{"id":213012,"date":"2025-06-25T11:33:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T11:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/213012\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T11:33:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T11:33:12","slug":"new-tourist-office-to-open-on-the-royal-mile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/213012\/","title":{"rendered":"New tourist office to open on the Royal Mile"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following the closure of the VisitScotland office next to the City Chambers earlier this year, the council has secured a tenant.<\/p>\n

The rent payable to the council will be less than paid by the previous tenants but will be reviewed at the five year break and the lease will run for 25 years.<\/p>\n

VisitScotland closed all of their visitor centres earlier in the year including this one at 249 High Street. the council is keen to keep a \u201ctourism offer\u201d on the High Street and want to lease this to Cobbs which has offered a \u201cgood rental\u201d on a 25 year lease.<\/p>\n

If the council had wanted to open its own visitor centre the building would have required further work \u2013 and it would have required around \u00a3550,000 of funding each year.<\/p>\n

VisitScotland had reported the running costs were high relative to their income.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The report before the council committee this morning states: \u201cCobbs are an established tourism based retailer which has been in existence for over 30 years. They currently operate four hotels in the Highlands, 12 gift shops in key tourist locations and employ over 500 staff. They have recently taken over two former Visit Scotland premises in Fort William and Aberfoyle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cobbs have submitted a proposal for the \u201cExperience Scotland\u201d retail and tourism offer within the ground floor space of 249 High Street previously occupied by VisitScotland. A copy of the proposal is in an appendix to the council report and may be\u00a0found here online.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

The offer will consist of Scottish themed retailing featuring local producers such as Edinburgh Honey Company, Coco Chocolatier, and Red Box tea and coffee.<\/p>\n

The officer recommendation is: \u201cIt is considered that the proposal from Cobbs provides the right balance in terms of commercial return to the Council with the inclusive rent more than matching what was previously received from VisitScotland on the ground floor. In addition, there is a commitment to providing a tourist based offer with the scope to develop this further in conjunction with the Council\u2019s Business Growth and Inclusion service.\u201d<\/p>\n

The rent will be \u00a3150,000 for the first five years when it will be increased at a review, and includes a proportion of utilities and rates payable for the building, and there will be a rent free period for the first three months since the property requires repair and upgrading.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All papers and access to the webcast of the meeting can be found on the council website here<\/a><\/p>\n

Cllr Mandy Watt, Finance and Resources Convener, said: \u201cWhile more and more visitors are planning their trips to Edinburgh online, you can\u2019t beat a warm Scottish welcome face to face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe there remains an appetite for this type of in-person experience for visitors, particularly with the draw of a shop and a caf\u00e9, so I\u2019m pleased that we\u2019ve been able to secure the visitor information centre\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will prove invaluable as we encourage tourists to visit all parts of the city in all seasons as part of the city\u2019s tourism strategy, and as we introduce Edinburgh\u2019s Visitor Levy next summer. The lease will also support us to raise income worth \u00a33.5 million over the next 25 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cCobbs is well established throughout Scotland with the family nearing 40 years of tourism experience and we\u2019re looking forward to welcoming them into the space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fraser Campbell, Managing Director of the Cobbs Group, said: \u201cWe\u2019re well established in Scotland as the Cobbs group and we proudly operate 35 sites across the country. Opening a tourism office in the heart of Edinburgh is a dream and we\u2019re excited to take over the lease. Right in the heart of Edinburgh\u2019s festival action, it is the ideal site for showcasing everything the city and Scotland has to offer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re particularly keen to highlight local experiences and \u2018Made in Scotland\u2019 items where we can and I\u2019d urge makers and crafters to please get in touch so that we can offer a unique and authentic range for tourists to enjoy on Edinburgh\u2019s famous Royal Mile.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Edinburgh Reporter alerted readers to this news on Tuesday in our weekday article Five things you need to know today.<\/p>\n

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