Edinburgh's Princes Street could reopen by end of August after fire

Edinburgh's Princes Street could fully reopen by the end of August if a historic department store wrecked in a huge fire is made safe.

Several tonnes of unsafe bricks and stonework have now been removed and steel beams have been erected to stabilise the former Debenhams store, according to council leader Jane Meagher.

The city's main thoroughfare has been partially closed since the fire engulfed the building last month, with buses diverted and tram services restricted, affecting footfall for bars and restaurants in Leith.

Meagher told a summit of affected businesses, community and heritage groups that, weather permitting, she was optimistic the damaged façade could be secured within weeks.

She said: "We've been working tirelessly to make sure Princes Street can fully reopen and I'm reassured by the progress being made.

"It goes without saying that we want to do this as soon as possible – but only when it is safe to do so."

The Scottish government has announced £5m of funding to help mitigate the impact of the fire which broke out on 9 July.

Meagher said some of this money would be channelled into a communications campaign, promoting businesses and communities most affected including Leith, the Shore and Newhaven.

This will also include "resident and visitor spend incentives", events and other promotions.

In its update, the council said about 40% of the steel beams needed to make the façade safe were now in place.

The eastern gable has been secured, an operation which involved reducing its height by nearly 7ft (2m) and supporting it with scaffolding.

Unsafe bricks and stonework - some of it weighing as much as 850kg (0.85 tonne) - has been lowered by crane and stored on site for reuse.

The building previously housed part of the Debenhams department store, which closed in May 2021 following another fire the previous month.

Prior to becoming a department store, it was part of the Palace Hotel, later becoming the Liberal Club, designed by architect John Lessels.

More recently River Island and Levi's had shops on the ground floor of the building but both units had closed.

At the time of the fire, the site was owned by Criterion Capital, a real estate firm headed up by billionaire Asif Aziz.

He planned to turn it into a Zedwell hotel, which would be the first in Scotland if successful.