City chiefs crack down on 'tartan tat' stores

Published on Tuesday 9 March 2010 09:16

A NEW bid is being launched to crack down on "tartan tat" and improve the range of shops on the Royal Mile.

The city council, which is by far the biggest landlord on the street, is drawing up plans that will see it dictate exactly what type of tenants it will allow to trade from the shops it owns.

It follows widespread concern about the rapid rise in the number of souvenir shops on the street in recent years.

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Council chiefs say they want to be more proactive in managing the appearance of shops – and also influencing what they sell. The move could help to reshape the appearance of the Royal Mile where the council owns more than one in three shops.

The new strategy has been welcomed by business leaders in the Capital. Graham Birse, deputy chief executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is long overdue. This is the pre-eminent tourism street in Scotland and the street all visitors – however long they spend in the city – want to walk.

"I don't know how it has happened but suddenly there is almost only one type of retail offer on that street; the ubiquitous tartan shop."

He said that the Chamber supports trade and that increased supply of tartan shops was merely supplying demand, but added that a mix of retail was crucial on such an important street.

He said: "We need to be a bit more aggressive as a city. We have to discontinue some of these leases and think about the offer and brands that support the high-quality image Edinburgh wants."

The council owns around 35 of the shops on the Royal Mile, with tenants including the Gold Brothers, Scottish Experience, Bay of Bengal, James Pringle and The Cigar Box. It also owns a further seven units through its Edinburgh Retail joint venture with EDI.

The new bid to improve the quality of shopping on the street was revealed in a new "physical regeneration plan" drawn up by council officials.

The report said the council had an opportunity to use its own assets to support inward investment.

It said: "There is, for instance, an opportunity to improve the retail offer on the Royal Mile, where the council as owner of many of the retail units could be more proactive in managing the look and product."

Councillor Tom Buchanan, the city's economic development leader, said: "It is important the council has a long-term strategy in place to achieve best value for the city while, at the same time, promoting a balanced retail offering for residents and visitors alike."

Cllr Jason Rust, economic development spokesman for the Conservative group on the council, said: "While the council as an owner should have a sense of responsibility for the street, any intervention from the council has to be carefully considered."