Video shows eerily quiet Edinburgh city centre during coronavirus pandemic

Usually bustling streets are much quieter today

Edinburgh city centre’s pavements and roads are eerily quiet today as the coronavirus continues to take hold of the nation.

Footage shot by Evening News photographer Lisa Ferguson from around the city centre on Tuesday morning shows the lack of activity from both vehicles and pedestrians.

With large swathes of the city’s workforce now operating from home and travel restrictions in place throughout Europe, the streets of Scotland’s Capital are clearly suffering.

Edinburgh city centre drops eerily quiet as coronavirus pandemic takes hold

The Mound is particularly quiet while main shopping thoroughfare Princes Street is eerily empty.

Footage captured from the top of Scott Monument shows the low footfall through Edinburgh’s iconic Princes Street Gardens while Fredrick Street has a full taxi rank, but no other vehicles on the road.

One or two bodies can be seen wandering the usually busy Castle Street but the expected hustle and bustle is nowhere to be found.

Shops such as Vans on Princes Street have also closed, with signs in the windows explaining that all Scottish stores are closed until further notice. Urban Outfitters also has the shutters down.

Urban Outfitters on Princes Street announced its closure due to coronavirus

Several airlines have grounded flights as travel across the continent is curtailed for the forseeable future.

And with several major offices and workforces now working from home, the city’s streets are quieter today than they have been for a long time.

Last week, Lloyds’ Citymark office in the Capital was shut, while over 1,000 people were sent home after a positive coronavirus test at Aegon based at South Gyle.

Edinburgh Playhouse and other city theatres also announced their closures in recent days.