Pedestrian-friendly George St moves closer as cost of huge revamp falls
Plus: Taking on Ticketmaster from Edinburgh; and teachers balloted for strike action
Long-awaited George St transformation boosted by surprise drop in cost
The transformation of George Street into a pedestrian and bike-friendly zone has taken a significant step forward after an unexpected drop in costs.
The project which will see the majority of motorised traffic diverted from the street, and its central parking spaces removed in favour of a cycling “highway”, had been priced at £39m in May last year.
But, despite reports the cost may have risen as high as £60m in the last year, The Inquirer can reveal an official update to councillors later this month will confirm the estimated cost of the “full bells and whistles” plan has fallen by around £4m to approximately £35m.
The cost could yet drop further, depending on whether councillors decide to adopt a range of cost-saving options, such as laying the central bike lane with asphalt instead of flat granite setts.
The city’s transport convener, Labour councillor Stephen Jenkinson, told The Inquirer: “I’m satisfied the costings, without sacrificing any of the design, are moving in the right direction as we move through the project planning process.”
What will the work involve? Much wider pavements with extra space for pedestrians and outdoor eating and drinking; less motor traffic (although there will be access for deliveries and possibly taxis at particular times); a 6 metre-wide central bike lane; and a modest four trees at either end of the street. The final make-up of the project, however, still has to be signed off by councillors.
Cheaper, really? Are you sure? The price drop is certainly a surprise given public project costs usually head in only one direction. The Inquirer understands the savings are a result of designs being updated as the project moves to a more detailed planning phase. That has led to clearer and more straightforward tenders, which have seen some utility companies in particular revise their estimates downwards. The project has also been helped by the fact soaring construction industry inflation has slowed significantly from a peak in the UK in 2022.
When will it happen? The current expectation is for building work to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2030.
So what are we waiting for? Making George Street more pedestrian-friendly has been widely debated and consulted on in various forms since at least 2013. The presence or otherwise of trees; access arrangements for taxis; the amount of space devoted to cycling; and the quality and cost of materials to be used have all prompted prolonged debate. Final decisions are expected in the coming months.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
TEACHERS’ STRIKE THREAT: The country’s biggest teaching union has launched a ballot on strike action in an ongoing dispute over workloads and the amount of time teachers have to spend in the classroom. The EIS union has described workloads as "unfair, unhealthy and unsustainable", while the Scottish Government says it is working the unions and local authorities to reduce the amount of class contact time for teachers.
TEED UP: World number one Scottie Scheffler has confirmed he will join an impressive line-up at this year's Scottish Open in North Berwick, including Masters champion Rory McIlroy. That means all five of the world’s top five ranked players will be appearing at the Renaissance Club on 10-13 July.
OPEN UP, OPEN UP: Dates have been confirmed for two of the most eagerly-awaited cultural venue openings in the Capital. Edinburgh Filmhouse will reopen on 27 June, following the extraordinary campaign to reopen its doors, with a season of some of the best films from the three years it was closed. There will be a slightly longer wait for the Edinburgh Park Arena, the 8,500 capacity venue operated by AEG, the owners of the 02 in London. An opening date of March 2028 has been announced, with building work due to start early next year.
BRAID HILLS TESTING: The defence company Leonardo has been given the go-ahead to continue testing its communications equipment in Braid Hills. City councillors narrowly voted down a motion by Greens councillor Ben Parker seeking to ban testing by the MoD contractor, which employs around 1800 people at its factory near Crewe Toll, and has been the target of protests over links to the Israeli military.
FIREWORKS CONVICTION: A man who supplied fireworks which were thrown at police during Bonfire Night disorder in the Capital has been convicted of culpable and reckless conduct. Jordan McMillan, 24, will be sentenced next month. Police Scotland said they expect further convictions to follow, saying this should send “a very clear message that the reckless and dangerous behaviour we witnessed across Edinburgh last year will not be tolerated.”
HIBEES HISTORY: Hibs have announced plans to create a visitor centre celebrating the club’s history at Easter Road Stadium. It will house exhibits from the Hibernian Historical Trust’s collection of more than 5,000 items from the club’s past, ranging from George Best’s match-worn Hibs shirt to Lawrie Reilly’s championship winners medals from the 1950s. Work is underway to repurpose the old ticket office building, as part of celebrations to mark the club’s 150th anniversary.
STUDIO FLATS: The demolition of the former Wasps (Working Artists Studio Provision Scotland) studios in Dalry and their replacement with two blocks of students flats is expected to be approved by city councillors on Wednesday.
HOLLYWOOD CALLING: Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg has told three Edinburgh brothers who are rowing across the Pacific that their adventure is worthy of a movie. The actor spoke to Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean in a video call as they attempt to complete the fastest ever non-stop and unsupported row from Peru to Sydney in Australia.
Pic of the week
THE BUSINESS
New Capital business is just the ticket
Edinburgh is the venue for the UK headquarters of a technology business which is shaking up the world of ticketing – by investing all of its profits back into good causes.
Australian-based not-for-profit business Humanitix has already donated almost £8.5 million to educational, environmental and health projects around the world – and now it intends to do more from its new UK base. It has also been praised for taking a stand against dynamic ticket pricing.
Launched in 2016, the business – which provides an online ticketing platform in competition to operators such as Eventbrite and Ticketmaster - opened a US base in Denver in 2022, before looking at the UK. It chose the capital after receiving support from Scottish Enterprise to come to Scotland - including a £325,000 grant - as well as assistance from the Scottish Government-funded International Social Enterprise Observatory (ISEO).
Co-founder Adam McCurdie is now based in Edinburgh where he expects to lead a workforce of around 30. He said that its constitution meant it was compelled to give away profits, and explained events most likely to participate: “We are dealing with everything from a two person cooking class up to 200,000 people at a festival - to anything where the host is allowed to choose its ticketing platform.
“It’s just a fantastic way to have every single event, big and small, make a meaningful impact at no cost to anyone except for the incumbent ticketing platform that was previously doing the ticketing.”
METER MAD: Many Haddington businesses and residents are unhappy over plans to introduce parking charges in the town centre. Around 300 people have already signed a petition objecting to the plans, and a public meeting is to take place on June 19 as part of a consultation exercise.
HOME FRONT PRICE RISE: House prices in the Edinburgh city region saw a 3.6% increase in the March – May period over the same time last year. No surprise that the most expensive area was Edinburgh with an average price of £301,077.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
LEITH FESTIVAL: Leith Festival kicks off with the traditional gala day on Leith Links on Saturday. A packed programme of events covering everything from workshops and exhibitions to gin tasting and karaoke runs until 22 June.
WHO’S DANCING? Inspired by the cult film born from The Who’s seminal Quadrophenia album, Quadrophenia, A Mod Ballet brings a large cast of exceptional dancers to the Festival Theatre. Bringing together the dancers of the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, with costumes designed by Paul Smith and Natalie Pryce, enjoy Pete Townshend’s music as you’ve never experienced it before. From tomorrow until Saturday, wear your best Mod or Rocker outfit for Saturday’s special show.
CINEMA IN THE SQUARE: Open air cinema returns to St Andrew Square from Friday to Sunday. From The Lost Boys to Mad About the Boy, Square Cinema has something to suit most tastes.
QUICK BITES
WHAT A HOOT: Edinburgh St James food hall Bonnie & Wild has confirmed it is bringing its free Fringe Ceilidh back to the Fringe on August 14. The Fringe ceilidh will form part of the venue’s monthly White Heather Club ceilidh events, launched three years ago, which have attracted around 15,000 dancers in total. Details available here.
CRÈME DE LA KREMA: Award-winning bakery Krema has announced that it will be expanding into a new kitchen space in Swanfield, just round the corner from its shop in Leith Walk, which will continue to serve customers as usual.