Princes Street, often described as the beating heart of Edinburgh, is in failure. Vacant shops, litter-covered pavements, and neglected buildings populate the world heritage site that sits under the stern view of the city’s castle.
Once a thoroughfare occupied by high-end shops and successful department stores, is Princes Street in 2025 still the Edinburgh icon it used to be?
Walking down Princes Street in 2025 tells a sombre story. Although still visited by locals and tourists, it’s undeniable that the retail allure of the street has dwindled in past decades.
Many of the original Georgian and Victorian buildings have been knocked down and remodelled, robbing the street of the elegant uniformity it once had. A consistent yet not wholly welcome addition to the architecture of Princes Street is wooden boards, as shop after shop closes down.
In 2024, Edinburgh City Council unveiled plans to revitalise the street and make it “a more vibrant and welcoming place”. However, many residents have come forward with criticism, claiming that the plan fails to address the needs of the street itself and contains “no vision”.
The New Town & Broughton, Old Town, and West End Community Councils have jointly called for the city council to rethink the strategy with urgency, as Princes Street “has become an embarrassment for residents and visitors alike” in a statement published on their website and social media accounts.
In an otherwise thriving city, the street can feel a somewhat lifeless disappointment, a far cry from one of Edinburgh’s crucial arteries.
A bus driver and Edinburgh native has been driving down Princes Street for eleven years and has seen its devolution first-hand.
It used to be the place to go for everything; it used to have a sense of grandeur. Now it’s desolate
He noted that his tourist passengers often think of Princes Street as one of Edinburgh’s main attractions, and while he says that used to be the case, it’s no longer somewhere he would recommend, particularly not for shopping.
For him, it was the opening of the St James Quarter shopping centre in 2021 that was the final blow to Edinburgh’s historic retail hub, as many of the high street giants once inhabiting Princes Street have migrated there.
The shops now trading on Princes Street, he added, do not appeal to the majority and mostly sell “cheap gifts targeted at tourists”.
“We need to have fewer of those tartan tatty shops… tourists arrive in the city and think this is meant to be the ‘main street’ in Edinburgh, but it’s nothing impressive anymore.”
Echoing this sentiment, Jim Irvine, who works as a doorman at a prestigious hotel on Princes Street, solemnly pointed out that hotel guests who have known Edinburgh in the past see the difference too.
“The quality of the shops has really declined; it doesn’t attract the same kind of people anymore…”
Peter Williamson, Chair of the New Town and Broughton Community Council, shared his disappointment surrounding the issue. He highlighted that Princes Street is a long-term issue that many of his residents feel has been eminent for at least ten years.
“Anyone who goes there for any purpose is faced with something where the quality of the buildings and how they’re presented is really poor; for what’s supposed to be a world heritage site, it’s in terrible condition. It doesn’t represent Edinburgh well at all.”
Peter acknowledged that the council operates under difficult financial circumstances but is disappointed with their approach – which focuses more on paving stones, benches and cycle tracks rather than the buildings on the street – a feeling reflected by his peers in the local community.
“They need more of a vision; Princes Street is supposed to be iconic, and their proposal needs to match up to its needs.”
Edinburgh City Council have assured that they are unwavering in their commitment to revitalise Princes Street, saying: “Our ground-breaking visitor levy presents another opportunity to invest tens of millions of pounds in preserving and enhancing the features that make our city such a fantastic place to both visit and live all year round.”
In a city known for its beautiful architecture and landscape, residents want to feel proud of each corner, particularly the main thoroughfare – the first place that many people will encounter upon arrival in Edinburgh.
With new hotels and hospitality venues underway and more promised investment from the council throughout 2025, there is hope that Princes Street will become the beating heart of Edinburgh once again.
