Edinburgh plaque planned by Netflix at location of iconic One Day scene off the Grassmarket

The streaming media company has lodged plans with the City of Edinburgh Council to erect a plaque with an outline of Emma and Dex kissing at the Vennel steps, off the Grassmarket, where the pair kissed in the hit television adaptation of the 2009 novel by David Nicholls.

Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall as Emma and Dexter in the Netflix series, One Day, filming at The Vennel in Edinburgh. Pic. Contributed

The proposed red plaque includes the following text: “It’s one of the great cosmic mysteries; how it is that someone can go from being a total stranger to being the most important person in your life”.

Sited near the bottom of the Vennel, next to 2 West Port, it would also include “a Netflix series”, as well as a dedication to the “beautiful city of Edinburgh” and “for Emma & Dex”.

A heritage watchdog has condemned the application, saying it is a "simple exercise in product marketing".

The planning documents show the One Day plaque which would be placed at The Vennel in Edinburgh. | City of Edinburgh Council

The plans for the ‘commemorative wall plaque’ were submitted by Capital A Architecture Ltd on behalf of Netflix, on October 3.

The planning documents show a red circular plaque, 345mm diameter, 14mm thickness, manufactured from solid plastic. It would be fixed to the external stone wall using dowels.

One Day follows Dexter and Emma who meet at university in Edinburgh and decide to meet every year on July 15 and see where they stand in life. Over a period of a few years, they feel that they have more to share in common than the people around them.

The One Day plaque would be installed here at the bottom of the Vennel off Grassmarket if approved. | Kevin Quinn

The plaque was installed at the site on July 15 this year to mark the One Day date, but now plans have been submitted to make it permanent.

Cockburn Association director Terry Levinthal called for planners to refuse permission.

He said: “Edinburgh is a very popular city for filmmakers world-wide. If every production or every connection with a novel or film or TV series did the same, one wouldn't be able to see parts of the city due to the proliferation of plaques.

"Is Netflix's One Day a hugely important cinematic masterpiece? No. Are the characters Emma and Dex that important for such commemoration? Again, the simple answer is no.

"Is this a simple exercise in product marketing? Yes." The Netflix series premiered on February 8, 2024, on Netflix, receiving instant critical acclaim, and was the most-watched series globally that week, with 9.9 million views. Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall starred in the main roles of Emma and Dex.

One Day author David Nicholls’ story in Edinburgh began in the summer of 1988, when he staged a play as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He and 20 of his mates stayed in a two-bedroom flat on Rankeillor Street, the street where Emma lives in the One Day book and television series.

The plans show the exact location of the proposed One Day plaque at the Vennel in Edinburgh. | City of Edinburgh Council

Given the popularity of the television series and the book, which was a best seller across the world and translated into 40 different languages, this planned commemorative plaque is sure to attract Edinburgh residents and visitors who loved the show and book, to have their photo taken next to it.

The Vennel is already a popular walkway between the Grassmarket and Heriot Place/ Keir Street, providing a great photo opportunity of Edinburgh Castle, and is a popular walking route for local resident, Rebus author Ian Rankin, who regularly posts photos of the walkway on social media.

It is also known as the Miss Jean Brodie steps, due to The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie novel by Edinburgh’s Muriel Sparks, with the film adaptation in 1969 featuring the steps in a scene with legendary actress Maggie Smith, who passed away recently on September 27 at the age of 89.

The City of Edinburgh Council’s planning department will now decide whether or not to approve the planning application by Netflix to allow the plaque to be installed permanently at Vennel.