Opening as the New Victoria on 25 August 1930, the same day Sean Connery was born, the Odeon cinema on Clerk Street has been much missed since its closure in 2003. Although it has lain vacant for almost 20 years, the art deco building thankfully still stands.Opening as the New Victoria on 25 August 1930, the same day Sean Connery was born, the Odeon cinema on Clerk Street has been much missed since its closure in 2003. Although it has lain vacant for almost 20 years, the art deco building thankfully still stands.
Opening as the New Victoria on 25 August 1930, the same day Sean Connery was born, the Odeon cinema on Clerk Street has been much missed since its closure in 2003. Although it has lain vacant for almost 20 years, the art deco building thankfully still stands.

17 beloved Edinburgh institutions that are gone but not forgotten

From Rankins’ famous fruit & veg emporiums to Brattisani’s legendary chippies, we take a look at 17 lost Edinburgh institutions that are gone but not forgotten.
By Gary Flockhart
Published 9th Dec 2020, 16:45 BST
Updated 4th Jul 2022, 15:40 BST

Have a look through our photo gallery and take a trip back in time.

Edinburgh folk still talk about city record store Bruce's, which was the place to go for the latest tunes. Pictured are Brian Findlay and Bruce Findlay with the distinctive red carrier bag 'I Found It At Bruce's' outside Bruce's record shop in Rose Street in November 1972

9. Bruce's record shop

Edinburgh folk still talk about city record store Bruce's, which was the place to go for the latest tunes. Pictured are Brian Findlay and Bruce Findlay with the distinctive red carrier bag 'I Found It At Bruce's' outside Bruce's record shop in Rose Street in November 1972 Photo: Denis Straughan

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Simply dubbed "PT's" by the masses, Patrick Thomson's department store on North Bridge was an affordable alternative to the grander department stores found on Princes Street, such as Jenners and R W Forsyth. The store made considerable effort at Christmas and its Santa's grotto was incredibly popular.

10. Patrick Thomson's

Simply dubbed "PT's" by the masses, Patrick Thomson's department store on North Bridge was an affordable alternative to the grander department stores found on Princes Street, such as Jenners and R W Forsyth. The store made considerable effort at Christmas and its Santa's grotto was incredibly popular. Photo: unknown

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St Cuthbert's Co-op was an Edinburgh-based consumer co-operative society and a proud city institution which employed thousands of people at its height. Pictured is the St Cuthbert's store at Bread Street, which was one of the largest.

11. St Cuthberts Co-op

St Cuthbert's Co-op was an Edinburgh-based consumer co-operative society and a proud city institution which employed thousands of people at its height. Pictured is the St Cuthbert's store at Bread Street, which was one of the largest. Photo: George Smith

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Casey's sweet shop on St Mary's Street survived until the 2000s and was a real blast from the past, offering jars of jars of all the sweets you could possibly imagine from kola kubes and dolly mixtures to bon bons and pear drops. The only Edinburgh folk who don't miss it are dentists.

12. Casey's sweet shop

Casey's sweet shop on St Mary's Street survived until the 2000s and was a real blast from the past, offering jars of jars of all the sweets you could possibly imagine from kola kubes and dolly mixtures to bon bons and pear drops. The only Edinburgh folk who don't miss it are dentists. Photo: Neil Hanna

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