Special offers revealed for 40 City Centre restaurants and bars taking part in the festival
Eat Out Edinburgh, the highly-anticipated restaurant festival taking over Edinburgh’s city centre next month, has now released a full list of venues taking part in the campaign, with incredible deals from the most exciting restaurants from Princes Street and Charlotte Square to St James Quarter throughout the entirety of March.
Amazing set menus, special offers and events are now available to browse from each of the 40 venues involved on Eat Out Edinburgh’s website with guests able to book now for dates from the 1st to 31st of March.
The past year has seen an influx of new bars and restaurants to the capital, bringing a variety of new dining experiences to explore during Eat Out Edinburgh’s run, including:
– Willow Tea Rooms: The new traditional afternoon tea spot is opening later this month in the former Starbucks unit with stunning castle views on Princes Street and will be offering a traditional afternoon tea throughout March for £17.95 per person, excluding March 10th.
– RIO Brazilian Steakhouse: The newly opened Rodizio style steakhouse within the Assembly Rooms will be offering their unique menu including unlimited salad bar access and meats served tableside at £34.95 for dinner and £19.95 for lunch.
– The Alchemist George Street: The creative cocktail bar and restaurant’s newest venue on George Street has curated a special menu offering two courses for £20 and three courses for £35.
– Fat Hippo: The new restaurant known for its extensive menu of juicy, decadent burgers has created a menu with a starter, main, and a sidefor £15 from Monday to Thursday throughout the month.
Offers vary from venue to venue, with each location bringing its own unique value with something to appeal to everyone, from celebrating Mother’s Day with a brunch at Duck & Waffle with £29 for 3 Courses or a lesson in mixology with a cocktail masterclass for £25 at the Hard Rock Café.
Eat Out Edinburgh brings friends, family, and colleagues together from across the Lothians for the chance to explore new cuisines and try special occasion restaurants for an accessible price while supporting the city’s vibrant hospitality sector.
Run by Essential Edinburgh, the campaign taking place throughout the capital’s dedicated Business Improvement District (BID) returns this year for double the time after a successful two-week run in 2023.
Emily Campbell Johnston, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications, Essential Edinburgh, said: “The venues taking part in this year’s Eat Out Edinburgh have gone above and beyond to create really exciting offers for guests that will let Edinburgh locals, visitors and workers in the city centre experience some of the city’s best cuisine at an accessible price.
“The scope of this year’s campaign brings more venues than ever over a longer period of time for a massive celebration of Edinburgh’s unmatched food scene right in time for the Spring season to bring a renewed energy to the city.”
Businesses Participating in Eat Out Edinburgh 2024
Angel’s Share
Auld Hundred
BABA
Badger & Co
Bonnie & Wild
Boozy Cow
Bread Street Kitchen
Cadiz
Café Andaluz
Contini George Street
Copper Blossom
Dean Banks at The Pompadour
Duck & Waffle
Element
Fat Hippo
Fazenda
Gaucho
Grazing by Mark Greenaway at Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian
Gusto
Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh
Harvey Nichols Forth Floor
Haute Dolci
Hawksmoor
Huxley
Indian Lounge
Ka Pao
Lady Libertine
Le Monde
Maki & Ramen St James Quarter
Malmaison
Queens Arms
Rabble
Rio Brazilian Steakhouse
Tattu
TGI Fridays Edinburgh Castle Street
The Alchemist – George Street & St James Quarter
The Register Club
The Scottish Café And Restaurant
The Voodoo Rooms
Tigerlily
Twenty Princes Street
Willow Tea Rooms
For more information on each venue, and to keep book, visit:
Campaign aims to help fill vacant posts across Edinburgh
A marketing campaign to support the recruitment of more adult social care workers in Edinburgh has launched this week, to help address the high level of vacancies in the sector.
The campaign – titled ‘there is more to care than caring’ – will raise awareness of the career opportunities available in adult social care and encourage people to apply. Activity includes radio, outdoor and digital advertising, highlighting the important work done by adult social care workers.
It is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to attract more people to work in adult social care, retain existing staff and raise its status as a profession. This builds on a pay uplift for all adult social care staff which guarantees them a minimum of at least £10.90 an hour from this April.
Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart visited Leuchie House in North Berwick yesterday to see the work it does to support people affected by stroke, multiple sclerosis and neurological conditions.
Mr Stewart said: “Working in adult social care can be challenging but offers the opportunity to have a hugely positive impact on people’s lives on a daily basis.
“We are increasing pay, improving terms and conditions in the sector, and developing clear career pathways for the workforce, ahead of the introduction of the National Care Service. This will lead to more rewarding roles for the existing adult social care workforce, and for new entrants to the profession.
“This campaign highlights that while relevant experience can help, it is core interpersonal skills such as communication, compassion, empathy and respect that are most highly valued.
“If these are skills you possess then adult social care could be the career for you.”
A marketing campaign has been launched to ensure people know about a dedicated national NHS service that offers choices in healthcare, forensic examination and support after a rape or sexual assault.
The national service, which is to be implemented across all health boards, will allow those aged 16 and over to self-refer for a forensic health examination at a Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS), whether or not they wish to report to the police.
Funding of £11.7 million has been invested by the Scottish Government alongside the unanimous passing of Forensic Medical Services Act 2021 by Parliament. This money has gone towards creating healthcare facilities for examinations across all health boards, to recruit more specialist staff and set up a single point of contact for self-referral through NHS 24.
The campaign which will run across digital channels and outdoor advertising sites encourages people who have experienced a sexual crime to visit the NHS Inform website for information to help them decide the best next step for them.
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Gregor Smith said: “It is very important that everyone knows about this service and while I hope that people will never need to use it, for those that do, knowing where to turn for support and information is a vital part of giving them back control.
“This legislation marks an important step in ensuring that those who have experienced a sexual assault have access to healthcare and support, even if they don’t feel ready to report it to the police.
“The campaign will be running over the next few months to raise awareness of the Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS), to help improve the experience of those who have suffered a sexual crime.”
Jennifer Wilson, Nurse Director for NHS Ayrshire & Arran added: “Improving healthcare services for victims of sexual offences is a priority for NHS Ayrshire & Arran.
“We are committed to the Taskforce vision of consistent, person-centred, trauma-informed healthcare and forensic medical services and access to recovery, for anyone who has experienced rape or sexual assault in Scotland.
“With the launch of the FMS Act and the National Self-Referral Service we can now offer local services to victims of sexual assault who require a Forensic Medical Examination (FME) and who do not wish to, or are not yet ready to report this to the Police.
“This is a vital part of improving services for victims of sexual assault and making sure that timely healthcare support, including a forensic medical examination, is available to victims of rape and sexual assault in a way that is sensitive, compassionate and reduces the risk of any re-traumatisation.”
Sandy Brindley, Chief Executive of Rape Crisis Scotland said: “This is a huge step forward in improving responses to rape in Scotland. Immediately following rape or sexual assault can be a really difficult time to make a decision about whether to report what has happened to the police, but there are time limits involved in being able to capture forensic evidence.
“Self-referral means that if someone doesn’t feel ready to make the decision about reporting they can ensure all the evidence is captured and make the decision when they are ready.”
“Our Capital’s much-missed buzz is back” – Council leader Cllr. Adam McVey
Forever Edinburgh, the city’s official destination guide, has secured a further £90k from VisitScotland’s Destination and Sector Marketing Fund to continue amplifying promotional activity.
This follows a successful first year of ‘The Story Never Ends’ campaign, which promotes the Capital as the UK’s top city break and shares the unique stories and experiences visitors can discover around every corner.
Delivered jointly by the City of Edinburgh Council, ETAG, VisitScotland and private sector partners, the campaign showcases the attractions, shops, bars, events and restaurants. It was launched as lockdown was easing in April 2021 to target domestic leisure visitors in Scotland and England encouraging people to meet up safely and spend time together once again.
At a local level a new Resident Rewards Edinburgh scheme was also launched in 2021 as part of the campaign. It aims to help residents to re-discover all the city has to offer by benefitting from a high-value reward or discount with a new business every month.
The funding secured from Scotland’s national tourism organisation will support the next phase of campaign activity over summer 2022 and adds to £50k set aside in the City of Edinburgh Council’s budget to develop the Forever Edinburgh website, helping to strengthen the Scottish Capital’s shop window to visitors from across the globe.
Council Leader, Adam McVey said: “The Forever Edinburgh campaign has been a vital piece of partnership working, helping encourage residents back into our city centre after attractions and businesses had dealt with the challenges of COVID restrictions. And its success is clear to see; our Capital’s much-missed buzz is back.
“After a hugely difficult time for our hospitality industry, it has been crucial to safely welcome visitors back into our city centre to support local businesses. Everything we’ve achieved with our City partners with the campaign demonstrates what we can do when we work together, and I’m grateful to everyone who has stepped up to support it.
“While we’ve come far, the impact of the pandemic will be felt for a long time to come so it’s important that we keep up the momentum. This latest funding boost from VisitScotland is hugely welcome and, alongside £50,000 from the Council, will be used to encourage even more residents and visitors to enjoy our beautiful Capital and rediscover all it has to offer this summer.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Forever Edinburgh has been a true partnership and this additional money from VisitScotland recognises how well the campaign is working. It also demonstrates how important it is that we continue to work together to reinvigorate tourism in the Capital, and we will use the funding to leverage the partnerships we have in place.
“In this next stage of the campaign there will be a focus on our live music scene and all the events lined up to take place over Spring and Summer. The city’s calendar is building back up and there is no shortage of places to see, restaurants and shops to enjoy and arts and culture at every turn.
“As we move forward, I’m sure residents and visitors will continue to lend their support to businesses which were hit hard by the pandemic and feel inspired by the Forever Edinburgh campaign.”
Neil Christison, Regional Director at VisitScotland, said: “Forever Edinburgh has been a fantastic platform for businesses and the tourism industry to engage with residents and visitors during an incredibly challenging time.
“While the return of international visitors will be important for the long-term recovery of the industry, domestic visitors will continue to play a key role in helping businesses get back on their feet.
“The award from the Destination and Sector Marketing Fund will ensure the Forever Edinburgh campaign continues to extend the benefits of tourism to the capital and the surrounding region in a sustainable and responsible way.”
Campaign highlights
‘The Story Never Ends’ featured a series of summer and winter-themed films showcasing Edinburgh’s broad product offer and unique stories, radio advertising, paid media partnerships, new content and itineraries created for the Forever Edinburgh website and new photography of the city. As a result of this activity the website saw page views increase by 460% year on year during campaign period April-February, with users accessing the site saw a rise of 174% compared to the previous year (2020/21).
A consumer PR campaign complemented this activity including travel journalists and social media influencer visits to the city to experience what Edinburgh has to offer first-hand. Global media coverage was secured for a new video promoting dog-friendly Edinburgh, reaching over 1billion readers through media coverage, and a competition prize package with multi award-winning author, Ian Rankin OBE reached nearly 250million readers online.
As a result of this participating businesses have reported a rise in bookings due to the media coverage. Further celebrity endorsement was given by Gail Porter for the city’s spooky stories while there is still more in the pipeline to promote the Capital’s live music scene and sustainability credentials.
https://youtu.be/GUxTzvFM8Z0
The new resident focused initiative, Resident Rewards Edinburgh, was launched in December 2021, with promotion on social media and YouTube as well as a partnership with The List and ForthFM.
Working in partnership with the city’s tourism businesses, residents of Edinburgh are enjoying high-value rewards and discounts with a new business every month. The dedicated Resident Rewards section has become the second most popular page on edinburgh.org since it launched (December-February) with 33,000 page views and 2,279 referral clicks.
This activity was all supported though both Scottish Government’s Regional Recovery Fund and VisitScotland’s Destination and Sector Marketing Fund and Market Readiness Fund money.
What stories might Edinburgh’s picturesque streets, historic buildings and beautiful outdoor spaces tell us if they could speak?This is a question set to be answered by the City’s exciting new marketing campaign: ‘Forever Edinburgh – The Story Never Ends’.
Delivered jointly by the City of Edinburgh Council, ETAG and VisitScotland, the campaign will bring to life the Capital’s dynamic stories and the unique experiences to be had around every corner in the city. The campaign promotes the city’s fabulous attractions, shops, bars and restaurants at a time when lockdown is easing, allowing people greater freedom to travel, meet up and spend time together once again.
Alongside showcasing all that the city has to offer, both in the centre and its eclectic neighbourhoods, the campaign will also shine a light on Edinburgh’s abundance of outdoor spaces, including coastal and waterway locations, and support the recovery of regions surrounding the city. The aim is to show how versatile the city we love to live in is and how it delivers a fantastic visitor experience throughout the year.
Over the next six to twelve months, the campaign will feature a series of summer and winter-themed films that will bring Edinburgh’s fascinating stories to life, from its fantastic folklore and magical myths to its historic shores and waters.
It will tell stories from beyond the grave and take a look at Edinburgh’s tasty past and present. Themed itineraries will invite citizens and visitors to explore undiscovered parts of Edinburgh, with more exciting chapters still to be revealed.
The campaign will also include inspiring imagery and dedicated story-themed content and itineraries on Edinburgh.org. This will be supported by targeted social media promotion and collaboration with industry partners and tourism businesses to help them tell their own stories to their loyal fans and audiences.
The overall aim will be to position Edinburgh as the top UK city break destination among domestic overnight visitors across Scotland and England as it emerges from lockdown, while encouraging citizens to engage more with Edinburgh’s cultural offer.
We want to encourage businesses and residents to get behind the campaign by sharing their own stories of Edinburgh using #ForeverEdinburgh, to inspire their friends and fellow citizens and help them plan their next outing in Scotland’s capital city.
Councillor Adam McVey, City of Edinburgh Council Leader, said:“Forever Edinburgh – The Story Never Ends’ is designed to inspire people to get out and about safely and confidently as they seek out old favourites and discover new ones – creating memories that will last a lifetime. All the while supporting our vibrant local businesses as Edinburgh gets back to its fabulous self.
“This campaign puts our people, place and environment at its heart and mirrors our longer-term tourism strategy, approved just before the pandemic took hold. We’re sticking with our long-term goals and have mapped out a sustainable way forward for our tourism sector which Edinburgh’s residents asked for. Ultimately, we need a Team Edinburgh approach to deliver on those aspirations.
“So, I encourage our residents, our businesses from retail and hospitality and our tourism tourism sector to celebrate all that is great about our Capital by telling their own stories and bringing the beauty of our city and landscapes to life.
“Our story is ever-changing and never-ending, and we want our residents and visitors to be a part of that too, helping support our local economy and our City’s fair, inclusive and sustainable recovery.
Donald Emslie, Chair of Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, said: “The reopening of the sector on 26th April is hugely welcome news and after the turmoil of the last year, it is vitally important that we support the recovery of our tourism and hospitality sector throughout the coming weeks and months.
“We are looking forward to encouraging residents and visitors to get out and about to experience the best our city has to offer and supporting our local businesses in the process.
“We will of-course be doing this in the face of strong competition from destinations right across the UK, all of whom will be working just as hard to attract visitors, particularly from UK and Scottish markets.
“We are therefore delighted to have been champions of the Forever Edinburgh initiative since last year. Chairing the Forever Edinburgh Working Group over the last few months has ensured a true partnership approach which has been gratefully recognised by both VisitScotland and Scottish Government whose funding support has allowed us to develop a promotional platform that can work for all tourism and hospitality businesses across the city.
“We’d like to invite everyone right across the city to get behind the campaign and to create and share their own stories with locals and visitors alike.”
Paula Ward, Regional Leadership Director at VisitScotland, said:“Edinburgh is Scotland’s tourism crown jewels and this exciting campaign will help to reinvigorate the city’s tourism sector as it recovers from the devastation left by the pandemic.
“It is the city’s stories and people that are the foundation of what makes Edinburgh a world-class visitor destination. Forever Edinburgh will not only showcase the experiences and businesses found across the city but will act as a springboard for the surrounding regions, with dedicated regional pages, spreading the benefits of tourism to the capital in a sustainable and responsible way.
“For tourism is a force for good – creating economic and social value in every corner of Scotland and enhancing the well-being of everyone who experiences it.”
The ‘Forever Edinburgh – The Story Never Ends’ campaign has been part funded by the Scottish Government’s Regional Recovery Fund and VisitScotland’s Market Readiness Fund.
It will build on last year’s successful launch of Forever Edinburgh – a city-wide collaboration of business from the tourism and hospitality sectors, alongside the Council and other partners, including VisitScotland, ETAG and Scottish Enterprise – and the #ShopHereThisYear, a year-long inspirational digital campaign, aimed at Edinburgh residents encouraging them to support local businesses in neighbourhoods across the city, which kicked off late last year.
ForeverEdinburgh encourages residents and visitors to share what they love about Edinburgh and invites them back into the city
Campaign is a joint initiative from Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, City of Edinburgh Council and industry partners
Tourism and hospitality industry is one of the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic
A new initiative to support Edinburgh’s hard-hit tourism and hospitality industry has gone live. The ForeverEdinburgh campaign has been developed by the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG), working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council and industry partners from across the sector, including hoteliers, visitor attractions, bars and restaurants, events and festivals and transport.
The campaign aims to maintain Edinburgh’s position as the UK’s top visitor destination outside of London, attracting over 4 million visitors a year and employing 34,000 of the city’s 513,000 residents. Its launch follows the recent relaxation of lockdown restrictions for many parts of the tourism and hospitality sector which has allowed businesses to reopen over the last month.
Edinburgh’s tourism sector has gone from strength to strength in recent years but has seen a very dramatic reversal of fortunes recently. It was only a few short months ago that the key challenge was how to address the concerns around over tourism in the city.
However, the impact of the COVID19 pandemic has hit the city particularly hard and while the relaxation of lockdown rules has seen a boom in staycations in more rural parts of Scotland, visitors remain cautious about visiting city locations and key draws to the city, such as major events, festivals and business conferences have had to be cancelled.
The ForeverEdinburgh initiative aims to ‘inform and inspire’ residents and visitors alike, giving them the confidence to come into the city by communicating the new safety measures in place right across the city, ensuring people feel prepared and reassured.
A new website soon to be launched, will provide information to help people plan their visit responsibly as well as recommend things to see and do and, for those from further afield, where to stay.
Edinburgh residents and visitors will be invited to share what they love most about Edinburgh using #ForeverEdinburgh. From local walks and cycle routes to favourite restaurants or the best place to get a cappuccino, ForeverEdinburgh will inspire people to get into the city again, whether that’s to revisit an old gem or discover a new one.
Local businesses are encouraged to engage with the ForeverEdinburgh campaign and be part of a united, city-wide movement with increased visibility and social engagement through #ForeverEdinburgh.
A digital toolkit with flexible campaign assets designed for easy integration with existing brand and marketing collateral will be available to download at www.etag.org.uk.
Donald Emslie, Chair of ETAG, said: “The impact of COVID-19 and the implications for the tourism sector in Edinburgh are unlike anything we have experienced before. It was clear from the very early days of the crisis that Edinburgh’s tourism sector was going to be particularly hard hit, putting many jobs and businesses at risk.
“It was also clear that a new approach to promoting the city’s tourism offer would be required, making public health issues the top priority to ensure the safety of residents, visitors and those working in the industry.
“A key challenge is also the rapidly changing situation, so rather than create a traditional tourism marketing campaign, the #foreveredinburgh initiative is designed to ‘inform and inspire’ people and importantly create a platform which tourism businesses of all types and sizes can be part of.
“ETAG recently surveyed the city’s tourism sector and this demonstrated that their collective social media reach is over 3 million followers, so working together and harnessing this huge resource to promote the city creates a very strong voice for the city.
“ForeverEdinburgh will also encourage residents and visitors themselves to share what they love about the city, creating a genuine ‘Team Edinburgh’ effort to support the many jobs and businesses that rely on visitor income and contribute to the wider city economy, and so we are hoping as many people as possible will get behind the Forever Edinburgh campaign.”
Adam McVey, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council said: “There is no underestimating how important tourism and hospitality is to Edinburgh, whether that’s in terms of our city’s economy, local businesses and jobs or our residents’ wellbeing and enjoyment.
“We’re lucky to have such an incredibly vibrant and varied offering at our fingertips – in part driven by the high levels of visitors that our beautiful city attracts – and we need to act urgently to provide support to our local businesses and help build the industry back to be as sustainable and resilient as possible.
“At the same time, we have to carefully balance this support with ensuring that Edinburgers can enjoy these businesses safely and without compromising their own health or that of others.
“Like all of our recovery efforts, we’re taking a Team Edinburgh approach to backing and implementing the campaign and we’re confident that by working together we can encourage Edinburgers to rediscover parts of their city safely and fall in love with it all over again. We’ll not only see the buzz that we’ve missed so much return to our streets, we’ll also see a positive impact on our local high streets across the city to boost local business and help protect jobs.”
The ForeverEdinburgh campaign has been created in partnership with Edinburgh-based The Lane Agency, who have an award-winning track record with high-profile destination campaigns across Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Chris Bruce, Director of The Lane Agency, said: “We’ve worked on City of Edinburgh campaigns in the past, however this one was more poignant and important than ever.
“We’ve all experienced eerily silent offices and shops and share a desire to see Edinburgh safely returning to the vibrant, buzzing city we know. It has been a privilege working on a campaign that will reintroduce the city to its residents and visitors.”
Elaine Green, Edinburgh Capital Group, commented: “Edinburgh Capital Group members are delighted to cement their role as reasons to visit Edinburgh by being part of Team Edinburgh’s #ForeverEdinburgh campaign and hope it will encourage locals to get to know their beautiful city better and the array of attractions, tours and events it has to offer.
“Our members are all certified by the UK-wide ‘We’re Good to Go’ scheme and ready to welcome visitors.”
Neil Ellis, Chair Edinburgh Hotels Association, said: “The Edinburgh Hotels Association as a #ForeverEdinburgh partner, is grateful to ETAG for spearheading on this very much welcome and needed campaign for our amazing capital city. Our members stand ready, as they always have, to safely welcome guests from near and far for that no doubt, well-earned city break.
Lyndsay Wilkie, Director, Business Development at The University of Edinburgh who run three hotels and multiple venues across the City, said: “Edinburgh’s tourism and hospitality industry has always been so vibrant and something we are all proud of, which is why it makes it so hard to see the City’s hotels, venues and restaurants so quiet at what would normally be our busiest time of the year.
“That’s why we are delighted to be partnering with ETAG, City of Edinburgh Council and other key industry partners on the #ForeverEdinburgh campaign, as it’s now more important than ever that we come together to showcase what Edinburgh has to offer.
“I know how much energy we’ve put into making our hotels and venues safe for our guests and delegates, and we are lucky that our City has so much green and open space for our visitors to enjoy, this campaign will help us all to tell this story and give confidence to our guests of the future.”
The ForeverEdinburgh campaign is jointly funded by City of Edinburgh Council, ETAG and industry partners. The core objectives of the initiative are to maintain Edinburgh’s position as a top visitor destination, to drive footfall in a safe and responsible way, and ultimately safeguard jobs and businesses right across the city’s tourism and hospitality industry.
