'Tartan tat' kings moving upmarket into cashmere

Published on Thursday 2 September 2010 19:19

THE self-styled kings of "tartan tat" on the Royal Mile have made a move into the Capital's first five-star "fashion hotel".

It emerged today that the Gold Brothers family are behind the Abercrombie Cashmere outlet that has opened below the luxurious Hotel Missoni, designed by the renowned Missoni fashion house, which counts starts including Kylie Minogue, Demi Moore and Scarlett Johansson among its biggest admirers.

The new shop appears to signal a move upmarket for the buoyant Gold Brothers business as there is not a Nessie toy, "Jimmy" hat or cheap kilt in sight.

It is understood that a clause in the lease for the Missoni hotel meant that all the retail units had to be judged as "high quality" and they are also banned from booming out loud music from their doorways.

Council chiefs have previously pledged to look at ways to improve the Royal Mile, which is now home to more than 40 tartan souvenir shops.

News that Gold Brothers has snapped up the lease of a prime spot has been welcomed by city leaders because there will be no "tartan tat". Councillor Tom Buchanan, the city's economic development leader, said: "If they have opened a retail unit under the Missoni hotel under an upmarket brand name then that is to be encouraged.

"High-quality brands are what we want on the Royal Mile and cashmere is a national product, so it is welcome that it is being sold. The Gold Brothers have clearly made the decision to go upmarket in some stores, as they have with another unit further down the Royal Mile, and they should be encouraged to do so."

When asked whether he would be concerned at a change of branding for the store in the future, Cllr Buchanan said: "You have to keep an eye on what is going on in your premier retail streets and that is what we do."

The 136-bed Hotel Missoni opened last year and has become one of Scotland's best-known hotels. It was the first move into the hotels market by the Missoni family, famous for its fashion and homewares. The site, on the corner of the Lawnmarket and George IV Bridge, includes the hotel, a bank branch, two retail units and the Ondine and Pizza Express restaurants. The site is now owned by Scottish Widows Investment Partnership.

City centre Tory councillor Joanna Mowat said: "I am not in the business of telling Hotel Missoni or the owners of that building who they can let retail units to, although one would assume they would not want to do something that may cheapen the brand."

Nobody at Gold Brothers was available to comment.