I just stumbled across a post written by Edinburgh Councillor Ewan Aitken referring to Princes Street, in fact this link highlights a couple of stories. I can see the ultimately Ewan Aitken is making his comments regarding Princes Street due to a belief that it can be improved and it would be petty for me to remind him that if he believes this he had the chance to do something when his party formed the Council administration in Edinburgh, or in the 8 years the Labour party was in Government in Scotland or since 1997 when his party came to power at Westminister but I won't point these things out. I disagree with the plans to attract more bars and bistros to Princes Street as that would, in my humble opinion, turn Princes Street into something similar to George Street and Rose Street.
One reason that bars/bistros and other eateries do so well on these two streets is that custom is brought in via the shops on Princes Street. Not that I am a big shopper but when I do partake in the purchase of goods from a Princes Street stores I often feel like rewarding myself by supping a pint of Edinburgh's finest IPA in one of the very nice bars on Rose Street and occasionally eating in the very very fine Mexican at the Lothian Road end of Princes Street. Take this anecdote for example. When my parents come up to visit me my Mother likes to visit the shops while my old man and I go for a pint and I am sure that it’s not an isolated case.
Yes I agree Princes Street can be made even better, but I don’t believe turning it into a haven of Bistros and bars is the answer. Back to the drawing board for Mr Aitken and his colleagues.
One reason that bars/bistros and other eateries do so well on these two streets is that custom is brought in via the shops on Princes Street. Not that I am a big shopper but when I do partake in the purchase of goods from a Princes Street stores I often feel like rewarding myself by supping a pint of Edinburgh's finest IPA in one of the very nice bars on Rose Street and occasionally eating in the very very fine Mexican at the Lothian Road end of Princes Street. Take this anecdote for example. When my parents come up to visit me my Mother likes to visit the shops while my old man and I go for a pint and I am sure that it’s not an isolated case.
Yes I agree Princes Street can be made even better, but I don’t believe turning it into a haven of Bistros and bars is the answer. Back to the drawing board for Mr Aitken and his colleagues.
2 comments:
You're absolutely right. But how can Princes Street be improved - after all one of the major problems is the architecture of many of its parts. It lets the aesthetic appeal down. Short of ripping buildings down and starting again what can we do? I remember reading a proposal once to build some kind of skywalk thing down its length, but I think that was hastily dispensed with!!
Suffice to say reading this made me fairly or unfairly rip into Leith Walk.
Re: skywalk. Look up at some of the brutalist buildings as you go down Princes Street and you'll see some sections of the so-called 'skywalk' which were completed. Others might call it a cheapo balcony....
I think demolition is the way forward.
Post a Comment