November 22 2023

The steady shift of Edinburgh's Princes Street from retail to mixed-use is continuing with an application to overhaul a corner block bounded by Hanover Street.

RRH Hanover and Fletcher Joseph Architects have applied to revamp a group of five underperforming buildings as a 60-bed hotel, sensitively remodelling the individual structures to function as a single entity. Driven by a desire to consolidate unused upper floor space by interlinking the fractured space the work will also see a reorganisation of ground floor commercial units.

This process of adaptive reuse will be augmented by new construction on Rose Street and Rose Street Lane, standing as a lynchpin for the entire development as well as rebalancing floorspace to the north.

David Grieve of RRH commented: “It is anticipated that guests will be discerning and experienced travellers, looking for a boutique stay in a prime location, but without the fuss of a busy city centre hotel. Offering a calm, flexible and luxurious stay, they will have the opportunity to enjoy unique views across the New and Old Towns of Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth beyond the capital’s skyline.

“Delivering a highly sustainable development, this will consolidate unused space above the retail units into a series of linked properties, and conscious of its location, we have been highly sensitive to retaining all buildings and features considered to be of architectural and historic merit.”

The applicant has also pledged to restore the historic Crawford's Tea Rooms on Hanover Street and will include rooftop terraces to make the most of views of Edinburgh Castle. 

4 Comments

#1 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 22 Nov 2023 at 10:30 AM

Adaptive reuse -- interesting vibe !?!

Funny how it is all the rage in Auld Reekie while "pound 'n ground" aka as demolition is where it is at regarding Glesga social housing.

#2 Posted by Whispering Andy on 22 Nov 2023 at 11:27 AM

Whisper it.......but that's never happening. A heck of an expensive overall cost for a paltry 60 rooms is unlikely to be stacking up.

#3 Posted by Robert on 22 Nov 2023 at 14:02 PM

Lovely reuse of existing under-utilised buildings in a very central site with well designed additions. I suspect that pricing will be high for the planned discerning guests. I do hope that the restaurant in the beautiful Crawford’s Tea Room will be open to serving meals to local non-residents as well as well-healed tourists.

#4 Posted by town planner on 22 Nov 2023 at 17:14 PM

Alot of the modern interventions in Rose Street are not great, this one looks like it has the potential to be better.

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