Are shops open on bank holidays in Scotland? When are Edinburgh shopping centres open over Christmas?

Don’t get caught short by reduced retail hours this Christmas by planning your shopping trips in advance.

In the run up to Christmas, many shopping centres and malls run longer hours so that customers can get all their festive shopping done.

This year is slightly different to other years as Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on the weekend.

As a result, we have two replacement bank holidays on December 27th and 28th.

Ahead of longer festive opening hours, St James Quarter has decked their halls in Christmas decorations. Photo: Ian Georgeson Photography.

So where does that leave you with shopping centres in Edinburgh on these days?

Here’s when all the shopping centres in Edinburgh are open over the Christmas period.

Are shops open on bank holidays in Scotland?

Despite December 27th and 28th being bank holidays, most retail stores, supermarkets, and restaurants will be open in Scotland.

Ocean Terminal will operate largely the same during the festive period. Photo: JPI Media.

What’s more, many retail locations are also holding post-Christmas, Boxing Day sales over these few days in between Christmas and the New Year.

Of course, some shops may run their own hours, so it’s best to check in advance if you’re keen to shop at a specific location.

When are Edinburgh shopping centres open over the Christmas period?

St James Quarter

Shops within Gyle Shopping Centre are operating individually changed festive hours. Photo: Lisa Ferguson.

St James Quarter is operating slightly longer shopping areas in the month of December, starting from Saturday December 11th.

During the week, the shopping centre will stay open until 9pm, and until as late as 10pm on some Thursdays.

Here are the ties in full leading up to Christmas:

- Saturday December 11th: 9am - 9pm

- Sunday December 12th: 10am - 7pm

- Monday December 13 – Wednesday December 15th: 9am - 9pm

- Thursday December 16th: 9am - 10pm

- Friday December 17th - Saturday December 18th: 9am - 9pm

- Sunday December 19th: 10am - 7pm

- Monday December 20th – Wednesday December 22nd: 9am - 9pm

- Thursday December 23rd: 9am - 10pm

- Friday December 24th (Christmas Eve): 9am - 6pm

- Saturday December 25th (Christmas Day): Closed

- Sunday December 26th (Boxing Day): 9am - 6pm

- Monday December 27th – Wednesday December 29th: 9am - 9pm

- Friday December 31st: 9am - 6pm

- Saturday January 1st: 11am - 6pm

Cameron Toll Centre

Cameron Toll is not having later opening hours until later on in December, starting from the 23rd.

Here are the full opening hours over the festive period:

- Monday December 20th – Thursday December 23rd: 6am – 11pm- Friday December 24th (Christmas Eve): 6am – 7pm

- Saturday December 25th (Christmas Day): Closed

- Sunday December 26th (Boxing Day): 8am – 8pm- Monday December 27th – Thursday December 30th: 8am – 10pm- Friday December 31st (New Year’s Eve): 7am – 7pm

- Saturday January 1st (New Year’s Day) – Sunday January 2nd: 8am – 8pm

On Monday January 3rd, regular opening hours will resume.

Gyle Shopping Centre

Different shops within Gyle Shopping Centre are operating individual retail hours over the festive period.

From December 6th, M&S will be staying open an hour longer, from 8am to 10pm, and the following week, an hour longer than that, closing at 11pm.

From December 20th, M&S will be open from 6am until midnight from Monday December 20th to Thursday December 23rd.

On December 24th, M&S will be open from 6am until 7pm and be closed on Decembre 25th and 26th. It will return to usual hours of 8am until 9pm in between Christmas and New Year, and then staying open from 8am until 7pm on Christmas Eve and staying closed on January 1st.

From December 20th, Boots, core shops, and Morrisons will all stay open longer in the run-up to Christmas, staying open until 9pm and Morrisons until midnight.

All stores will close on Christmas Day, and close early on Christmas Eve, with Boots closing at 5.30pm, core shops at 5pm, and Morrisons at 6pm.

All stores will also similarly be closed on New Year’s Day, with reduced hours on New Year’s Eve.

Ocean Terminal

Ocean Terminal will not be updating its shopping hours over the festive period, staying open from 10am to 8pm every day as usual.

The only change is that the shopping centre will be closed on Christmas Day this year.

Fort Kinnaird

Fort Kinnaird will have usual opening hours in the run up to Christmas.

These are:

Monday – Friday: 9am – 9pm

Saturday: 9am – 6pm

Sunday: 9am – 6pm

However, the centre also states that individual retailers may extend or reduce their opening hours independently, so it’s wise to check each store to avoid disappointment.

Fort Kinnaird will have reduced hours on some days over the festive period. These will be:

- Friday December 24th (Christmas Eve): 9am – 5pm

- Saturday December 25th (Christmas Day): Closed

- Sunday December 26th (Boxing Day): 9am - 6pm

Normal hours will resume from December 27th - 30th, meaning shops will be open from 9am to 9pm.

However, hours will change once again over the New Year:

- Friday December 31st (New Year's Eve): 9am – 5pm

- Saturday January 1st (New Year's Day): Closed (Selected stores only)

- Sunday January 2nd: 9am – 6pm

Normal opening hours will resume from January 3rd.

Waverley Market

Waverley Market will stay open from 10am until 7pm in the lead up to Christmas, but individual store times inside the building may vary.

On December 24th, for Christmas Eve, Waverley Market will close one hour earlier at 6pm.

Similarly, there will be reduced hours on New Year’s Eve, opening at 10am and closing at 5pm.

The only days it’s fully closed are Christmas Day on the 25th, Boxing Day on the 26th, and New Year’s Day on January 1st, 2022.