Scottish Widows to leave Dalkeith Road office after nearly 45 years

Scottish Widows are to leave their office on Dalkeith RoadScottish Widows are to leave their office on Dalkeith Road
Scottish Widows are to leave their office on Dalkeith Road
Around 2,200 workers will move from the office to other offices in the city as part of the relocation

Scottish Widows are set to leave their Sir Basil Spence-designed office on Dalkeith Road after nearly 45 years.

Around 2,200 workers for the financial services company will leave the office for the last time later this year as part of a reduction in the amount of unused office space rented by parent company Lloyds Banking Group.

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The company added there will be no job losses as part of the relocation.

The office is one of the largest in Edinburgh and sits in the shadow of the Salisbury CragsThe office is one of the largest in Edinburgh and sits in the shadow of the Salisbury Crags
The office is one of the largest in Edinburgh and sits in the shadow of the Salisbury Crags

Scottish Widow said the decision was made to “reduce the levels of unused space” as part of a regular review of their “property footprint”.

The building, which is A-listed and is considered to be a major architectural achievement for Sir Basil Spence, has been home to Scottish Widows since 1976 when it opened.

Employees will be moved across Lloyds’ Port Hamilton and Citymark offices in the Capital, and will help reduce the 3,200 unused desks in the company’s property portfolio.

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Philip Grant, director of operations, Scottish Widows, said: “We’re sorry to be leaving Dalkeith Road, which has been home to Scottish Widows colleagues since 1976. Our history is deeply rooted in Edinburgh and after 200 years we remain as committed as ever to the city’s prosperity.

“As we continue to develop more agile working practices, we have fewer colleagues based full-time in our offices and as a result we are becoming less reliant on office space.

“We want to make the best of the sites we have in the city centre and are investing in better workplaces for colleagues by upgrading facilities, reducing the amount of unused space and improving the way we work for the future.”

The Port Hamilton office, on Morrison Street in the centre of Edinburgh, recently saw an investment of £10 million and Lloyds said there are also plans to upgrade the Citymark office in Fountainbridge.

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The company added that employees will benefit from “excellent transport links” at the new offices.

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