Flats to rise from ashes of ruined pub

Published on Tuesday 20 May 2008 10:21

THE fire-hit former Mariners pub in Leith is being converted into plush flats and offices.

Cluny House is currently in the process of developing the former church, with work expected to be completed in October.

The new development, which will be called The Citadel, will be made up of five flats and eight offices.

Estate agents Mortimer, based in Thistle Street, has already sold four offices and two flats, with the flats ranging from 185,000 to 349,000, and the offices from 175,000 to 450,000.

An accidental fire gutted the grade B-listed church-turned-pub in Leith in March 2007, causing the roof to cave in.

It was believed to have been started by an electrical fault, just over an hour after the late night venue had been full with about 300 revellers.

The building adjoins Cromwell's Citadel, which was built in the 1650s on Dock Street, as the Scottish military headquarters of the puritanical leader, and is one of Leith's most historical sites.

The citadel, which was being used as a storage yard by Mariners and has leather chairs, a fridge and other items piled up inside, escaped the fire relatively unscathed.

The main building was originally St Ninian's Church.