From snakes to sewing, tenants fear impact of Edinburgh art hub closure

Moving isn't an easy process for anyone - but add more than 100 snakes, lizards, and tortoises to the mix - and things can get very stressful.

This is the situation facing AJ River, owner of one of Scotland's largest reptile and exotic animal rescues.

Since early 2024, his RiverRescue venture has been based in St Margaret's House in the east of Edinburgh, a nine-storey building which is home to about 150 artists, businesses and charities.

But tenants were told at the end of September they have less than four months to leave, as the building is being sold.

The 1970s former government office block was taken over by the charity Scot-ART in 2008.

It rents the whole building and sublets spaces to budding artists, craftmakers and community organisations.

River, whose reptile rescue occupies two large studios, is one of the more unusual tenants.

He says his "fascination with reptiles and exotic things" began as a child in the Netherlands.

He moved to the UK at the age of 11 and, after a spell as the singer in a boyband, found himself homeless.

After getting back on his feet, he began taking in animals that friends and acquaintances could no longer look after.

"It quickly grew into a big passion and I realised there was a need for someone to take in reptiles in Scotland," he says.

His rescue centre has grown significantly in the years since and he says St Margaret's House is an "incredible" place to be.

"The community here is just phenomenal, everyone supports each other," he says.

The news of the building's sale has been difficult for all the tenants, some of whom have been there for 18 years, he says.

"Everyone is trying to help each other through, but it's really put stress on us all," River says.

The Scot-ART tenants were informed on 28 September that they had to vacate the building by 24 January.

Building owners Caledonian Trust told the BBC they had "fully communicated" that St Margaret's House had been on the market for some time.

"We're in discussions with a preferred party, but the process isn't finished and it would be inappropriate to provide any more detail," a statement said.

The owners said Scot-Art had leased the building for many years on "generous terms" and they had been proud to support independent artists and freelancers.

However, they said that the building no longer met the standards needed for its long-term future.

Scot-ART said they were "incredibly proud " of what they had achieved by supporting diverse grassroots and creative arts organisations over the past 20 years.

It said was working hard behind the scenes to build a more resilient and long-term future.

Another of those affected by the closure is Jen Skedd, who has taught sewing classes from St Margaret's House for almost nine years - winning numerous awards while doing so.

"I didn't set out to win awards," she says.

"I realised that learning to sew takes an awful long time and attending one class isn't going to do it, so I provided ongoing support to all of my students from the outset."

Skedd, the owner of Artisan Stitch, doesn't know exactly when she learnt to sew.

She says: "I had a needle in my hand before I started school, that much I do remember."

She says she would sit under the table as her great-granny sewed clothes on her treadle machine.

"The culture of necessity from back then is instilled deep within me," she says.

"I feel I'm performing a very valuable service by teaching something that hasn't been taught in school for decades.

"I think we need to get back to that situation where people are buying less, wearing for longer, and mending rather than throwing away."

Skedd says she is "struggling to cope" with the news that St Margaret's will be closing.

Having spent the first three years of Artisan Stitch teaching near her home in East Lothian, she knows that running her classes outside the city is unsustainable in the long run.

"I only had a very localised group when I was out of the city," she says.

She also feels it is unlikely she will find somewhere affordable within Edinburgh.

She says that since she first looked for a studio eight years ago, more art venues have closed and rents have gone up.

Skedd also points out that not all of the occupants are businesses - some are charities supporting carers or those with additional support needs.

Others include the Edinburgh School of Music and Edinburgh Judo club.

"It's a sad loss for the whole community as well as the people whose jobs depend on being here," she says.

River is more confident he will find somewhere, but admits it won't be easy.

He has a lot of specific needs which will have to be met by a new space, including ventilation and powering the heat lamps and humidifiers needed to care for the animals.

"Rescue centres don't make a lot of money, and anything we do make goes back into the animals," he says.

"Securing a place that these animals can be looked after properly is not an easy thing for someone like us."

On top of that, he acknowledges a lot of people might not want to live or work next to so many exotic animals.

While many of the animals that are taken in by RiverRescue are common pet shop creatures such as corn snakes or tortoises, he also has the world's largest species of snake, the reticulated python, and Scotland's only Flavirufus monitor.

The building has been up for sale multiple times throughout the years, with a bid falling through in 2021.

Planning permission which dates back to this time would allow a buyer to build flats as well as a 361-bed block of student halls.

This has proved controversial with some current tenants, including River and Skedd, who are sceptical that this is what the area needs.

However, Caledonian Trust have told the BBC that their preferred buyer does not plan to use this existing permission to build student accommodation.