Scotland - Princes Street - Cafe culture proposal

Edinburgh Council is potentially seeking to create a café culture on Princes Street in order "to boost the area's vitality" by amending guidelines to permit a number of retail units to change into cafés and food and drink establishments.

The proposed Supplementary Guidance for the City Centre Retail Core Frontage (Princes Street) for the change of use of shop units to non-shop uses will only be of benefit if the unit: "is in a location that can safely accommodate outdoor pavement seating; and the change of use applies to a shop unit floor area of under 300 square metres (gross)."

Edinburgh Council's Planning Committee were due to convene on 16 May 2013 in order to consider the report with a view to then commencing public consultation on the proposals.

If the measures proceed then 25 retail units out of 78 on Princes Street would be affected. Pubs and hot food takeaways would not be caught by the changes.

he relevant document also suggested changes to the Tollcross area, which is already designated as an "area of sensitivity with regards to pubs and hot food takeaways". The proposals for Tollcross include a ban on "new hot food shops, pubs and bars".