New free mental health hub 'The Nook' to open at former Edinburgh city centre 'Woolies' store
Mental health charity set to move in following Poundland’s departure next month
A transformational mental health hub will open in Edinburgh next year, bringing free, accessible mental health support to anyone in the capital and its surrounding areas.
The Nook, a groundbreaking initiative from Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), will launch at 142 Lothian Road in early spring 2027, in the former Woolworths store, which is currently occupied by Poundland - who will vacate the unit next month after a lease dispute.
The Nook in Edinburgh will be a flagship service for SAMH, which operates more than 70 services across the country, and is the charity’s response to what it calls “the national mental health crisis”.
Plans submitted to the council’s planning department on September 2 for alterations at 142 Lothian Road, show that the current shopfront will be transformed, with three meeting rooms, a library, office, staff room, toilets, a studio and a living room added. No changes are proposed to the back of the unit.
Designed to be a welcoming, friendly and accessible space, The Nook operates on a walk-in basis, removing the need to book appointments or receive a referral from a GP.
It will offer non-clinical, stigma-free mental health support for adults, young people and their families, so that anyone can ask once and get help fast with their mental health.
Shona Littlejohn, chairwoman of SAMH, said: "The Nook will bring innovative, accessible mental health support to anyone in and around Edinburgh. As I know from experience, mental health challenges can happen to us all and have a devastating impact on individuals, families, communities and workplaces.
"Scotland’s mental health system is in crisis, with too many people failed by long waiting lists and the need for referrals. Change has been too slow, and lives are being lost and blighted. The Nook brings hope, compassion and practical support designed and delivered by Scotland’s leading mental health charity."
The Nook is the largest mental health charity initiative in Scotland’s history and is funded by SAMH’s first major appeal, which seeks to raise £10 million to revolutionise mental health support across the country.
The Scottish Government has also committed to supporting some of The Nook’s operating costs and SAMH is working closely with government officials to clarify the level of support.
June Pennykid, managing director at insurance broker Keegan & Pennykid, and a long-standing supporter of SAMH, said: "The Nook is by far the most ambitious undertaking by SAMH in its 103-year history. It is also arguably the most essential one.
"Poor mental health is increasing at a higher rate than any other health condition, including among children and young people. That in itself is reason enough for delivering The Nook throughout Scotland, to ensure that everyone can access the mental health support they need, when they need it.
"As The Nook comes to Edinburgh, I’d urge my fellow business owners to get on board and support the appeal. After all, you never know when you or someone you love might need it."
This will be the third Nook in Scotland’s first national network of walk-in mental health hubs, with the first Nook opening in Glasgow last year and the second in Aberdeen in June. Last week, it was announced that 10,000 people have already visited the two existing Nooks, demonstrating clear demand and trust in the walk-in model.
Billy Watson, chief executive of SAMH, said: “The Nook is the largest charitable mental health initiative in Scotland’s history and we’re thrilled to be able to bring it to Edinburgh. With more than 10,000 people having already visited Nooks in Glasgow and Aberdeen, we already know that The Nook is needed, and that it’s giving people the help they need, fast.
“We hope The Nook will quickly become the go-to place for immediate mental health support in Edinburgh, while working closely with local partners in the mental health system and beyond.”
Scotland’s national mental health charity has a unique relationship with the capital, which was home to SAMH’s first ever service, a horticultural project that opened in 1983.
This legacy is continued by longstanding SAMH services including Redhall Walled Garden on Lanark Road, and the Hive Activity Centre at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
The choice of location for The Nook at Lothian Road will make mental health and wellbeing support available in the heart of the city, and easily accessible to people across Edinburgh and beyond.
David Arbuthnott, 60, from South Queensferry, who attended SAMH's The Changing Room at Tynecastle Park after experiencing the loss of his sister, said: "Deciding you need help and asking for it can be the most difficult things for people suffering from mental health challenges.
“Barriers can make people feel like they aren't worthy of help and that they don't deserve it, pushing them further away.
“Accessing help easily in Edinburgh, without having to jump through hoops and overcome barriers, will help so many people."