Tram-hit traders hope rebrand will attract some West End Village people

Published on Tuesday 24 November 2009 08:40

THEY might be have been hemmed in by tramworks and hammered by the recession, but the shops of Edinburgh's West End are fighting back by rebranding the area as a village.

West End Village is the new name for the area north of Shandwick Place, and traders hope a big marketing push will bring new trade to the area both in the run-up to Christmas, and through the long haul until the first trams arrive.

Three dozen street signs bearing a newly-designed logo for the Village are set to go up on street corners and lamp posts, a promotional website has been set up, and the initiative will launch with a special Christmas shopping evening on Thursday.

The move might invite comparisons with the boutique-filled quarter of New York's Greenwich Village, but chairman of the West End Association, Michael Apter, said traders in the West End Village did not aspire to emulate its transatlantic cousin.

He said: "We've got a very Edinburgh identity. It's Georgian streets with classic New Town architecture. William Street was designed as a shopping street for artisans to make their products at the back of the store and sell them at the front and we've still got people doing that.

"The West End has always had a strong identity in terms of the kind of shops and bars and restaurants we've got in the area – it's quite boutiquey and there are lots of independent businesses."

Sam Withall, owner of Sam Thomas clothes and accessories boutiques, has two stores in the area. She said: "We're hoping to get increased footfall and awareness of the area. It's a good little area, there aren't any empty shops. It's a bit of a secret really, but once people shop here, they tend to come back."

The website at www.westendvillage.org gives a new promotional opportunity for businesses in the village, which is defined as the area between Shandwick Place and Melville Street, with Queensferry Street and Manor Place at either end.

The branding exercise has been devised with help from the city council and tram company TIE as part of their Open For Business initiative, which aims to help companies whose business has been damaged by the tramworks.

Mr Apter said: "I think the combination of the tramworks on the one hand and the recession on the other has undoubtedly hurt the city centre, but it is quite resilient and has got a far better offer than shopping elsewhere."

He added: "You can sort out your Christmas shopping, you can pick yourself an outfit for the party season, you can get your hair done and you can stay out and drink cocktails into the wee small hours."

Thursday's shopping evening will see stores remain open until 8pm. The Olive Tree Cafe at St George's West will offer mulled wine and mince pies, and Stafford Street and William Street will be illuminated by Christmas lights for the first time.