Napier set to quit historic Merchiston home amid cash crisis

Plus: 'Frustrated' Historic Scotland chief quits; and celebrating Doddie at 60

Napier explores move from Merchiston and backroom ‘merger’ with QMU and SRUC

Napier’s Merchiston campus, including Merchiston Castle, birthplace of John Napier. Pic: Napier University

Napier University is making plans to sell its traditional home in Merchiston as it faces a massive repairs bill and other cost pressures.

Significant parts of the campus are affected by RAAC, so-called crumbling concrete, and need repairs estimated at £220 million. The site sits in one of the city’s most desirable residential neighbourhoods so will be much sought-after among developers.

The university says its plans are at an early stage despite reportedly already having an offer accepted on a replacement at the Gyle.

The university - which is cutting jobs in an effort to tackle a recurring overspend - is also exploring a merger of backroom operations with Queen Margaret University (QMU) in Musselburgh and the Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), which has campuses at Oatridge in West Lothian and within Edinburgh University’s King’s Buildings.

The move comes amid financial pressures across the higher education sector with falling numbers of overseas students following changes to visa rules, rising operating costs and pressure on public spending.

A merger, you say? The leadership of the three institutions stress they will remain independent while exploring potential efficiencies from sharing admin and support services, such as IT, HR, procurement and research support. Noting how such collaboration has led to full mergers elsewhere, the University Lecturers Association has raised fears that this could be the start of a “merger by stealth”.

Napier’s cash crisis: Staff at Napier are taking ongoing strike action over plans announced last year to cut 70 jobs in the face of an anticipated £8 million-plus overspend this year. It is cutting its five academic schools (business, applied sciences, health and social care, arts and creative industries, computing, engineering and the built environment) to three (business, health, creativity and AI).

Merchiston no more: The move from Merchiston would mean more than just leaving a campus. The site is built around Merchiston Castle, the 16th century home of John Napier, after whom the university is named. In a message to staff, Michael Greenhalgh, Napier’s director of strategy and planning, stressed the mooted move was not simply a cost-saving exercise, saying: “The building is nearing the end of its working lifespan, and we must now do what is right for colleagues, students, and the financial sustainability of the institution.”

‘Still independent’: QMU, which is facing its own losses, also stressed the three institutions would maintain their independence, instead exploring areas where they could collaborate to achieve efficiencies, including “shared services, procurement, curriculum collaboration, student pathways and regional skills planning”.

YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING

DODDIE’S LEGACY: Family and friends have marked what would have been rugby star Doddie Weir’s 60th birthday on Saturday by celebrating the legacy of his fund-raising work for Motor Neurone Disease. The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which he set up to raise money for research into the condition, has collected more than £24 million. A new research project in Edinburgh is one of three due to be announced in the coming weeks.

BONNET DITCHED: Edinburgh University has dropped its 150-year-old tradition of doffing graduating students with the John Knox Cap or Geneva Bonnet. Some students had been ducking to avoid being tapped on the head with the cap said to be made with material from a pair of Knox’s trousers. The founding father of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland is a controversial figure. Credited with a vision of education which paved the way for the founding of the university, he was also known for his outspoken attacks on women rulers and Catholics.

TREASURE IN THE ATTIC: A collection of antique silver which a family found in their New Town attic has sold at auction for almost £60,000. They found more than 100 pieces dating back to the early 18th to century in a dusty chest as they prepared to sell the home. It was expected to sell for around £23,000 but more than doubled that prediction when it went under the hammer at Elmwood’s auction house in London.

KNIGHT QUITS: Former British Museum director Sir Mark Jones is to step down nine months into a four-year contract as chairman of Historic Environment Scotland (HES). HES, which oversees Edinburgh Castle and more than 300 other historic buildings, has been beset by controversy including complaints of racism by one senior leader and another “twerking” in front of guests at an official event. Sir Mark was reportedly frustrated at the “resistance to change” within the organisation.

COPS AND AMBASSADORS: A dedicated city centre policing unit has been launched partly funded by the capital’s so-called tourist tax. Consisting of one inspector, three sergeants and 45 constables, the unit is expected to lessen the need to pull officers away other duties elsewhere in the capital. The Visitor Levy will provide £1 million of its £2.78 million annual staffing bill. The levy will also pay for ten "Festival City Ambassadors” to patrol the streets during August to help visitors find their way around.

‘RAM‘ RAID: Police are investigating a raid on the Co-op in Gullane in which its door was left smashed and hanging off its hinges in the early hours of Saturday morning.

GANNET RECOVERY: The Gannet population at the Bass Rock is not expected to recover from the “unprecedented deadly blow” of 2022’s bird flu outbreak until 2041 at the earliest. A new study by the RSPB highlighted a 26% decrease in the size of the internationally important Bass Rock colony. (Read more about the rock and its birds here: Bass Rock belongs to no one but the birds)

Pic of the week

A new tribute to Edinburgh street artist Elph has appeared near Cowcaddens underground station in Glasgow. You can read more about Elph’s career here: Elph is an overnight sensation after 30 years.

THE BUSINESS

EXPANSION PLANS: Edinburgh-based Farmer Autocare is promising further expansion after acquiring Hunters of Linlithgow. The West Lothian business will join with 21 Farmer Autocare centres in Scotland. Earlier this year, Farmer Autocare joined Kerr’s Tyres, based in Northern Ireland, earlier this year. The group has plans to expand to expand to 250 sites throughout the UK and Ireland.

START UP CHEERS: Tailored Spirits Co, the Leith-based whisky specialist which creates bespoke spirits for clients and brands, has been crowned Scotland’s Overall StartUp of the Year 2026 at the UK StartUp Awards. The judging panel pointed to the firm’s rapid growth, its “distinctive approach” and highlighted its £2.35 million turnover.

RISING FAST: More Capital success to celebrate – LendingCrowd, the award-winning fintech platform, has featured in the inaugural Sunday Times Scotland Fast 50 list of fastest growing businesses north of the border. The business provides fast, affordable business loans to SMEs across the UK.

GIVING BACK: Edinburgh hospitality business Vittoria Group has donated more than £8000 to city charities and community organisations in the first six months of its Giving Back initiative, launched to mark its 55^th anniversary celebrations.

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: Fantasy role play comes to the Castle Esplanade when Critical Role hots a live Dungeons and Dragons show on Sunday. Comedian Daniel Sloss appears as the Masters of Ceremonies.

LOCAL HEROES: Callum Beattie and Garbage will put local talent centrestage on the Castle Esplanade this weekend. The People Like Us singer-songwriter from Musselburgh is Friday’s headliner with Porty’s own Shirley Manson following on Saturday night. James Taylor, Deacon Blue and Snow Patrol are next up in the following week.

QUICK BITES

COCKTAIL FOR SUCCESS: Edinburgh’s legendary cocktail bar Panda & Sons has won yet another accolade, coming out as the 20^th best bar in Europe in a new list of the top 50 bars in Europe, sponsored by Perrier. In addition, the city bar won the top prize for Best Cocktail Menu.

SPORTING CHEERS: Leading craft brewery Cold Town Beer is the official partner for the Edinburgh 7s – Scotland’s largest sport and music festival. The event takes place at the University of Edinburgh’s Pefffermill Playing Fields from Friday to Sunday. The festival attracts more than 120 teams and more than 5000 people, taking in three sports – rugby, hockey and netball - five bars and two music arenas.