'Round the clock' Edinburgh police station will close every evening for a week
An Edinburgh city-centre police station intended to be open round the clock will be shut to the public every evening for a week.
Police Scotland posted on social media to say that the front counter at Gayfield Square police station, near the top of Leith Walk, would be shut from 5pm until 10.15pm on Monday, January 5, and the same times on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
It will also be closed on Friday from 5pm until 10.45pm; on Saturday from 5pm until 11.45pm; and on Sunday from 4pm until 10.45pm.
No explanation for the closures was offered, but Police Scotland has previously blamed staffing shortages.
Gayfield Square and St Leonard’s police station are both meant to be open to the public 24/7. But just last week the Evening News highlighted how frequently Gayfield Square’s public counter was closed.
Lothian Tory MSP Miles Briggs said 27 closures had been posted on social media during October, November and December. and he claimed the lack of access to the station was putting residents and visitors at risk.
He said: “At a time when Edinburgh is experiencing rapidly rising crime and anti-social behaviour, this is increasingly concerning. Especially the domestic abuse problem in the capital requires a consistent police presence to reassure women and deter abusers.
“There are neither enough officers on our streets nor at public counters, and stations are shut down while the population grows.”
Mr Briggs had also raised the issue in May 2025. At that time, Police Scotland said it had closed the counter on several occasions due to staff absences, adding the decision was to prioritise police officers being available on the frontline.