Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SHOPPING
Despite the relentless advance of the big chains, it's still possible to track down some appealing and unusual shops in
central Edinburgh.
Princes Street
, one of Britain's most famous shopping streets, is all but dominated by standard chain
outlets. More upmarket shops and boutiques are to be found on and around parallel
George Street
, including an upscale
shopping area on the east side of St Andrew Square. There's nothing compelling about central Edinburgh's two big
shopping malls,
Princes Mall
and the
St James Centre
, which are dominated by the big names. For more original
outlets, head for
Cockburn Street
, south of Waverley Station, a hub for trendy clothes and record shops, while on
Victoria Street
and in and around the
Grassmarket
you'll find an eclectic range of antiques, crafts, food and bookshops.
Along and around the
Royal Mile
, meanwhile, several distinctly offbeat places sit among the tacky souvenir sellers.
1
BOOKS
Blackwell's
53-62 South Bridge, Southside
T
0131
622 8222,
W
blackwell.co.uk; map pp.64-65.
Sited
near the university, this rambling, multi-floored
bookseller has a strong - although far from exclusive -
focus on academic tomes. You'll also find many volumes
and travel guides relating to Scotland.
Mon & Wed-Fri
9am-8pm, Tues 9.30am-8pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun
noon-6pm.
TARTAN
Geoffrey Tailor
57-59 High St, Old Town
T
0131 557
0256,
W
geoffreykilts.co.uk; map pp.64-65.
One of the
largest and most respected retailers on the Royal Mile - as
well as traditional tartan they sell a line of “twenty-first-
century kilts” in materials including leather, plain tweed
and camouflage pattern.
Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun
10am-5pm.
FOOD SHOPS AND MARKETS
Edinburgh has plenty of good delis and specialist food
retailers, particularly down Broughton Street or through the
main parts of Stockbridge or Bruntsfield, where you're most
likely to find small artisan shops, good delis and traditional
butchers and fishmongers. The climate here doesn't cultivate
a strong outdoor market culture but in recent years there's
been a re-emergence of farmers' markets as an antidote to
supermarket dominance that's sweeping the country.
Edinburgh Farmers' Market
Castle Terrace, Lothian
Rd
W
edinburghfarmersmarket.com; map pp.60-61.
Run by the council, the majority of this market's stallholders
must be primary producers, selling what they grow. The
rigidity of this policy may have somewhat stifled its success
as there's an oversupply of vacuum-packed meat and fish;
however, you'll always find some interesting cottage-
industry produce here.
Sat 9am-2pm.
Harvey Nichols
St Andrew Square, New Town
T
0131
524 8322
W
harveynichols.com; map pp.60-61.
Harvey
Nichols' top-floor food hall is at the cutting edge of foodie
fads with its mind-numbing array of ingredients you never
thought you needed, but do now, like oak-smoked water.
There are also plenty of conventional deli delights such as
white tru
e oil at £10 and home-brand biscuits from £5.
Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thurs 10am-8pm, Fri & Sat
10am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm.
I.J. Mellis Cheesemonger
30a Victoria St, Old Town
T
0131 226 6215
W
mellischeese.co.uk;
map pp.64-
65.
Founded in 1993, Mellis' O ld Town shop is charmingly
kitted out in a Victorian style and well stocked with expertly
conditioned farmhouse and artisan cheeses from Britain,
Ireland and, to a lesser extent, the Continent. The Mellis
brand is expanding fast and there are shops cropping up
in a
uent high streets Scotland-wide.
Mon-Fri
9am-6.30pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun noon-5pm.
ANTIQUARIAN AND SECONDHAND
Edinburgh Books
147 West Port, Old Town
T
0131
229 4431,
W
edinburghbooks.net; map pp.60-61.
Edinburgh's largest secondhand bookseller is a quirky
place: overlooked by a bust of a water buffalo, patrons
shu
e through the narrow corridors of teetering bookcases
unnervingly stuffed to the ceiling. Just when you think
you've seen it all you find a further warren of rooms
downstairs in the basement.
Mon-Sat 10am-6pm.
McNaughtan's Bookshop
3a-4a Haddington Place,
Leith Walk
T
0131 556 5897,
W
mcnaughtansbookshop
.com; map pp.60-61.
Probably Edinburgh's oldest
purveyor of antiquarian literature, this shop aims for
quality over quantity, consequently feeling more spacious
than its counterparts. Housed in a beautiful old basement,
there's also a contemporary art exhibition space.
Mon-
Sat 11am-5pm.
CLOTHES
In the town centre, Princes Street, particularly its east end
and the two nearby malls - St James Centre and Princes
Mall - are where you'll find the biggest names in clothing
retail. For more exclusive retailers and expensive designer
labels aim for George Street and Multrees Walk next to the
bus station.
SECONDHAND
Wm Armstrong
83 Grassmarket, Old Town
T
0131 220
5557 ; map pp.64-65.
A real treasure trove of vintage and
retro fashion, this small chain is like a museum; stuffed to
the gunnels with items encompassing everything from
prewar civvies to the static-inducing nylon-ware of the
1970s.
Mon-Thurs
10am-5.30pm,
Fri
&
Sat
10am-6pm, Sun noon-6pm.
