Tag: Lothian Road

Capital House set to host the capital’s newest Premier Inn

Whitbread submits a planning application for a new 195-bedroom hotel on Festival Square in the heart of Edinburgh city centre

Whitbread PLC, the owner of the Premier Inn hotel chain, has submitted plans to transform Capital House into a 195-bedroom Premier Inn, with a commitment to investing more than £21 million in the conversion of the existing building into a hotel.

After acquiring the 65,350 sq ft gross office block off Lothian Road last year, Whitbread has been preparing a planning application to change the use of the building to a hotel, which was submitted to Edinburgh City Council on 2nd May.

The plans involve the conversion of the existing building and rear extension of the 1980s office into a latest format Premier Inn hotel with a ground floor restaurant and bar. 

The Capital House Premier Inn is expected to generate an additional £8.1 million per year in visitor expenditure through the external spending of more than 56,000 guests which are predicted to stay at the hotel every year.  Half of this external expenditure is anticipated to be spent supporting city centre businesses. 

The proposals signal the latest commitment from Whitbread to invest in Edinburgh as the business continues to see strong long-term potential for its bedrooms across the capital city.

Jill Anderson, Acquisitions Manager for Scotland at Whitbread, said: ““The visitor economy in Edinburgh is thriving but there remains an unmet demand for additional budget hotel rooms in the city.  Capital House represents an excellent opportunity for us to deliver new Premier Inn bedrooms at affordable prices for our customers in a fantastic city centre location.

“The location is ideal for both business and leisure customers.  It is sustainable and highly accessible with direct bus, tram and rail networks within a short walk, it’s a stone’s throw from the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and Exchange District and is close to tourist destinations like Edinburgh Castle, Usher Hall and other theatres.

“We’re thrilled to submit proposals to transform this underused office building and bring life back into this corner of Festival Square.  We are investing £21 million into delivering the new hotel which will generate over £8 million of additional guest spend into the Edinburgh economy each year and create more than 30 new hospitality jobs. We look forward to working with Edinburgh City Council to progress the application towards determination.”

Whitbread currently welcomes close to a million visitors to its established network of 14 Premier Inn hotels within the City of Edinburgh Council area. The business calculates its guests staying at these hotels generate more than £32 million in visitor expenditure to the Edinburgh economy every year.

More widely, across the UK & Ireland Whitbread currently offers its customers a choice of more than 85,500 Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn bedrooms and the company sees the long-term potential for 125,000 bedrooms in these two core markets.

Edinburgh pizza restaurant serves up treat with first lunch menu

Edinburgh pizza restaurant Fired Dough is serving up a delicious new treat for customers with its first lunch menu.

The Lothian Road eatery opened its doors four months ago, promising to bring the ‘rich flavours of Naples’ to the city.

The traditional menu features a variety of classic hand-made woodfired pizzas using Neapolitan-style dough, which has been left to prove for up to 48 hours.

Now customers can enjoy a slice of the action at lunchtime with the new menu launching on Monday (January 20).

As well as the usual variety of antipasti and 10” pizzas, among the highlights of the menu are panuozzo sandwiches. These are pizza breads folded over with fillings such as prosciutto, buratta and rocket; pulled chicken, fior de latte mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes; or roasted vegetables with tomato pesto, rocket salad and fior di latte mozzarella.

Lunches are available in the 40-seater restaurant as well as takeaways from noon-5pm, seven days a week, with two courses costing £11.95 and three courses £13.95.

The new menu has been crafted “with passion and precision using traditional techniques and the finest ingredients”, according to owner and head chef Vinu Murugan, who is hoping to appeal to the busy office scene in that area of the city as well as the passing tourist trade.

“I’m really pleased to be able to expand our culinary offerings to the people of Edinburgh.

“We took our time to design what we think will be a great lunchtime menu and I’m sure our customers are going to love it!”

Youth arrested and charged following city centre chase

Around 7.50pm on Wednesday, 17 July, 2024, police officers observed a stolen vehicle being driven in the West Port area.

It failed to stop, and a short pursuit took place on Lady Lawson Street towards Lothian Road where it was cancelled for safety reasons.

Shortly afterwards, the same vehicle then struck a female pedestrian on Princes Street, before continuing onto South Saint David Street where it crashed into another vehicle.

A 17-year-old male was arrested on Market Street by officers following a short foot chase. He has been charged in connection with road traffic offences and released on an undertaking to appear in court at a later date.

Emergency services attended, and the female pedestrian was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment to minor injuries. The driver of the other vehicle wasn’t injured.

One lane of Princes Street was closed near the Scott Monument for around three hours as enquiries were carried out, which caused some disruption to public transport.

Police would like to thank members of the public who assisted officers in tracing the male.

Usher Hall retains five-star status

The Usher Hall has further cemented its reputation as the Capital’s foremost concert hall with a five-star quality rating from VisitScotland as part of its Quality Assurance Scheme.

The report, compiled during anonymous visits by VisitScotland inspectors, particularly praised the hospitality, friendliness, service, and efficiency of colleagues alongside the general core experience and cleanliness of the venue. This marks fourteen consecutive years of Usher Hall being awarded five-star status by Scotland’s national tourism organisation.

The Usher Hall is Edinburgh’s key venue for visiting national and international orchestras and has been the main venue for the Edinburgh International Festival since 1947.

The venue is the Edinburgh home to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The Hall is also a centre of excellence embracing the widest range of music and events, including rock, pop, jazz, world, blues, comedy, talks, school concerts, conferences, sponsorship events, ceremonies, lectures and recording sessions. The concert hall is renowned for its acoustics making it one of the finest in Europe. 

Since opening in 1914, the Usher Hall has played host to some of the most important cultural icons in world history. From David Bowie to Johnny Cash, Ella Fitzgerald, the Rolling Stones, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Adele and countless more this is a venue that has a central role in Edinburgh’s cultural landscape. 

Last year, the Usher Hall welcomed almost 300,000 visitors and this year’s programme is well underway, featuring performances from Underworld, Richard Hawley, Squeeze and many more. Visit the Usher Hall’s website for more information.

Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said: “We’re very proud that the Usher Hall has once again been recognised as one of the best venues in Scotland.

“It has held a five-star VisitScotland award rating each and every year since 2010 and this is testament to the hard work of colleagues who ensure that everyone who visits the Hall has an excellent experience. They have my profound thanks for their dedication and commitment to arts and culture in our city.

“Here in Edinburgh, we’re committed to maintaining the very best cultural facilities for our residents and visitors to enjoy. I’m sure that the Usher Hall will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Neil Christison, Regional Director at VisitScotland, said: “The Usher Hall is an important part of Edinburgh’s musical heritage, and its visitor experience is just as memorable as those icons of music and theatre who have graced its stage.

“For years, the venue has set a high watermark for customer service in the city. This is down to its dedicated staff who have excelled in ensuring visitors have a fantastic day or night out.

“By providing an exceptional visitor experience, the Usher Hall is contributing towards our national goal of making Scotland a world-class destination.”

Open the Doors!

Council to contribute £60,000 towards renewed Edinburgh Filmhouse

£60,000 will be contributed to Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd supporting the return of the Edinburgh Filmhouse building at 88 Lothian Road, the city council has announced.

Following the collapse of Edinburgh Filmhouse’s parent charity, the Centre for Moving Image (CMI), in October 2022, the Council has been working closely with key stakeholders to secure a future for cultural cinema in the Capital.

The option to support a renewed Filmhouse was included in the report agreed by the Culture and Communities Committee on May 11 2023, as part of a wider allocation of resources committed to the sector for the financial year 2023/24.

As a result of positive project development updates over the past few months, the Council has committed this support. The Council will continue to monitor progress in the coming months and work with Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, Screen Scotland, the Scottish Government, and other partners.

Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said: “We’re delighted to see the progress of the fundraising campaign and to be in a position to contribute as a Council.

“Crucially, this funding is in-budget and has been agreed by elected members. Alongside the wider stakeholder group, we look forward to our continued dialogue and working with Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd.

“We’re committed to having a home for cultural cinema in the heart of the city and for the wider sector going forward. Edinburgh is rightly one of the great cultural cities of the world and cultural cinema is a key part of this landscape.”

The Directors of Filmhouse (Edinburgh) said: “This is fantastic news and everyone who has their heart in the campaign will want to thank the City of Edinburgh Council for this tangible commitment to opening the doors of Filmhouse once more. 

“Filmhouse, as a cultural institution that celebrates the art of film alongside the other artforms supported in Edinburgh, aims to re-open as soon as the total necessary funds have been raised.

“We plan to provide the broad range of cultural cinema that the city is lacking just now, as well as to host the diverse group of specialist and community film festivals which have been missing their longstanding home on Lothian Road.

“The funds are needed for a full refurbishment of the cinemas and public areas, including the much-loved cafe-bar.”

Director of Screen Scotland, David Smith said: “Screen Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council have worked together across the last year to support the return of the Filmhouse.

“It is a vital resource for Edinburgh and Scotland; providing a home for filmmakers, film lovers and film festivals, and a hub for film education. Its absence is keenly felt by us all, and Screen Scotland continues to work for its revival.

“It’s return would signify not just the reopening of a cinema, but the return of a vital home for the artform.”

Edinburgh Napier University celebrates class of ‘23 with its very own beer and pub

As over 1,900 students and 6,600 guests make their way to the Usher Hall in Edinburgh to attend their graduation ceremony, Edinburgh Napier will once again be taking over one of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, Shakespeare’s on Lothian Road. Rebranding as The Napier Graduate in honour of the university’s class of ’23, this time graduates will also be able to celebrate with a pint of Edinburgh Napier’s very own ale, ‘Must Be Napier’, to toast their success. 

The beer name, ‘Must Be Napier’ references Edinburgh Napier University’s current brand campaign that is shining a spotlight on the achievements and major contributions to society of the University’s students, staff, and alumni.

Following the success of the summer takeover of the iconic pub, for three days only from Tuesday 24 October to Thursday 26 October, Shakespeare’s will once again be known as The Napier Graduate. The pub has been decked out in red Napier livery, changing everything from the outdoor signs to the beermats, making it the perfect spot for graduates to celebrate with family and friends. 

For those celebrating with a drink, when at the bar graduates and patrons alike will spot Napier along the selection of beer taps, with the university having its very own ale, ‘Must Be Napier’ alongside the usual selection of drinks.  

Over the three days, Edinburgh Napier University will be celebrating with five ceremonies, honoring the graduates of all five of the University’s Schools. Those walking down Lothian Road won’t be able to miss the celebrations, with the original Shakespeare’s signage completely replaced with Napier’s distinctive red branding. 

Earlier this year, Edinburgh Napier took over Shakespeare’s for the first time to highlight the University’s pride in their graduates and offering congratulations on their success. 

  

Izzy Polson, General Manager of Shakespeare’s said: “Following the takeover earlier this year we saw a record number of people visit for a celebratory drink. We are thrilled to be able to help with the celebrations and delighted to be rebranded as The Napier Graduate once again, to help make it a memorable graduation!

“We loved seeing people’s surprise at the new look Shakespeare’s over graduation week and hope we can bring the same amount of joy this time round.”

Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal and Vice Chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “We always want to celebrate and recognise the achievements of our students, so once again we are dedicating a special place for them to celebrate with family and friends.

“This time, as our graduates embark on their next chapter after university, graduates and their guests who choose to can have a pint of ‘Must Be Napier’, or any of the other refreshments on offer, to toast all their incredible accomplishments.”

The Napier Graduate is open from Tuesday 24 October to Thursday 26 October 2023 at 65 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2DJ.

Three youths sought following Tollcross assault

POLICE are appealing for information after a 19-year-old man suffered serious injuries after being assaulted in Tollcross. The incident happened shortly after 12am yesterday (Friday, 15 September) in Brougham Street.

The man was approached by a group of three male youths and subsequently assaulted. He required treatment at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh to injuries sustained in the incident.

One of the youths is described as about 16-years-old, clean shaven, tall with brown hair and a fringe. He was of stocky build and wearing a black jacket, grey bottoms and black shoes.

The second was also about 16-years-old, white, clean shaven and wearing a grey hooded top with grey jogging bottoms. He was riding a dark coloured bike with white writing

The third was a younger male, white, small and of thin build with blonde hair. He was wearing a black hooded top and black tracksuit bottoms.

Detective Sergeant Steven Dick said: “Our enquiries into this incident are ongoing and I would urge anyone who may have information which could help to get in touch.

“Enquiries so far have established the three youths had been in the city centre on Lothian Road and the Meadows prior to and after the assault.

“If you believe you have may have seen them or have any other information relating to the assault please come forward. We would also be keen to speak to anyone who may have dashcam or private CCTV footage from the area.

“Anyone who can help is asked to call 101, quoting reference 0226 of 15 September, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Abortion Rights Scotland marks anniversary of legal abortions in UK

ACTIVISTS marked the anniversary of the enactment of the 1967 Abortion Act, which legalised abortion in Britain, at an event on Lothian Road yesterday.

Also marking the significant date, but for different reasons, were pro-life group SPUC, who held a simultaneous Pro-life Chain event.

Abortion Rights Scotland’s Audrey Brown (above) said: “NHS Scotland has long supported women to make their own choices about pregnancy.

“Abortion care is extremely safe, and in fact is safer than continuing a pregnancy. NHS doctors, nurses and midwives working in abortion care are trained to provide a safe and supportive service.

“The majority of women now choose early medical abortion in the privacy of their own home. Restricting access to abortion won’t stop abortion, it will push it underground and make it less safe.

“We must continue to support free, safe and legal NHS abortion care.”

A number of politicians showed their support at the demo. Among them were Edinburgh East MP Tommy Sheppard.

PICTURES: Craig MacLean

Lothian Road assault: Do you know this woman?

Detectives in Edinburgh have released images of a woman who may be able to assist an investigation into an assault which occurred on Lothian Road on Saturday 19 November 2022, around 3.30am.

The woman is described as white, 5’4″ – 5’6″, of medium build, in her mid to late 20’s, with long shoulder length blonde hair.

She was wearing a beige/cream shirt-dress and white boots with a black handbag.

Detective Constable Neill Watt said: “Our enquiries into the incident are ongoing and we would urge the woman or anyone who recognises her, or anyone with any other information to please get in touch.

“You can call 101, quoting reference 0570 of 19 November, 2022, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”