King's Stables Road proposals
This is what I understand to be the possibilities for the site. Obviously the developer has far more exciting details than I can give but in relation to the retail/arts side of things and helpng with the footfall problems that I have been consulted on (as has the Grassmarket BID) I’m obviously aware of more detail. Sorry for such a late reveal but despite other developers showing little interest the worry was always they would simply steal the ideas. It has come a long way from that first opinion piece in The Evening News but I hope you agree it looks amazing. We just have to hope Edinburgh Council agree and don’t make it all about the money. Quirky designer hotel in keeping with the arts feel of the place.
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Accommodation aimed at post grads, lecturers etc and again with an arts/design feel
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Artist studios and exhibition spaces built in consultation with ECA and others needs
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Quality indoor arts/food market open at least several days a week – possible performance space when not in use
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Courtyard with Edinburgh’s best street food traders at certain times
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Record shop, cafe and Scottish bookshop featuring Scottish authors and books about Scotland.
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A quality “name” restaurant
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Marketing of the new site as an arts and cultural quarter as part of a wider arts hub
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Stables to draw on the history of the Grassmarket both as a horse market and as a jousting area. Carriage rides both around the Grassmarket and Princes Street Gardens. This very much fulfills the council’s wish to have “attractions”.
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Site will be in use both day and night keeping the place vibrant
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Dozens of job opportunities and dramatic improvement in footfall
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Front of building opened up making KSR an attractive and well lit thoroughfare between Grasmarket and Lothian Road/Princes Street
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Any businesses introduced will be in consultation with what the Grassmarket already offers
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Site will be secured immediately while planning is applied for over the following year. This will enable pop ups and other events to take place bringing life to the place immediately.
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Other Grassmarket events to be supported so that by the time the site is up and running (probably 2017) vibrancy will have already returned to the Grassmarket
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As for Harry Potter in The Evening News. All I can imagine is I suggested to Edinburgh Council a while ago a literary trail up King’s Stables Road with questions on Scottish books and authors. Who could resist answering a Rebus question next to the graveyard or a Harry Potter question under the castle. Somehow this may via chinese whispers have turned into a Harry Potter tour something that would of course need the permission of both JKR and Warner Brothers.