Site of historic Edinburgh brewery to be transformed into 580-bed hotel and student accommodation
The hub will also deliver a 300-person co-working space as well as a restaurant, café and gym
Plans have been submitted to turn the site of the former Fountain Brewery into a 580-bed hotel, student accommodation and co-working space as part of a £200 million redevelopment project.
The Social Hub has unveiled proposals to transform the site, which has stood vacant for around 20 years, into a “hospitality and community powerhouse”.
As well as student, hotel and extended-stay accommodation, the development will include a 300-person co-working space as well as a restaurant, café, rooftop bar, clubhouse, theatre and gym.
The Social Hub has held a series of public consultation events in Fountainbridge over the last year ahead of the plans being submitted.
The B-Corp group, founded by Edinburgh-born Charlie MacGregor, already has 21 locations across Europe including in Glasgow's Merchant City.
Mr MacGregor said the development would “unlock new housing” and “ease pressure from student and visitor demand”, and was part of a wider regeneration master plan in the area.
He said the scheme hopes to deliver 100 jobs, and claims it will deliver up to eight-times the economic and social value of a standard hotel.
The proposals have secured support from leading organisations in Edinburgh, including the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, and CodeBase.
Charlie MacGregor, Founder and chief executive of The Social Hub, said: “Submitting these plans is a landmark moment – not just for The Social Hub, but for me personally. Edinburgh is my home city, and bringing our model here is something I’ve dreamed of for years.
“We’ve listened closely to the Fountainbridge community, understood what the area needs, and shaped a scheme designed to make a lasting, positive impact.
“Glasgow has shown the power of our model to bring students, neighbours, entrepreneurs, and visitors together.
“Now we want to spark that same energy in Edinburgh - a place woven into the life of the city, where connection and creativity don’t just happen, they thrive, and where social impact becomes part of everyday life.”