Scottish Government pledges £5m for recovery of Princes Street from fire

The Scottish Government have pledged £5 million of support to help with the recovery following a fire on Princes Street in Edinburgh.

A building at the site of the old Debenhams department store suffered significant damage in a fire which broke out on July 9.

A section of Princes Street has been closed following the incident as the council works to make the building safe and salvage as much of its heritage value as possible.

The closure has impacted footfall in the area as well as public transport, with buses rerouted and tram services suspended between the city centre and Leith and Newhaven.

During a visit to the site on Wednesday, deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth confirmed that up to £5m will be made available to help support the city’s recovery.

The money will be administered by the council to incentivise travel around the city following concerns from businesses that the closure on Princes Street and along the tram route to Leith and Newhaven is resulting in reduced footfall.

The building was significantly damaged in the blaze STV News

It will also go towards securing the site and helping towards the reopening of the street and supporting festival operators forced to relocate.

The announcement comes as local Liberal Democrat MSP Sanne Dijkstra-Downie wrote to the First Minister, highlighting the £10m support package offered to Glasgow after the Union Street fire.

Gilruth said: “This fire has caused widespread difficulties in Edinburgh, not just in the city centre but extending north into Leith and Newhaven, as business and commuters adjust to the disruption caused by the fire.

“The Scottish Government has been determined from the start to ensure that we are ready to support the council in assisting those affected, and the funding being set out today will help to keep the city moving and to adapt, while also enabling long-term recovery.

“The impact in the capital has been significant at a time when the August festivals are getting underway. The Scottish Government is committed to working urgently with partners to ensure there is the fullest possible recovery, including the reopening of Princes Street as soon as is safely possible.”

Work is also under way with Highland Council to finalise financial support in the wake of the Cairngorms fire, which has left local businesses millions out of pocket, the Scottish Government has said.

Cairngorms National Park said it is hopeful that an update on when some affected businesses will reopen could be confirmed this week.