
Lush sells one Snow Fairy product every 5 seconds on average during the festive period (October – December), so visitors need to be quick to get their hands on this year’s must-have festive gifts.
16NOV23 Lush Snow Fairy Tour at Fort Kinnaird.
The pop-up will be located next to the play park and near Caffè Nero and a full breakdown of its opening times can be found below.
When two girls disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, the father of one girl seeks out Chris MacNeil, who’s been forever altered by what happened to her daughter fifty years ago.
Saw X
Set between the events of SAW I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer – only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable.
A Haunting in Venice
In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer.
Five Nights At Freddy’s
The film follows a troubled security guard as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his first night on the job, he realises the night shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through.
Don’t miss the birthday celebrations at The Leith Collective, Fort Kinnaird this Friday
The Leith Collective celebrates one year at Fort Kinnaird with music, drinks and a lot of love for the planet
Locals are being invited to party like there’s no Planet B this Friday as The Leith Collective at Fort Kinnaird celebrates its first birthday.
Now established as the go-to store for Edinburgh’s eco-conscious consumers, the multi award-winning Leith Collective is hosting a special evening of music, drinks, art and sustainable shopping to thank their customers for their support during their first year in business.
And what a year it has been! The store has been championing sustainable solutions at every opportunity, organising a range of initiatives such as the Winter Coat Exchange which saw locals donate 7,000 coats to those in need.
This was followed by the Free School Uniform Exchange, which aimed to keep quality clothes out of landfill and in use for longer, whilst simultaneously addressing the cost of living crisis.
The store has also played host to a range of inspiring art exhibitions, including The Printmakers Salon, featuring the work of artists from the Edinburgh Printmakers, which is currently on display at the store.
Earlier this year, founder Sara Thomson was invited to 10 Downing Street to celebrate Burns’ Night with PM Rishi Sunak in recognition for the continued positive impact the store is having.
And the store later scooped two SME UK Enterprise Awards – Most Unique Community Retail Space Scotland and the Sustainable Excellence Award.
The birthday party is open to all and free to attend, and revellers can enjoy music and drinks, view the current art exhibition, and browse one-off items from some of Edinburgh’s most talented artists and makers.
From clothing and jewellery to homeware and toiletries – all the items available to purchase in store have been created with the planet in mind.
Founder Sara Thomson and the team will be at the party to talk about the steps they are taking to make shopping a more sustainable experience for all.
Commenting ahead of the party, Sara explained; “Retail is changing. More and more consumers now want to know where their goods have come from, and what impact the manufacturing process has had on the planet.
“And that’s exactly why The Leith Collective’s first year at Fort Kinnaird has proved to be so successful. Our customers are choosing to support local artists and protect the planet, so we’re throwing this party to say thank you for shopping sustainably.”
The Leith Collective at Fort Kinnaird first birthday party will take place on Friday 8th September, 6pm – 8pm. The event is free to attend and the invitation is open to all.
Alternate bus service aids Lothian locals ahead of short-term road closure
A TEMPORARY bus service will begin next week (September 4) ahead of a planned 12-week road closure.
Old Craighall Road will undergo reconstruction as part of developer Cala Homes’ new 620-home site on land at Newton and Wellington Farms, located between Old Craighall and Millerhill.
Bus operator, Prentice of Haddington, will run a temporary service for locals living in Old Craighall, Millerhill, Newton Village and Danderhall for the duration of the road closure.
This alternative route will be service number 151, running from Millerhill to Musselburgh – providing a link for road users to the Musselburgh and Fort Kinnaird during this period.
The Lothian Bus service 33 will connect Millerhill, Danderhall and the Royal Infirmary.
Cala Homes has funded the temporary service to ensure connectivity for all those affected by the road closure.
Derek Lawson, Strategic Land Director with Cala Homes (East), said: “We recognise the need for locals to be connected to public transport during this maintenance period.
“We have collaborated with Prentice of Haddington to ensure these needs are met for the local communities most impacted by the temporary closure.”
A Spokesperson from Prentice of Haddington, said: “We hope our temporary service will provide commuters with reassurance and peace of mind over the next 12 weeks. Details can be found on our website on how the temporary road closure may affect you.”
Old Craighall Road is to be upgraded by Cala with the introduction of a new road and footways, lighting, drainage, and pedestrian crossings, making the route safer for families and road users.
A local footpath diversion will be in place to ensure connectivity between Millerhill and Old Craighall is maintained.
Information and updates will be available on Cala’s website.
River Island has opened a new concept store at Fort Kinnaird, Edinburgh yesterday. The new space is twice the size of the previous store, occupying 10,500 square feet of trading space and promises a fully integrated shopping experience; combining physical and digital with interactive fitting rooms.
River Island’s design-led womenswear clothing and accessories will be offered alongside the brand’s expansive and versatile denim range. Menswear will carry leisurewear, denim in various fits and washes and a sophisticated range of suits and smart wear. Kidswear will offer RI baby, mini and older kids’ ranges with highlights including cute co-ords, special pieces perfect for occasions as well as everyday essentials.
As part of the launch celebrations, from 11th – 13th August, the new River Island store will host a programme of in-store events and activities for shoppers including a ‘Spin the Wheel’ experiential activation, pop-up flower shop by MUD Urban Flowers and in store competitions. The first 100 customers who spend over £55 will also receive a limited-edition tote bag filled with River Island goodies.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We’re very excited to be the first destination in Scotland to open one of River Island’s new concept stores.
“I’m sure our visitors from across the city will be just as intrigued and impressed, particularly with the innovative fitting rooms which will bring a whole new experience to shopping.”
Fort Kinnaird has launched its first ever ‘Little Library’ book swap so children can share and exchange books for free as they get ready to go back to school.
With books for children of all ages, the book swap aims to help families be more sustainable while also providing them with access to new stories free of charge.
More than 100 books have been donated by employees at Fort Kinnaird to stock up the Little Library’s shelves and families are encouraged to put another book back in its place if they take one – but only if they are able to.
Books available include everything from The Hungry Caterpillar and Dear Zoo for younger children, to several of the popular David Walliams novels for older readers.
The book swap will be available at the centre until September and is located in the play park, between Caffé Nero and TGI Fridays.
Picture – Chris Watt Photography
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Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said:“We’re so pleased to be launching our first book swap. From our ongoing partnership with the National Literacy Trust through the Young Readers Programme, we know how important it is for children to have access to books – both for their imaginations and to support their learning.
“As well as helping families that need a little more support this summer, we also hope this initiative will encourage our visitors to recycle any unwanted books they might have at home and give them a second life. It wouldn’t have been possible without the kind donations from our team, which we’re extremely grateful for and we can’t wait to see children across the community benefitting from it.”
A free skills training session to help people take their first step on the career ladder is being hosted at Fort Kinnaird in collaboration with Capital City Partnership (CCP) next week.
Delivered by the Focus on Recruitment and Training (FORTY) scheme, which is based at the centre, the one-week course on retail and customer service skills will give participants an SQA accredited Customer Service qualification, as well as support with CV building, job applications and interview tips, and an opportunity to be interviewed by a recruiting Fort Kinnaird retailer.
The course is open to anyone aged between 16 and 24, will run from 31st of July – 4th of August.
To help local people build their confidence in applying for retail job vacancies, participants will also have the opportunity to hear from Fort Kinnaird employees about their career journeys to date, alongside getting their advice on applying for retail or hospitality jobs.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We know how difficult applying for a job can be, so we want to help people in our community take the first step – whether it’s moving into employment for the first time or a jump between careers.
“FORTY provides a fantastic opportunity for individuals to seek advice, learn more about the retail industry and gain new qualifications.”
FORTY is funded by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and in-kind support from the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
