Tag: Fort Kinnaird

Fort Kinnaird prepares to welcome back shoppers

Fort Kinnaird is preparing to welcome visitors back from next week, as the Scottish Government confirms that the country will move into the next stage of easing lockdown restrictions.

From 26th April, non-essential stores such as JD Sports, Next and Pandora will be open once again.

A selection of restaurants and cafes such as Five Guys, wagamama, Caffè Nero and Starbucks will also be welcoming customers back for the first time this year while Bread Meats Bread will be opening its largest restaurant in Scotland from Monday. Visitors can enjoy food and non-alcoholic drinks in groups of up to four people from two households indoors, with alcohol available when seated outdoors.

To help keep everybody safe, the retail park will continue to have its hand sanitising stations and enhanced cleaning regimes in place.

All visitors must wear a face covering when inside stores unless exempt for medical reasons, and the Fort Kinnaird team will be available to help and assist shoppers to ensure everyone can enjoy a safe shopping experience.

Liam Smith, Centre Director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “After a long break, our retailers are gearing up to open their doors once more. We know many customers are excited about the reopening and we can’t wait to welcome them back to Fort Kinnaird.

“As we reopen, safety will remain a top priority for us. Visitors can expect to see all of our extra safety measures still in place when they come to visit, and our team will be available to help visitors as they return to their favourite shops.”

Opening times and policies of individual retailers may vary, so it is always recommended that you check with them directly before setting off.

Visitor numbers will be carefully managed to make sure everyone can maintain social distancing. If the retail park or any of the stores become particularly busy, visitors may be asked to queue considerately in designated outdoor areas.

More information to help you plan your next visit to Fort Kinnaird can be found on its website here: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/planning-your-visit

Fridays confirms reopening of Scottish restaurants

Following the announcement by Nicola Sturgeon earlier this week, Fridays is excited that its fans in Scotland will be able to celebrate the continued easing of lockdown from Monday 26th April, when its eight Scottish restaurants will reopen for indoor dining across the country.

Fridays has already opened reservations for its Aberdeen Beach, Aberdeen Union Square, Braehead, Edinburgh – Castle St, Edinburgh – Fort Kinnaird, Glasgow – Buchanan St, Glasgow Fort and Silverburn locations, and is encouraging fans to pre-book their slot to avoid missing out. 

Favourite Fridays dishes for Scottish fans include Fridays Sesame Chicken Strips tossed in Legendary Glaze, Fridays® Glazed Burger, Full Rack of Ultimate Ribs as well as 28 Day Aged Sirloin Steak*. All of which will be on the menu alongside sharing plates for the whole family as well as an array of appetizers and desserts to choose from.

Robert B. Cook, Fridays CEO, says: “We are beyond delighted to welcome guests back across Scotland to celebrate the easing of lockdown with us. The Fridays team have been counting down the days until they can get back to work and once again welcome guests back through our doors.

“To avoid disappointment we are asking guests to pre-book and to follow the guidelines we have at all restaurants to keep everyone safe and make sure we stay on track for the next stage of lockdown easing.” 

For more details regarding the health and safety measures in place, to pre-book, menus and to find out more about the additional 29 Fridays restaurants already open for outdoor dining, please visit the Fridays website – www.tgifridays.co.uk. 

FORT KINNAIRD LAUNCHES GIANT GIVING BOX TO RAISE FUNDS FOR LOCAL FAMILIES

Fort Kinnaird has installed a giant giving box to help give back to those most impacted by the pandemic in the local community.

Located outside Tony Macaroni, visitors can use contactless payment to easily donate £3, £5 or £10 to Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas campaign. The giving box will flash in response and say a special thank you following any donation it receives.

Cash for Kids Mission Christmas supports underprivileged children in Edinburgh, from birth right up to the age of 18, by ensuring they wake up to a gift on Christmas morning.

The campaign is a lifeline to families living in poverty, for who Christmas is a luxury they just can’t afford. While it won’t change their circumstances, it helps to make Christmas Day feel that little more special in a year that has been especially hard for them.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “This festive season, it seems only right to focus on supporting the people and charities who are going above and beyond to help the people most in need in our community.

“We’ve designed the Giving Box to allow our shoppers to choose the amount they want to donate and have used a contactless payment option to ensure our customers feel as safe as possible. We hope our customers will enjoy reversing the role of Santa and giving back to this amazing initiative that helps make a real difference to children and families across Edinburgh and the Lothians.”

The centre has also launched a competition to reward someone who has gone out of their way to support the local community this year with £250 to spend on themselves at Fort Kinnaird as a small ‘thank you’ for all their hard work.

Victoria Hendry, Charity Manager of Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids Mission, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that Fort Kinnaird have selected Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids as their charity partner this Christmas. The Giving Box is a fantastic, innovative way of fundraising and we are thrilled to be involved.

“Our Mission Christmas campaign sees thousands of applications for disadvantaged children living across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife & Falkirk. At this time of year we appreciate the support from corporates and local businesses but this year more so than ever as we face the challenges of Covid. We thank the colleagues at British Land and Fort Kinnaird for their on-going support and look forward to seeing how successful the Giving Box is this winter.”

To nominate someone special you’ll need to fill out a simple entry form on Fort Kinnaird’s website to explain why you think they deserve to win: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/christmas/community-heroes

Throughout December Fort Kinnaird’s core opening hours will be from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm on Saturday, and 10am – 6pm on Sunday. Many retailers will be offering extended opening hours which can be viewed on individual shop’s websites. Free parking is available as usual and shoppers are being encouraged to visit outside of peak times if they can.

For more information about planning a trip to Fort Kinnaird, please visit: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/christmas/planning-your-visit

Lush Snow Fairy coming to Fort Kinnaird

Each year, after a period of hibernation, Lush’s most popular Snow Fairy Christmas range emerges.

To sprinkle some much needed candy floss cheer and bring bubblegum sweetness to the high street and online, Lush has announced that this year they will be launching 9 Snow Fairy scented products and 5 gifting options for the 15th anniversary of Snow Fairy. 

On Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th November from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, the Lush Spa Edinburgh team will welcome the Snow Fairy wagon pop-up at Fort Kinnaird (close to Caffe Nero) to provide some extra shopping space and bring some magic to the high street.

The wagon will be card payment only. This allows for minimal contact between staff and customers for the safest possible shopping experience.

Lush Spa Edinburgh will share more updates on Social Media.

Retail park invests in accessibility facilities

One of Edinburgh’s largest retail parks has invested in new facilities to improve accessibility for adults with serious physical disabilities as it seeks to maintain its essential contribution to the local economy through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fort Kinnaird has seen a steady return of visitors since non-essential shops were permitted to open at the end of June and has been working to ensure a safe environment for shoppers.

The site has recently opened a Changing Places adult toilet to help people with physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis who often need extra equipment and space to allow them to use the toilets safely and comfortably.

There are approximately 2,000 people employed by the various retailers, leisure facilities and food & beverage outlets at Fort Kinnaird, with the site estimated to contribute around £53m (GVA) to the Edinburgh economy.

Local MSP Sarah Boyack visited Fort Kinnaird last week and was given an update on how retailers are opening in a responsible way and what safety protocols are in place. 

She also viewed the new Changing Places facilities and learn how they are helping improve accessibility. Fort Kinnaird already offers a Shopmobility service which provides powered scooters and manual wheelchairs to visitors and sensory backpacks for shoppers with autism or sensory difficulties.

Liam Smith, centre director for Fort Kinnaird, said: “Obviously the lockdown has been very hard on the retail sector but we had essential retailers open throughout and since June have steadily seen the rest of the site open up.  The measures we have in place around the park have reassured visitors and created a foundation for future success.

“Making the site accessible and welcoming for all is a key part of creating that welcoming atmosphere at Fort Kinnaird and to ensure we can continue to play a key part in supporting the Edinburgh economy.”

Sarah Boyack MSP said: “Scottish retail has been hit hard in recent months, so it is encouraging to see outlets such as Fort Kinnaird work hard to support businesses, enabling people to shop safely as we come out of lockdown and ensuring accessibility for as many shoppers as possible.

“The coming weeks will be crucial to the survival of many businesses and, as local employers, Fort Kinnaird will continue to serve a vital role in Edinburgh’s economic recovery.”

DISCOUNTS FOR STUDENTS

Fort Kinnaird has launched a fortnight of student discounts, running from the 21st September to the 4th October, helping students to shop and dine while saving up to 30% off their favourite brands.

This year’s student shopping event is back with a twist, as Fort Kinnaird has adapted its usual one-night annual event to run over two weeks, helping students make the most of some great deals over a longer period of time and in a safe way.

Students will see lots of discounts up for grabs across fashion and beauty as well as the centre’s restaurants, including H&M, Office, Topshop, and more.

Here’s some of the great student discounts on offer*:

•                     H&M – 20% off

•                     New Look – 20% off

•                     Office – 20% off

•                     Accessorize – 20% off

•                     Frankie & Benny’s – 20% off

•                     Elegance Beauty – 10% off all treatments

•                     Topshop, Topman – 20% off

•                     Dorothy Perkins (within Outfit) – 20% off

•                     Typo – 10% off

•                     Pizza Express – 30% off

•                     Wagamama – BYOB Student Sundays (20th September – 18th October)

For the full list of student offers at Fort Kinnaird, please visit the website: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/offers?field_offer_type_tid=86

* Terms and conditions apply with each offer, please check with individual stores for more details.

If you’d like to keep up to date with everything that’s going on at Fort Kinnaird, including all of the latest offers and events, visit www.fortkinnaird.com, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.  

Fort Kinnaird gifts hundreds of children’s books to local families

Fort Kinnaird has gifted bundles of popular children’s books and engaging activity booklets to the Venchie Children & Young People’s Project in Edinburgh to support families in need during the coronavirus pandemic.  

300 children’s books have been shared with local families, including Gargantis by Thomas Taylor and Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, along with free activity booklets filled with fun and educational worksheets based on familiar fictional characters such as Alex Rider, Judy Moody and Maisy Mouse. 

Susan Heron from Venchie Children & Young People’s Project said: “It’s been great to watch so many of our local families get excited about the activity booklets and choosing brand new books to take home.

“This has really meant a lot to us and we know just how much of a difference they will make to children in our local area.” 

This new initiative is led by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and the National Literacy Trust. It follows a long-running partnership to help encourage children to enjoy reading outside of the classroom and to provide them with the resources to do so.  

Recent research from the National Literacy Trust reveals that children who own their own books are happier. Yet, 1 in 11 children and young people in the UK don’t have a book of their own at home.

With many children not attending school due to Covid-19, this project aims to help tackle the problem and give local families brand-new books and educational materials.  

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Encouraging children to love to read and giving them access to their own books is so important, especially at this particularly difficult time.  

“We’re really pleased to be able to continue to work with the National Literacy Trust to support amazing local organisations such the Venchie Children & Young People’s Project.” 

As part of British Land’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust, families in Edinburgh also have free access to virtual storytelling sessions which support children’s listening and creative skills and help to spark a love of stories.  

The ‘Young Readers Story Club’ videos feature professional storytellers sharing different stories each week, including award-winning children’s poet Dominic Berry and the storyteller Amanda Edmiston. 

St Francis’ RC Primary School, Castleview Primary School and Niddrie Mill Primary School have be given exclusive ‘first look’ access to the videos before they are made available for local families to view on the National Literacy Trust’s Family Zone website.  

Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “Books have the power to enrich children’s lives – they fuel imaginations, help children learn new things and support mental wellbeing – yet hundreds of thousands of children across the UK are missing out on these benefits at a time when they need them most, simply because they don’t have a book of their own. 

“By bringing the magical world of stories into children’s homes through brand new books, activity booklets and incredible storytelling videos, this initiative will provide much needed inspiration and comfort during a time of uncertainty.” 

wagamama to open at Fort Kinnaird

WAGAMAMA has announced the opening of a new restaurant in Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird, making it their 4th restaurant in Edinburgh and ninth in Scotland.

The new location opens at Fort Kinnaird on 9 March.

Regional Marketing Manager, Kate Dell said: “We’re so excited to be bringing wagamama to Fort Kinnaird, making it our ninth restaurant in Scotland. We look forward to welcoming wagamama fans and new guests alike with our nourishing Japanese inspired menu in March.”

The new restaurant has 171 internal seats and a small outdoor seating area of 41 seats.

wagamama is renowned for its iconic katsu curry as well as a menu packed full of fresh, nourishing dishes including rice bowls, noodles and curries.

wagamama caused a wave of excitement amongst the growing vegan audience when it introduced the vegan version of its famous katsu curry, the “vegatsu” last year and now proudly has a vegan menu featuring 19 plant based dishes.

General manager of wagamama in Fort Kinnaird, Martin McColl said: “We can’t wait to be finally opening our doors in Fort Kinnaird, all of our new team are really excited and we look forward to welcoming everybody in the local area into our new restaurant in March.”

wagamama opens to the public 9 MARCH with special opening times.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “There’s been a huge amount of anticipation ahead of the new wagamama restaurant opening, so we’re very excited for the official opening in March.

“The Fort Kinnaird wagamama is not only a stunning build, it is a fantastic addition to the extensive dining options we offer.  I know it will be an instant hit with shoppers, whether they’re having a bite to eat before the cinema or refuelling after a shop.”

wagamama: our story and our food 

‘kaizen’, meaning ‘good change’ is the philosophy that sits right at our heart. It shapes every dish we create, and pushes us to find better ways in all that we do. We’re restless spirits, forever creating and making things better.

We’ve been practising kaizen since 1992, when we opened our first doors in London’s Bloomsbury. Inspired by fast-paced, Japanese ramen bars and a celebration of Asian food, wagamama burst into life.

We set out to create a unique way of eating; bringing the fresh, nourishing, flavours of Asia to all.

A warming bowl of bold ramen, teppan dishes griddled to perfection or if you would rather rice, you’re in luck – our menu features many Japanese favourites. Fresh, authentic menus that are updated seasonally. wagamama is a staple of modern Asian cuisine.

In the name of kaizen, our standards are high. Our ingredients are cooked fresh, served fresh. Every bowl and plate that we fill with them is served as soon as it’s ready. The colours and aromas, flavours and spices are always at their best when they touch your table.

For more information please visit https://restaurants.wagamama.com/edinburgh/edinburgh-fort-kinnaird

It’s not Christmas until … Santa’s elves arrive at Fort Kinnaird!

Santa’s elves have arrived at Fort Kinnaird ready to deliver mischief and merriment to shoppers throughout the festive season.

The elves will kick-off celebrations today at 1pm, where they’ll lead a fun and energetic ‘Elf n Fitness’ workout for local kids. It’s the perfect chance for children to get into festive fancy dress, or simply come along and join in the fun, for the 20-minute session in the plaza area between then playpark and TGI Fridays.  Continue reading It’s not Christmas until … Santa’s elves arrive at Fort Kinnaird!

Bright Lights at Fort Kinnaird

A group of Edinburgh and Lothian residents were congratulated by Lord Provost Frank Ross, Fort Kinnaird centre director Liam Smith and Recruitment and Skills Centre Business Development Manager John Gibson, after completing a five-week training course to help build a career in retail. Continue reading Bright Lights at Fort Kinnaird

Hotel Chocolat open at Fort Kinnaird

Fort Kinnaird has given shoppers a very tasty treat with the opening of its brand-new Hotel Chocolat store.

The new shop, the 160th that the luxury British chocolatier and cacao grower has opened in the UK this year, houses more than 80 different ranges of the finest chocolate including its famous slabs, boxes and hampers. Continue reading Hotel Chocolat open at Fort Kinnaird