Leith businesses feeling summer pressure amid tram network issues after Princes Street fire

Leith business and attractions are planning for a summer under pressure with news that the ongoing closure of Princes Street could keep trams away from the area for the foreseeable future.

Edinburgh Trams have been stuck on the west side of the city since Thursday, July 9, when a huge fire ripped through the historic former Debenhams building on Princes Street.

As a result of the emergency response and subsequent concerns about the safety of the remaining structure, the road has remained closed for almost a week and looks set to be closed into August as Edinburgh hits its peak tourist season.

The Shore tram stop is just one of those closed on the east side of Edinburgh following the fire and subsequent road closure on Princes Street. | Iconic Media

The tram network is one of the public transport options impacted by this, with tram carriages currently only running between Edinburgh Airport and the West End.

This has left the Newhaven length of the route unusable and the absence of tram connection has been felt by the local community in Leith.

Aisling, a member of the bar staff at the newly-opened Diggers Leith on Bernard Street, said: “It has already been a lot quieter.

“A lot of the regulars haven’t been in quite as much because they would normally get the tram down.”

Aisling, a member of the bar staff at Diggers Leith, said that she has already noticed business being "a lot quieter". | Iconic Media

Aisling said that disruption could have “quite a bit” of an impact on the pub during August, with Diggers also doubling up as a Fringe venue during the festival.

She added: “If people are wanting to come down to Leith to escape the city a little bit, the trams being off means it’s less of an option.

“If people want to come down here for a Fringe show, they might decide not to so it just adds another obstacle.”

Daniel Shearon, owner of Spanish restaurant Tapa which has called Shore Place home since 2009, shared the sentiment that tram network issues could impact businesses in the area.

However, he said that the local business community has already banded together to try and make “proactive” plans to combat any negative knock-on effects of the transport issue.

Daniel Shearon, owner of Tapa on Shore Place, has said that local businesses are working together to come up with a "proactive" plan to combat the trams being off. | Iconic Media

He said: “The tram brings a lot of people down to The Shore.

“Last year they were doing a big infrastructure project on the shore called Leith Connections and the whole of the area was shut to traffic and there were no buses for a long time, so access to The Shore was really limited.

“It’s quite frustrating that for the second summer in a row, a major public transport wouldn’t be available to support us while there’s a wave of people in the city.”

Daniel said that the Shore Business Collective, made up of independent businesses in the area, are lobbying for support ahead of August in a bid to negate any impact of the trams being off.

He said: “Before it becomes an issue, potentially in the festival, we've reached out to the local councillor, MSP and MP, to see if there's anything we can do.

“We're actively trying to engage with Lothian Buses as well to see if there's a way that we could increase frequency on the 16 and the 35, or if there's even a way to put another temporary service on from the Omni Centre to the Shore to balance out not having the tram in place.”

The Shore in Leith is a popular hotspot for visitors during Edinburgh's high tourist season. | Iconic Media

Daniel added: “The Shore really relies on people coming down here on public transport. And a lot of people, particularly tourists, use the tram.

“What we're trying to do as a collective is not be a group that sits and complains, but try to proactively sort something before we see it become a proper problem.”

Businesses in the area are not the only ones feeling the pressure from the lack of tram connections on the east side of the city.

Bruce Henderson drove to visit his grandson despite the tram usually being his first option to travel into Leith.

He said: “I usually love travelling on the tram and we love coming down here [The Shore], to eat and, dare I say, drink.

“We have our own transport we can use but I didn’t have that the other day, and trying to get home was impossible.”

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A spokesperson for Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams previously said that trams will only operate past Princes Street once given the go-ahead by emergency services, with all carriages currently on the west side of the network.

The spokesperson said: "Edinburgh Trams are currently operating between Edinburgh Airport and the West End.

"Diversions remain in place on affected bus routes. Tram ticket acceptance is available on bus services between the West End and Newhaven, as well as on ScotRail services between Edinburgh Gateway and Waverley.

"Customers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys and to plan ahead using the Bus & Tram app.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues and customers for their patience and understanding while these arrangements remain in place."