Edinburgh St James: the shops and food outlets confirmed for Edinburgh’s rebuilt 1.7 million sq-ft shopping centre

With a year to go until its grand opening, here's a sneak peek of the shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities Edinburgh St James will offer when it opens its doors in 2020.

At 1.7 million square feet, Edinburgh St James is the largest retail-led development going on anywhere in Scotland and is “set to revolutionise and regenerate the city’s East End”.

Its role within the Edinburgh community has been central to the project from day one, providing almost 1,000 days of work experience for local students and contributing more than 700 hours of volunteer work.

Edinburgh St James looks set to become a major fixture within Scotland's capital city, so here's everything we know so far.

What shops will it contain?

Of the retail space available, 85% is now spoken for, offering a fairly clear picture of what the finished centre will look like.

Clothing retailer Zara will be opening a mammoth, three-floor, 37,000 sq-ft store, while fellow clothing stores Bershka, Stradivarius and Pull & Bear will also have spaces within the main shopping area.

Opposite Zara, Mango will be opening their first Edinburgh store.

Altogether, the centre will contain 85 new stores, with the aim of making Edinburgh St James one of the city's premiere retail destinations.

What else will be on offer?

Edinburgh St James has also promised a selection of 30 restaurants and the city's first W hotel - W Edinburgh.

This hotel has set its sights on “providing the most luxurious and fun hotel accommodation in Edinburgh and reinforcing the city’s reputation as a cosmopolitan European capital.”

The Roomzzz Aparthotel will also provide 75 rooms, which are suitable for a single night or a whole year.

Edinburgh will also be getting its first Everyman Cinema, courtesy of St James.

The five-screen theatre will continue the brand's decadent approach to movie-watching, featuring plush sofa seating and a range of food and drink delivered to customers' seats.

Edinburgh St James will also feature three new public squares, designed to help the centre operate as more of a social, community space rather than just a shopping location. During the festival season, these will double as event spaces.

How else will it benefit Edinburgh?

Edinburgh St James represents a £1 billion investment in the city and will provide over 3,000 permanent full-time jobs in a variety of sectors.

The project will draw on Edinburgh's FUSE hospitality academy, supporting skills development across the city.

It has already seen 5,000 new workers inducted on site, more than 60% of whom live within 100 miles of it.

There has also been a strong emphasis on sustainability, with 99% of demolition and construction waste diverted from landfill.

When does it open?

The first phase of Edinburgh St James is set to open in October 2020, with the Everyman Cinema and the hotels opening the following year in 2021.