Euan McGrory: Edinburgh city centre is changing faster than you realise

An upmarket restaurant chain favoured by the footballer’s WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) in Manchester is opening its first Scottish outlet in Edinburgh. But the arrival of Chinese eaterie Tattu is a sign of the change that’s in store for the city centre. If you thought that the parade of smart eating places that has recently opened up along the south side of St Andrew Square had transformed that part of town, then you ain’t seen nothing yet.

One of the interesting things about the latest opening is that it will sit between St Andrew Square and the long-awaited new St James Quarter, linking the two as places where people might head in the evening after a day’s shopping or a day in the office.

Tomorrow, almost nextdoor, the Edinburgh Grand opens its doors in the former Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters. The new ‘social hub’ features 50 serviced apartments, a restaurant, cocktail bar and club. The whole area is changing faster and more dramatically than you might have thought. That’s great for choice right now, but do spare a thought for the local independent restaurants facing this unprecedented competition from the national chains.