<div> A warm welcome to Edinburgh, from St James Quarter Welcome to Edinburgh – a truly inspiring and magical city. Whether you’ve travelled far for a long stay, or you’re stopping over for just a few days, you’ll be welcomed with open arms and a cheerful smile. Scotland’s capital is a medley of the wonderful and the everyday, where iconic history and exciting futures meld together to create something truly special. Just a five-minute walk from the luxurious Balmoral hotel, at St James Quarter we endeavour to emulate the fun, the joyful and the luxury that Edinburgh has to offer, to residents and visitors alike. With a phenomenal selection of shops, restaurants, leisure activities and services tailored to our guests – from <a href="https://stjamesquarter.com/drop-it/">Dropit’s</a> shopping bag drop-off and delivery service, to dog carriers of all shapes and sizes – we’d like to think that we’ve thought of just about everything. And, with world-class events happening no matter what time of year you come, a visit to The Quarter is not to be missed. Shopping Only the finest global and local brands can be found at St James Quarter. You’ll have a variety of household names and independent brands to choose from, whether you’re popping in for some layers to protect you from the chilly Edinburgh winds, you’re on the hunt for mementos to take home to family and friends, or you have a full day of retail therapy planned. Holidays are a time for letting go, for forgetting about the everyday. Leave the stress behind and take time out of your busy holiday schedule to browse <a href="https://www.aesop.com/uk/r/aesop-st-james-quarter/">Aesop’s </a>range of high-quality skin, body and haircare products – why not bring them back to your hotel for a soak and a bit of me-time? Or lose yourself in <a href="https://www.harrods.com/en-gb/h-beauty/edinburgh">H beauty</a>, a Scottish first: book in for an elevated blow-dry at their Drybar; fall in love with new make-up products at their Playtable; and sip a glass of fizz or a signature cocktail at their Champagne bar. Luxury fashion houses like <a href="https://uk.coach.com/">Coach</a> and <a href="https://www.hugoboss.com/uk/men/">BOSS</a> are also set to call St James Quarter home, offering a wide range of fashion choices for the discernible shopper. So, whether you’re treating yourself to a new holiday outfit or you’re looking for the perfect gift to take home, you’ll find something that fits at The Quarter. Exceptional dining If a romantic dinner and cocktails is on the menu or even if you’re travelling with the whole family, you’ll truly be spoiled for choice. Walk in, book a table, or get food to go and take a short walk along to Princes St Gardens. Fall in love with Scottish fare at <a href="https://bonnieandwildmarket.com/">Bonnie &amp; Wild</a>, Edinburgh’s first food hall. Award-winning burgers, melt-in-your-mouth fried chicken and authentic sourdough pizzas are in abundance, along with resplendent patisseries, craft beers and beloved Scottish gins and whiskies. Or pop into <a href="https://bubbleology.co.uk/">Bubbleology</a> for a bubble tea, or <a href="https://fiveguys.co.uk/">Five Guys</a> for a decadent milkshake, or a speciality coffee from <a href="https://leavetheherdbehind.com/">Black Sheep Coffee</a>. Unforgettable fun Edinburgh is a city full of fun and laughter, with activities to suit all tastes. And here at St James Quarter, whether you’re a solo traveller, on a romantic getaway or taking a trip with the whole family, you’ll find fun at every turn. If you need to blow off some steam and loosen up the muscles after a long journey, you can knock down a few pins at <a href="https://lane7.co.uk/edinburgh/">Lane7</a>’s bowling alley and play a game of pool, darts or ping-pong. Or, if you’re craving a relaxing night at the movies, sink into a plush sofa, put your feet up and enjoy a glass of wine in the newly opened <a href="https://www.everymancinema.com/edinburgh">Everyman Cinema</a>. Showing everything from blockbusters to independent films, and serving sumptuous gourmet burgers, it’s a little haven of indulgence amid your busy travelling schedule. Still to come There’s even more still to come at St James Quarter. We pride ourselves on bringing the brilliant and the bold to Scotland’s capital. Giants like <a href="https://thebotanist.uk.com/">The Botanist</a>, with their world-famous quirky cocktails and the eagerly awaited <a href="https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/street-burger/">Gordon Ramsay Street Burger</a> are set to join us here soon. This flagship location is Gordon Ramsay’s first in Scotland, and is set to include stunning interiors designed by internationally acclaimed Russell Sage Studio as well as a DJ booth and games lounge. Year-round events Whether you’re a regular visitor or this is your first time exploring the capital city, no matter what time of year you come, you’ll find exciting <a href="https://stjamesquarter.com/events/">events</a> taking place at St James Quarter. From our very own exclusive beauty events to wider Edinburgh festivities, at The Quarter you’re never far away from something exciting. We’re just a walk away from the iconic Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile, so you know you’ll be right in the middle of the action when it comes to celebrations like the legendary Fringe festival. We have a full calendar of <a href="https://stjamesquarter.com/events/">events</a> all year round, whether you’re visiting in the summer months or you’ve got a cosy winter trip planned. Christmas in Edinburgh is a magical time, so make sure to plan a visit to The Quarter into your next festive trip if you want to see everything we have to offer. A warm welcome to Edinburgh from St James Quarter. We hope you enjoy your visit and fall in love with the iconic city just as much as we have. Don’t forget to <a href="https://member.placewise.com/st-james-quarter">sign up</a> to our newsletter for the latest news, openings and events.</div>

Welcome To Edinburgh

<div><figure data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/f4e575dc2f6d8395821bd64fcc554939.jpeg" width="1333" height="1067"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure></div><div>Student Discounts at the Quarter:</div><ul>
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&amp; Other Stories - 10% Discount</li>
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Bank of Scotland - Student rates</li>
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Boots - 10% Discount</li>
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Calvin Klein - 10% Discount </li>
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Carvela - 10% Discount </li>
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Crew Clothing - 20% Discount </li>
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Dune - 10% Discount </li>
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EE - 20% Discount off monthly cost of sim &amp; handset tariffs, T&amp;Cs apply </li>
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Goldsmiths - 10% Discount on selected items</li>
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H&amp;M - 10% Discount </li>
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Hotel Chocolat - 10% Discount </li>
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Iolla - 15% Discount </li>
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Itsu - 15% Discount </li>
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Kate Spade - 10% Discount</li>
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Kartel - 20% Discount</li>
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Kiehl's - 10% Discount</li>
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Krispy Kreme - 10% Discount</li>
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Kurt Geiger - 10% Discount</li>
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Lane 7 - 10% Discount</li>
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Mango - 10% Discount</li>
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Nordic Outdoor - 10% Discount across the Kanken range</li>
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O2 - 20% off select airtime plans</li>
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Pho - 15% off food only</li>
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Rituals - 20% Discount </li>
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Samsung - 10% on selected items, T&amp;Cs apply </li>
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Sunglass Hut - 15% Discount</li>
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Superdrug - 10% Discount</li>
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Superdry - 10% Discount</li>
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The Alchemist - 20% off food only </li>
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The Body Shop - 15% Discount</li>
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The Perfume Shop - 10% Discount</li>
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Three - 10% Discount on selected items</li>
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Tommy Hilfiger - 10% Discount</li>
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Tortilla - 10% Discount</li>
</ul>

Student Discounts 

<div>
<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"streetfoosd.jpeg","filesize":1839912,"height":2943,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/8db57e52c1edd0cc404021925cf5f22c.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/8db57e52c1edd0cc404021925cf5f22c.jpeg","width":4415}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpeg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/8db57e52c1edd0cc404021925cf5f22c.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/8db57e52c1edd0cc404021925cf5f22c.jpeg" width="4415" height="2943"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure> Make the most of the Edinburgh sunshine and enjoy an al fresco dining experience at the Quarter - pop along to Little King Street to find delicious street-food from the Independents lining the bustling thoroughfare. Pick up the perfect cup’ o brew and flaky pastry at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/artisanroastcoffeeroasters/">Artisan Roast</a>, open from 8:30am for your early morning start. Fill yourself up with an authentic Japanese poke bowl or perhaps the famous sushi burrito from fan-favourite, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/harajukukitchen/">Harajuku Kitchen</a>! Craving sweet nothings? <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cb.churrosbaby/">Churro’s Baby</a> has all of the goodies to satisfy your sugary needs, from to-die-for hot chocolates, soft-serve ice cream and piping hot churros made fresh to order with an array of additional toppings! As for the new kids on the block? <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thejollylobsteruk/">The Jolly Lobster</a> has officially made their debut, giving you the best of Scottish seafood and more with fresh produce in daily. Their pièce de résistance? The Lobster roll, of course - but don't let that deter you from some of the other mouth-watering options, such as the flavourful venison burger. Last but by no means least, the purveyors of Mac N Cheese themselves - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mac_love_scotland/">Mac Love</a> has arrived at the Quarter, cooking up food that’s good for the soul. After some wholesome comfort food? Look no further. Opening Hours
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Artisan Roast: 8:30am -4:30pm</div><div>
Mac Love: 11am-5pm </div><div>
Churro’s Baby: - Monday-Friday 12pm-5pm &amp; Saturday-Sunday 12pm-6pm</div><div>
Harajuku Kitchen: 12pm-7pm</div><div>
The Jolly Lobster: 12pm-7pm</div>

LITTLE KING ST: STREET-FOOD FAVOURITES

<h1>THE MUST-HAVE BRANDS SELLING THE MUST-BUY PRODUCTS</h1><div>Get glam at St James Quarter with access to all the latest beauty favourites.   Obsessing over the latest makeup tutorials on TikTok but not sure where to buy them? Well, we have you covered… St James Quarter is the place to visit to get those must have products, with everything from the viral Victoria’s Secret Bombshell to M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid, you can pick up all your beauty basics and makeover must-haves. Rituals and Superdrug are on hand with the necessities you need to get your skin glowing while H beauty’s Lola Lashes, Charlotte Tilbury and VIEVE have everything you need to finish off your look. Whether you’re a die-hard beauty addict or a newbie looking to try out your first foundation, The Quarter’s beauty experts are on hand and happy to help you find the perfect product with consultations and free samples to get you started. Pop into John Lewis &amp; Partners to get your hands on a liquid highlighter by NARS or cream blush by Bobbi Brown for that modern au natural look. Or try out this year’s hottest trend and create a colourful look with Kylie Cosmetics bright eyeliners and neon eyeshadows available in H beauty. But before you start painting your face you need to set up your base, starting with your skincare regime… Glowing skin is the best look you can rock this year and The Quarter’s skincare savours want to help you get there. Kiehl’s Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum is perfect for reducing fine lines and improving skin texture, but why should gorgeous skin be restricted to only your face? Give your hands a little love with &amp; Other Stories Perle de Coco Hand Soap and L’Occitane’s Shea hand Cream. Sustainable kings or queens can even grab refillable pouches of L’Occitane’s most popular products. Invest in some self-care throughout The Quarter and give yourself a little lift with skincare and beauty products fit for royalty. OUR BEAUTY MUST HAVES THIS MONTH: Rituals, Namaste Glow mask Victoria’s Secret, Bombshell L’Occitane, Shea hand Cream No7, Lash Extended Fiber mascara Kiehl’s, Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum Liz Earle, Cleanse &amp; Glow Transforming Cleanser Lola’s Lashes, Lola’s Lashes X Liberty Hybrid Charlotte Tilbury, Charlotte’s Magic Cream 50ml The Perfume Shop, Black Opium YSL – For Her &amp; For Him VIEVE, Lip Dew Superdrug, Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser &amp; Other Stories, Perle de Coco Hand Soap M.A.C. Cosmetics, Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Bobbi Brown, Bobbi Brown Corrector and Concealer Sticks Aesop, Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Facial Treatment Aesop, Perfect Facial Hydrating Cream</div>

SJQ's Beauty Bag Essentials

<h1>Love is in the air at St James Quarter</h1><h1>The month of love is upon us and whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s, Galentine’s or Palentine’s, St James Quarter has you covered.</h1><div>With exclusive offers from a number of endearing retailers, you can plan the perfect gift for your loved one, enjoy a meal out with your bestie or simply just treat yourself, because you’re always worth it.</div><div>In the lead up to 14th February, brands including Moriconi, Fat Hippo, Beaverbrooks, Kartel, Tortilla, Krispy Kreme and many more are spreading the love even further with unmissable deals and discounts for all guests to enjoy.</div><div>So, don’t leave it last minute and check out the full range of goodies below to plan a romantic day to remember this Valentine’s Day:</div><ul>
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Moriconi – build your loved one a beautiful bracelet and buy 2 composable decorated links and get the standard composable base to complete your bracelet for free.</li>
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Beaverbrooks - This Valentine’s Day, find the gift that says it all at Beaverbrooks. Share the love with diamonds, jewellery or watches and save on selected gifts. </li>
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Goldsmiths – planning a proposal? Get 50% off a selection of rings for a limited time only. Other selected jewellery lines are also 50% off.</li>
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Krispy Kreme – enjoy limited edition love heart shaped doughnuts from 11th Feb to 14th February as well as ‘buy a valentines doughnut, get any doughnut free’ on Wednesday 2nd February, ‘Buy One Nutty Chocolatta, Get One Nutty Chocolatta Free’ on Saturday 5th February.</li>
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Fat Hippo - Valentine's special burger launching on Tuesday 1st February. The brand new ‘SIRIEIX ON FIRE’ is made up of Double beef patty, American cheese, buttered steak, Béarnaise mayo, peppercorn sauce, garlic + herb frites, Fred’s bourguignon hash, BBQ sauce, served with parmesan + truffle fries.</li>
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Tortilla  - nothing says I love you like 2-for-1 burritos or naked burritos.  Offer includes all sizes with any toppings (does not include tacos) and is available at all stores on Valentine’s Day in-store, take-away and Click &amp; Collect. Customers can redeem this by scanning their 2for1 voucher which will be handed out by Tortilla crew a week prior or just pop in on the 14th February and claim this offer without a voucher.</li>
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Kartel – make Valentine’s Day 2022 the most special yet with Kartel’s free engraving service on all watches and to make it even more special enjoy a bracelet worth £45 free with every watch.</li>
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Sunglass Hut – with summer just around the corner, enjoy 50% off your second pair and get your partner excited to spend the sunnier days in style.</li>
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Lego – planning a date night in the comfort of your own home? Why not pick up a Valentine’s Day Lego heart to build with your loved one and display as a keepsake for Valentine's Day 2022.</li>
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The Body Shop – from the 8th-14th February, Love Your Body Card members can enjoy this Valentine’s Day with a free gift when they spend £30. New members who join in this period will also receive 15% off their transaction.</li>
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Pandora – double up on gifts with a free charm when you spend over £59 from 7th-14th February</li>
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Churros Baby? -  Peckish dates, mates and gal pals can make the most of Churros Baby's Lovers Sharing Tray, consisting of 8 churros, white chocolate sauce, Nutella sauce and fresh strawberries or for Fab Feb, add any drink to any churro order for £1. For all those love birds planning a romantic day be sure to follow @StJamesQuarter on Instagram to keep up with all latest news and offers.
</li>
</ul><div>*T&amp;Cs to all offers apply. Please seek full details from individual retailers. </div>

SJQ Valentine's Day Round-up

<div>St James Quarter is the pawfect day out for you and your canine bestie! With a variety of dog friendly retailers and restaurants to choose from, you and your furry sidekick can plan the ultimate day out together. John Lewis, &amp; Other Stories, Carvela and H&amp;M are all waiting to inspire you with the best fashion tips that even your dog will approve of. Need to finish off the look? Don’t worry, Superdrug, the Body Shop, Kiehls (and many more) are all on hand for those beauty and skincare necessities. The products may not be dog friendly, but the staff certainly are! Lego and Hamleys are also encouraging your dogs to come along and play in their Edinburgh store. Hamleys rule is: if you can pick your dog up, they’re welcome to come in! A day of exploring the Galleria can be tough work but don’t worry, we have you covered. Grab a bite or quench your thirst with your precious pet at Tortilla, Hotel Chocolat, Black Sheep Coffee, The Alchemist or Pho. Or, for a quick pick-me-up head to Starbucks to enjoy a coffee and a puppaccino with your pooch. All the excitement at The Quarter can be thirsty work, so we also have water bowls on level 1-3 of the Galleria to ensure all doggy visitors are happy and hydrated. In addition to the hospitable retailers in The Quarter, the Guest Services team are on hand to help with your pet queries. There are a variety of dog carriers available - including pet pushchairs and backpacks for smaller dogs - to ensure your pampered pooch travels through The Quarter in style. The carriers are available to book online or by dropping by the Guest Services desk on level 1 and the Guest Mobility unit on level B2 to meet one of our paw-some team. Why not also take advantage of the Dropit service to ensure your hands are free to push the pet pushchair and give them regular treats of course. At St James Quarter, no paws are left behind, so why not take a trip down and raise the WOOF with us? Stop for a bite to eat and browse the shops, we’ll make sure it’s the PAWFECT day out… </div>

The dogs of SJQ: Calling all furry friends

<div>Imagine strolling down an Edinburgh street and being approached by a canny modelling agent with an eye for the next big thing. Perhaps this is the kind of thing that happens to you all the time, but, for most people, it is rare. When you look like Chioma Okoro, though, it’s a distinct possibility. This type of ‘street casting’ was exactly how she got her start in modelling. “Yeah, I found myself being asked on the street to model for people, and I decided to get an agency, just to make it easier”. <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_G5A4420.jpg","filesize":5871493,"height":3001,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/f019da117249e388efcd8d23d688421f.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/f019da117249e388efcd8d23d688421f.jpeg","width":4500}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/f019da117249e388efcd8d23d688421f.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/f019da117249e388efcd8d23d688421f.jpeg" width="4500" height="3001"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>That agency in question was Tartan Models in Edinburgh, and she has gone on to appear in numerous fashion spreads, photo essays and articles in print and online. From the outset, Okoro was interested in both sides of the camera and, having studied fashion at the Heriot-Watt University school of textiles and design, is a stylist and creative director, designing and coordinating shoots as well as modelling. Pressed on which of these activities she prefers, she finds they all have something stimulating to recommend them. “I don’t really know because I enjoy doing all these different things in photography and fashion. With modelling, it’s like you’re portraying different characters, and with creative directing, I enjoy putting things together and watching the vision come to life. I think, right now, because I’ve finished uni, I’m enjoying the creative direction side a little better because I am such a control freak that I can influence how everything is styled!” <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_G5A3985.jpg","filesize":10247698,"height":4500,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/37e555fe7a6a1efeea9d9e82d8883ebc.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/37e555fe7a6a1efeea9d9e82d8883ebc.jpeg","width":3001}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/37e555fe7a6a1efeea9d9e82d8883ebc.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/37e555fe7a6a1efeea9d9e82d8883ebc.jpeg" width="3001" height="4500"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Asked to describe her own personal style, it is something that’s hard to pin down. “I’d say it’s very different. It’s very bold and there’s no set way to do it. I get inspired by many things in my life – mostly anime, you know, and Japanese fashion. So, the idea of having different asymmetric shapes and daring colours… There’s no set style. I wouldn’t classify myself as any one look. I’d say I’m in-between genres.”</div><div>One design shop very much on her radar is the innovative and inventive Acne. “I’m really fascinated by the designers at Acne Studios …what they do is up my street. I love their collections, especially their menswear. It’s almost presented as though anyone can wear it. It’s very freeing and, to me, I just love how everything is put together. You can tell that the creator of the designs is influenced by a lot of subcultures and architecture, which are the same things that inspire me.”</div><div>What she sees SJQ adding to the Edinburgh fashion scene is a healthy local alternative to the retail experiences in London or even Glasgow. “I think it’s great, especially for young people. I know most people who go online and have a lot of trouble with sizing and returns. Most people have to go down to London or Glasgow, but having something here is really, really good for the young people… and to put Edinburgh on the map. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and, apart from the art scene and everything, in fashion… if we keep getting more successes, it’s all good.” <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_G5A4278.jpg","filesize":5898575,"height":4580,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/fb118631713bf2f8636c38b1cee0299f.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/fb118631713bf2f8636c38b1cee0299f.jpeg","width":3001}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/fb118631713bf2f8636c38b1cee0299f.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/fb118631713bf2f8636c38b1cee0299f.jpeg" width="3001" height="4580"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>She made her own inaugural trip to SJQ recently and already has a favourite spot to visit. “I was in there today. I’m in love with Bershka, which is a fast-fashion Spanish brand [owned by Inditex, the same chain as Zara and Pull&amp;Bear]. I just love their stuff.” Other outlets that might expect a visit from Okoro include “…maybe Pull&amp;Bear as well… H&amp;M is good, and I worked there, so I already know everything they’ve got.”</div><div>At the same time, she’s just as likely to find her clothes in a vintage shop, and has a mix-and-match approach to her distinctive style. Does an Edinburgh street style exist? Okoro has been observing the patterns at play more keenly than most and has noticed an Eighties throwback, not only in the way people wear their clothes but also in how they wear their hair. </div><div>“Every time I look around, everyone seems to have a mullet!” she laughs. “There are definitely styles and trendsetters in Edinburgh. They’re just low profile. When you think about style and trendsetters, you don’t think about Edinburgh, you think about London, but I guess I know the stylish people and that’s why I keep seeing them around …it’s definitely there. Looks from the Eighties, Seventies, some Nineties… they’re all mixed together in the youth culture just now.”</div><div>Another area of influence is the USA, where Okoro rates actress-singer Willow Smith and the simply unstoppable Zendaya. “I love how she puts herself together. Awesome artists. They’re both iconic women.”</div><div>And what does the future hold for this iconic Edinburgh artist? A few trips abroad are certainly on the cards. “I want to travel. That’s one thing on my list – to travel the world. I don’t believe in being boxed in any one place. As a creative, my dream is to see the world and know what I can add to it. And I can’t do that if I  simply stay in Scotland. I definitely want to travel the world.” <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_G5A4043.jpg","filesize":8889619,"height":4500,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/23355763bc8b57d4e21a56759f60f80c.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/23355763bc8b57d4e21a56759f60f80c.jpeg","width":3001}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/23355763bc8b57d4e21a56759f60f80c.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/23355763bc8b57d4e21a56759f60f80c.jpeg" width="3001" height="4500"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>The longest of journeys, as they say, begin with one step… possibly in an immaculately stylish pair of heels or industrial-style designer boots.</div>

In The Know: Chioma Okoro

<div>
<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"HEADER AND THUMBNAIL Shona_McCarthy_02_c_Edinburgh_Festival_Fringe_Society.jpg","filesize":1972601,"height":3104,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/64ab41aa777f682c77d2ad7ec4c3fcbd.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/64ab41aa777f682c77d2ad7ec4c3fcbd.jpeg","width":4664}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/64ab41aa777f682c77d2ad7ec4c3fcbd.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/64ab41aa777f682c77d2ad7ec4c3fcbd.jpeg" width="4664" height="3104"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Blame a few inspirational teachers or the fact that she was the second youngest of eight children, but, whatever the reason, Shona McCarthy got a taste for the arts early on. Growing up on the Ards Peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland, her position in the family pecking order allowed those artistic urges to flower. While her elder siblings were prodded towards ‘sensible’ jobs, McCarthy and her younger brother were a little more indulged in following their dreams. </div><div>“I just really loved art from a very young age – literature, poetry, drawing, painting and watching movies became my thing, whereas my younger brother started to play pool. And he’s now a world-class pool player who plays in tournaments all around the world, and I’m the chief executive at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe!” </div><div>The most famous pool movie of all time is possibly The Hustler, and there must have been plenty of hustling and scrambling for position when a pandemic put paid to one of the most high-profile arts festivals in the world. McCarthy and her team, however, have managed to steer Edinburgh’s famous Fringe Festival along the green baize of an unpredictable year. The much-loved event has returned, not bigger but, in many ways, better than ever. To do so meant a re-evaluation of everything from the top down. “This year, you’ll see a very scaled-back fringe. It’s probably less than a tenth of the size that it would have been in 2019, for example. And I think that is going to give people a really nice moment to just reflect and have a different experience.”<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"DMH_3848.jpg","filesize":1326378,"height":2456,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/3ddadcfcd244fdd64b40010094937d01.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/3ddadcfcd244fdd64b40010094937d01.jpeg","width":3680}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/3ddadcfcd244fdd64b40010094937d01.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/3ddadcfcd244fdd64b40010094937d01.jpeg" width="3680" height="2456"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Part of the challenge of any festival is securing performance space. In a world where venues are closing, or health and safety restrictions along with insurance premiums can make putting on a performance challenging, the discovery of new public spaces is always welcome. With that in mind, SJQ and the Fringe have been communicating since the project first swung into development. “They’ve been building this extraordinary new space in the city over the past couple of years. For me, always the most important thing is to build a relationship with real people. And they are real people, a real team who are hugely enthusiastic about a cultural element to St James Quarter and they have been from the get-go.” There are numerous indoor and outdoor spaces in SJQ with the potential to house shows as part of a wider cultural exchange, something McCarthy sees taking form as that relationship evolves. “I think, next year, you’re going to see some real connection between St James Quarter and the Fringe in terms of live performances happening in some of those spaces.”</div><div>With 2022 marking 75 years of the Edinburgh Fringe, it’s a good time to reflect on the origins of the festival that started out in 1947 as a response to the Edinburgh Festival, which was itself conceived as a way of reconnecting people after the Second World War. “The Edinburgh International Festival was actually established for this ‘flowering of the human spirit’ after the war. And it was chosen because it was the least bombed City in the UK, and because it was the one that most looked like those European festival cities, such as Salzburg or Vienna.” That initial Edinburgh Festival focused heavily on classical music, ballet and opera. Eight local theatre companies (six from Scotland and two from England) applied to take part but were rejected and set up their own concurrent event at the physical and metaphorical outskirts of the more conventional festival. Thus, the Fringe was born. “So, this term ‘Fringe’ was really conceived in Edinburgh in the late 1940s and caught on. Today, there are now some 300 Fringe Festivals around the world. So, when we celebrate the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next year at its 75th anniversary, it won’t just be a celebration of the Fringe in Edinburgh, but a celebration of the whole concept of Fringe that is now a global movement.”<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"Fringe_2019-07Aug19_(DMH_7054)_DMH.jpg","filesize":468506,"height":4896,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/23f83fa3005dee8959280b16a3c4fc25.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/23f83fa3005dee8959280b16a3c4fc25.jpeg","width":3268}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/23f83fa3005dee8959280b16a3c4fc25.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/23f83fa3005dee8959280b16a3c4fc25.jpeg" width="3268" height="4896"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>That global movement is reflected in the shows featuring performers from the 63 different countries that participated in the Fringe in 2019. While acknowledging this, the organisers still have their focus very much on the local community. It is, after all, mainly the citizens of Edinburgh who buy the 850,000 tickets in a typical year. There is always the opportunity to expand the accessibility of the festival and that is something that has been worked on in depth. An audit in 2017 identified where the audience was drawn from, but – just as importantly – where they weren’t coming from. </div><div>The stark reality was that the Fringe wasn’t on the radar of people in areas of social deprivation, so a relationship-building programme with community groups started to try to change that. Ticket schemes, distribution, communication, and free travel from Lothian buses all helped to draw an audience who had never been to the Fringe before. “Thousands of them have now been, and we’re starting to do Fringe in communities and to co-design a Fringe offering within those communities. So that’s been, to me, a properly joyous development.” </div><div>The reset has definitely shown that quality trumps quantity any time. And 2020 was the unthinkable year without a Fringe Festival. For now, the focus is on calibrating the event to be better than ever. McCarthy’s journey from an arts-obsessed child in troubles-era County Down to arts administrator has brought her across the world, with stints working in Jordan, Indonesia and Hong Kong, picking up awards along the way – such as the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship in 2014 that saw her tour the US, discovering how art is funded there, and a Nesta Cultural Leadership Award, which brought her to India for six months. As she now takes charge of reviving the Fringe, all that experience comes to bear in a suitably philosophical approach to the vagaries of international events. At the eye of the storm that the Fringe has become, she is determined not to lose sight of what’s important. “My big agenda for 2022 is: I don’t care whether the Fringe is the biggest performing arts festival in the world or not. That’s never been our agenda and we don’t have a growth agenda for the Fringe. What I’m interested in is it being the best possible version of itself.”<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"DMH_7998.jpg","filesize":328011,"height":3442,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c55b93ff8bd150e05c101f7f41dca5fa.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c55b93ff8bd150e05c101f7f41dca5fa.jpeg","width":2297}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c55b93ff8bd150e05c101f7f41dca5fa.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c55b93ff8bd150e05c101f7f41dca5fa.jpeg" width="2297" height="3442"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>See how the original Fringe Festival develops at edfringe.com </div>

Life on The Fringe: Shona McCarthy

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<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"HEADER 160225-150606-PM-2.jpg","filesize":666376,"height":1065,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/ed0f78d5ac736adcfc3903360336c546.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/ed0f78d5ac736adcfc3903360336c546.jpeg","width":1601}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/ed0f78d5ac736adcfc3903360336c546.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/ed0f78d5ac736adcfc3903360336c546.jpeg" width="1601" height="1065"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Gordon Dewar moves people. Not emotionally (although, no doubt, he can do that too) but physically from one place to another. It’s something he has been doing throughout his entire career, which has included spells working with the London Underground, Scotland’s bus division, ScotRail and Bahrain Airport. He has been in his current role as chief executive of Edinburgh Airport since 2012. During that time, getting people from A to B has been his bread and butter, so he is ideally suited to take stock of how we may reinvigorate our cities at this important moment.</div><div>Transport is a vital component in our business and cultural life, greasing the wheels of Scotland’s economy and its links to the wider world. But how does someone in the business of moving huge volumes of people from one place to another adapt when travel is suddenly restricted? “I don’t think the fundamentals have changed. I mean, as soon as we see relaxations on travel restrictions, we see an enormous bounce back. So, in August 2021, we had a day with 15,000 passengers, which is about one third of where we were back in 2019. And that’s despite the fact we still have expensive testing, a limited number of routes on offer and all the rest of it.” People still need to travel for economic and cultural reasons, and, as restrictions are lifted, that pent-up demand will increase. “As soon as we’re allowed to, I think we will get back to where we were. Edinburgh is, fundamentally, a top-performing destination for tourism. It’s got everything. It has so many things going for it – history, architecture; it’s a gateway to one of the best wild landscapes in Europe. It has golf and whisky and all the rest of, it and then we have the best arts festival in the world… So, all these things haven’t changed, we just need to get rid of the things that are putting people off again, which is the cost and hassle factor of being able to come here and enjoy it." Even with the restrictions, several massive new attractions – such as the visitor centre at Johnnie Walker Princes Street – continue to be built with an eye on the future. St James Quarter gives Edinburgh the prestigious, high-end retail destination to rival other tourist hotspots. “You might argue that the jewel in the crown is St James Quarter. It’s just a transformation of the quality and the class of the retail and leisure offering in the city centre. So, I think all of these things are just waiting for the opportunity to welcome everyone back, and I have absolutely no doubt they will be back." Dewar is steadfast in his belief that Edinburgh’s reinvigoration will be built through rediscovering the bustling, busy, exciting pace of life that gives the city its heartbeat. “Fundamentally, people come to cities to do things. You may go to the country for leisurely pursuits – it’s the very space and absence of people that they go to the country for – but people come to cities to enjoy social interaction, whether it’s for shopping, sightseeing, concerts or going to see an art gallery,” he explains. Giving people a reason to interact with the city again will make Gordon Dewar’s job easier in the long run as the list of attractions keeps increasing. And that ‘jewel’, St James Quarter, will add to that list of reasons to go out and explore the city, as more phases come on stream. </div><div>He visited during the construction and has made several trips since its opening. “I love the combination of the leisure side, the cinemas, the restaurants and all the rest of it. It’s another whole notch above the rest. And I think it’s a massive complement to what the city has to offer.”</div><div>With music, theatre and live performances coming back on stream, the timeliness of St James Quarter’s offering goes beyond retail and leisure for festival organisers, community groups and artists. “I think one of the most exciting, far-sighted things that they have done was designing all the performance space into the development. We are the festival city with the biggest arts festival in the world by a long, long way – second only to the Olympics in ticket sales… Even ahead of the World Cup in a normal year… And the fact, therefore, that they have actually built performance spaces into the fabric of the entire quarter, I think is really visionary. It will be a massive asset for them, and I think it’s a massive asset for the city”. Dewar also sits on the board of the Scottish Tourism Alliance and understands more than most the deeply rooted and essential role that tourism now plays in the country’s economic wellbeing – from the couple running a small B&amp;B to the international hotel chains, such as the W Edinburgh, which are offering something at the higher end of the market. Tourism offers long-term secure job and career opportunities. The only thing needed now is a resurgence of travel. That’s the plan for Gordon Dewar and the people running Edinburgh International Airport. </div><div>In 2019, 14.9 million people travelled through the facility. The goal for the future is to top that figure. “I guess, no job is done until we pass that 15 million mark. Essentially, that could be two or three years, depending on the economy and where you are – things change. So that’s a minimum horizon for me." With sustainability more of an issue than ever, he firmly believes that new innovations, such as smarter fuel technology, may make net zero carbon aviation a possibility within ten to 15 years. It’s through transformations such as these that travel is constantly evolving. “What hasn’t changed, however, is people’s innate need to travel and interact with others. So, we’ll all be keeping our eyes on the horizon line to see what the future holds for the city and the movement of people over the coming few years.</div>

A Jewel In The Crown: Gordon Dewar & The Future of Edinburgh Tourism

<div>When she first started sharing images of her lifestyle online, Kate Spiers would never have guessed that it might one day lead to a dream job with the BBC. As she says herself, “I really didn’t think that I would be doing TV, but here we are.” Here we are indeed, with just north of 300K Instagram followers and a presenting role on Scotland’s Home of the Year. “I sort of fell into it well over a decade ago, before it was a career. I used social media to sort of share my life and now I work with brands daily to create content for them. It’s like New Age marketing, I guess you’d call it.”<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"winter-10-scaled.jpeg","filesize":839731,"height":2560,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c8453e9fac89930b802825e89b1c2a09.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c8453e9fac89930b802825e89b1c2a09.jpeg","width":1920}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpeg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c8453e9fac89930b802825e89b1c2a09.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c8453e9fac89930b802825e89b1c2a09.jpeg" width="1920" height="2560"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Part of that sharing was documenting the two home renovations that Spiers and her husband, Jordan, took on. The latest being her current home, a Victorian tenement in central Glasgow that she has lovingly restored with many of its original features intact and her own stamp placed on the interior design. “I’m mainly lifestyle focused, but I guess I’m more known for my interiors, which led to me getting the job on Scotland’s Home of the Year… We’ve just filmed our fourth series, so that will air next spring. It’s been really well received. I think it’s the highest watched show on the channel. We have a massive audience and it’s a really great wholesome show, which involves us going around properties in Scotland and judging them.” <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"jan-13-scaled.jpeg","filesize":526179,"height":2560,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/359bf4277ffbef0da8db7cd27f3b889d.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/359bf4277ffbef0da8db7cd27f3b889d.jpeg","width":1920}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpeg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/359bf4277ffbef0da8db7cd27f3b889d.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/359bf4277ffbef0da8db7cd27f3b889d.jpeg" width="1920" height="2560"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>The judges are careful not to go over the top with their observations and critiques. Whenever you enter someone’s house, you are a guest, after all. “We’re never really negative about the homes. We know that, at the end of day, it’s someone’s home that they love and they’re obviously passionate about it to enter the show, so it’s always good fun. I like that it’s quite upbeat and it’s nice to have a little nosey around people’s homes. When I first took the job, I was thinking it would just be a one-time series and something to do for a couple of weeks over the summer, but now it’s escalated into this massive show. And it’s become such a big part of my career.”<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"pos2-scaled.jpeg","filesize":708113,"height":2560,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/258b969b15c662d94849b1b1b8d34aa8.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/258b969b15c662d94849b1b1b8d34aa8.jpeg","width":1920}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpeg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/258b969b15c662d94849b1b1b8d34aa8.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/258b969b15c662d94849b1b1b8d34aa8.jpeg" width="1920" height="2560"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Lots of people have been inspired to take up DIY and home renovations during lockdown, and Spiers’s own philosophy when it comes to working on a ‘fixer upper’ is to take some time in the beginning and get a feel for the project. “I think it’s good to live with the space for a little while just to get an idea of how you use the rooms, how to maximise the layout, especially with things like kitchens and bathrooms. The kitchen, especially, you want to understand how you’re using the space… and then let the ideas build, create mood boards, look for inspiration and get a solid idea of how you want to do it.”<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"beauty-7-scaled.jpeg","filesize":647154,"height":2560,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/a32fe6489f622e922e085a00be6b4e15.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/a32fe6489f622e922e085a00be6b4e15.jpeg","width":1920}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpeg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/a32fe6489f622e922e085a00be6b4e15.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/a32fe6489f622e922e085a00be6b4e15.jpeg" width="1920" height="2560"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>As someone who works with brands so much, what are the brands that are currently inspiring her own imagination? “Oh, that’s a good question. I think that because we’ve just returned from travelling around Scotland, I have a lot of Scottish brands on my radar. When we’re away, we always try to pick up some good gin and Scotland is known for its nice botanical gins these days – so we got our bottle of Isle of Harris. Another brand that we see on the road is the Highland Soap Company, which is based in Fort William. It does a lovely mix of local ingredients in its soaps and makes bubble baths too. It’s a really lovely brand.” </div><div>As for international brands, Spiers is enthusiastic about the addition St James Quarter makes to Scotland’s retail and lifestyle landscape. “When I saw the list of shops and restaurants that were going to be there… it’s amazing for Scotland. The shop that I was most excited about is &amp; Other Stories, which is a Scandinavian clothes store. They’re in London but, otherwise, there aren’t many of them around the UK, so to have one in Scotland is just amazing. I was also excited about the opening of some really good restaurants. There’s one called SUSHISAMBA which will open further down the line. Again, I’ve been to one in London and New York… I think Scotland needs those places.” She feels that Scotland can only benefit from the range across the SJQ offering: “It’s amazing to see somewhere open up with such a good mix and not just the bigger stores… They’re putting in several indie shops and local artisans and things like that, which will be good. It’s a really interesting mix.”<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"wardrobe4-scaled.jpeg","filesize":753986,"height":2560,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/1212c4efb2477752a74a506fc3eaea78.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/1212c4efb2477752a74a506fc3eaea78.jpeg","width":1920}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpeg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/1212c4efb2477752a74a506fc3eaea78.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/1212c4efb2477752a74a506fc3eaea78.jpeg" width="1920" height="2560"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Her own future plans are an interesting mix too. With series four of Scotland’s Home of the Year in the can, Spiers is now pretty open about what comes next. “I’m hoping to travel a little and I would love to work on a drinks brand. I’m originally from New Zealand, so white wine is definitely my thing, or a book would be ideal… The thing with my job is that it leaves a lot of doors open. I’m quite an easy-going person, so I would just let things come to me,” she adds. That approach seems to have worked so far.<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"loss-3-scaled.jpeg","filesize":760356,"height":2560,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/190e1cabc7fa0a92276f1b8080a3f40c.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/190e1cabc7fa0a92276f1b8080a3f40c.jpeg","width":1920}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpeg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/190e1cabc7fa0a92276f1b8080a3f40c.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/190e1cabc7fa0a92276f1b8080a3f40c.jpeg" width="1920" height="2560"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>For further inspiration or to keep up with Kate Spiers’s adventures, follow @katespiers on Instagram
</div>

Photo Finish: What’s Next for Kate Spiers

<div>Perhaps it was the view from the train window on a day when the sunlight tilted at Edinburgh’s sandstone glories that first seduced Anna Freemantle-Zee into making the city her home. She believes there is no better way to arrive in a city than along the rail lines that bring you into Waverley Station, with the beautiful setting of Edinburgh Castle rising above you and the vista of Princes Street’s architecture making it so inviting to the first-time visitor. <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_DSC9886.jpg","filesize":1765935,"height":2100,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/79bf0c882b53161fab72f6ffdc2b5b6f.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/79bf0c882b53161fab72f6ffdc2b5b6f.jpeg","width":1500}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/79bf0c882b53161fab72f6ffdc2b5b6f.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/79bf0c882b53161fab72f6ffdc2b5b6f.jpeg" width="1500" height="2100"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Originally from Holland, Freemantle-Zee has made Edinburgh her home for more than a decade now, and that outsider’s view adds a unique perspective to her interpretation of the city. It’s a place she enjoys – cycling up and down those hilly city streets with the Dutch love of the bicycle still intact – but you sense that the wanderlust, which we’ve all had to repress recently, is never too far from the surface. “We have children here, and, actually, it’s a really good place for them to grow up… but we may also move on once they grow up a bit. We’re thinking maybe Portugal. If it were just me, I’d probably go back to New York for a stint, but at that point, I’ll have become too old... I’d be like the old rock’n’roll star arriving back!" That outsider perspective certainly helped when she first became involved with the Edinburgh International Fashion Festival. A few attempts had been made to create a fashion week in Edinburgh to rival the one in London. However, Freemantle-Zee felt that Edinburgh shouldn’t try to ape a huge city such as London but play to its strengths. “You’re never going to have that commercial machine behind it that London has, or that it needs in general, but you’re sitting on this fantastic bit of heritage, you know – all the mills, the fabric and the story of Harris Tweed.” And so, Edinburgh International Fashion Festival developed its own identity, taking elements from international brands in the unique Edinburgh setting with access to the vibrant local textile industry. This cross-discipline creativity generated multiple events, including film screenings, high-profile gatherings and panel discussions. <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_DSC2930-3.JPG","filesize":1340087,"height":1249,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/91294a3316a1ec1dc98d0278e6153fec.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/91294a3316a1ec1dc98d0278e6153fec.jpeg","width":1000}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/91294a3316a1ec1dc98d0278e6153fec.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/91294a3316a1ec1dc98d0278e6153fec.jpeg" width="1000" height="1249"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>With that in mind, Freemantle-Zee is currently involved with St James Quarter in creating a style event that seeks to take the best in international haute couture and make it relevant to the Scottish audience. “What I’m trying to do is to look at each individual retailer and see how we can create something that is more culture- and heritage-focused but also still, obviously, keeps the retailer happy being there and being involved in whatever events take place.”</div><div>One idea is to use the interior design section of a store, such as John Lewis &amp; Partners, to showcase the work of local mills and, perhaps, the Edinburgh College of Art’s Interior Design faculty in a series of ‘capsule collections’ that sit alongside an established range. “So that it also becomes interesting to youngsters who want to get into the industry and to people aware of what the industry is doing and where it needs to go, eventually." That educational piece will have sustainability at its core as we emerge into a world that increasingly grapples with climate change across all industries. Longevity and purpose seem to be the message. With COP26 (United Nations Climate Change Conference) taking place in Scotland later this year, the fashion industry – like every other industry – will be under the microscope more than ever before. <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_DSC2990-3.JPG","filesize":1364510,"height":1200,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/589a7d901343b8304a869dc1724353f3.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/589a7d901343b8304a869dc1724353f3.jpeg","width":960}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/589a7d901343b8304a869dc1724353f3.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/589a7d901343b8304a869dc1724353f3.jpeg" width="960" height="1200"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>“That’s my little challenge that I’ve got to work on, to deliver something nice, but also something that is on a global scale, so we can bring in people for it, you know; that there’s an actual excitement of people coming to see these kind of events, or certain collections that come out of this… it’s not an easy one, but I’m sure I can come up with something." It is a challenge that Freemantle-Zee is looking forward to, and, judging by her track record, one she will have little difficulty in surmounting. As for what the future holds, it seems that she is in a constant state of learning and evolving and hasn’t sat still during lockdown – far from it. “I am in the process of finishing off a child psychology degree, which I’m not sure what I’m going to do with, but I’m intrigued by the psyche. I’m currently fleshing out ideas for a psyche, medical and fashion exhibition with one of the great museums." Then there’s her work as a muse for the international couturier, Iris van Herpen. More recently, that has centred around future predicting and DNA extraction, which all sounds rather fascinating. “I didn’t really have a five-year plan. My children are ten and 13 now, and they’re up and running, but once they’re all settled in, God knows what I’ll do. My husband is an artist, and he can go anywhere he wants. So, I don’t know… Covid has made a couple of changes – some good, some not so good, but I’m very happy to just be where I am at the moment.” </div><div>Edinburgh might hang onto Anna Freemantle-Zee for a little bit longer, at least for now. <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_DSC3319.jpg","filesize":4495650,"height":2472,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/6369ece4f9aaa245bc2aab4cb11ce60e.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/6369ece4f9aaa245bc2aab4cb11ce60e.jpeg","width":4395}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/6369ece4f9aaa245bc2aab4cb11ce60e.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/6369ece4f9aaa245bc2aab4cb11ce60e.jpeg" width="4395" height="2472"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>
</div>

Seduced By Edinburgh: Anna Freemantle-Zee

<div>Grab your heels, dress to impress and prepare to be inspired as we are presenting our very first ‘Edinburgh Style’ event from Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 October. Drop everything and consider your diary full as we bring to you an array of stylish events over the long weekend. The line-up includes fashion and beauty workshops hosted by world-renowned influencers, autumnal wreath demonstrations to live music with Edinburgh Jazz &amp; Blues Festival and an unmissable fashion show in partnership Edinburgh College of Art. Kicking off from 11am each day, we will have a variety of pop-up locations for all of our fashionistas to explore including the ‘Style Dome’ on St James Square and the ‘Style Lounge’ in the galleria. Drop into the ’Style Dome’ to watch a series of talks hosted by eight iconic influencers including the beauty icon who boasts Kim Kardashian as one of their number one fans, Reuben de Maid, Scottish fashion guru and Dula fashion house founder, Jilly Isabella and food expert Just Jess. John Lewis will also host an exclusive session with established model Chioma who will provide top tips on how to style your wardrobe this winter. And it doesn’t stop there, Edinburgh College of Art graduates will be presenting their collections with models in the galleria and onto the car park for a one-off not to be missed boutique fashion show. Art enthusiasts can also spend the weekend admiring work created by Textiles and Jewellery &amp; Silversmithing graduates displayed in the ‘Style Dome’, as well as hear from Edinburgh College of Art and Graduate Fashion Week 2019 Award Winner Rosie Baird, who will be discussing her own graduate collection and inspiration behind our very own tartan that she designed. Don’t worry, we have you covered all weekend with pop-up bars, an art exhibition, selfie stations at the ‘Style Stories’ and so much more. Brands including Boots, Peloton, Ixia Flowers, The Body Shop, Kiehl’s and IOLLA are also set to get involved throughout the weekend. All of our Edinburgh Style events are free to attend and will be allocated on the day through a first come, first served basis. For more information on the events taking place from Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 October visit our event page at: <a href="https://stjamesquarter.com/events/">https://stjamesquarter.com/events/</a> And lastly, to celebrate Edinburgh Style and other upcoming events, we are offering all customers half price car parking from 5:30pm every night until Sunday 31st October. </div>

Edinburgh Style: The Runway Is Ready

<div>One-of-a-kind shops, world-class food, a heady dose of culture and somewhere to rest your head in the coming year: Edinburgh’s new kid on the block is all about celebrating the good things in life.<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_G5A3893.jpg","filesize":8064172,"height":3001,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/58e69d95bf0a5d5930b12786ff14bec3.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/58e69d95bf0a5d5930b12786ff14bec3.jpeg","width":4500}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/58e69d95bf0a5d5930b12786ff14bec3.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/58e69d95bf0a5d5930b12786ff14bec3.jpeg" width="4500" height="3001"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Edinburgh is one of life’s overachievers. Not content with having a world-famous arts festival, historic castle and Insta-friendly architecture lining its cobbled streets, the capital has just unveiled a brand new cultural and lifestyle hub completely different to anything seen before in Scotland. Classic Edinburgh, eh? Blowing a gust of vitality into the city’s East End, St James Quarter has been five years and £1 billion in the making – and it shows. Comprising a meticulously curated shopping galleria with an array of brands new to Scotland, a hipster-cool bowling alley, Lane7, and a 16,000 sq ft Bonnie &amp; Wild food hall fusing haute cuisine with laidback dining, this stylish space has been designed to meld with the surrounding streetscape and has a distinctly cosmopolitan vibe. If you’ve ever visited an upmarket shopping district while abroad and wished we had something like that back home, dream no more: this is it. It’s not resting on its laurels, either. Over the coming year, St James Quarter will evolve to include even more stores, two swanky hotels, the UK’s second ever W Hotel, a 244-bed W Edinburgh, which is scheduled to open in 2022, and a 75-bed Roomzzz Aparthotel, plus a boutique Everyman Cinema and 152 New Eidyn residential apartments built by Native Land. There will also be nine event spaces hosting everything from pop-up fashion shows to music gigs, cementing Edinburgh’s status as Scotland’s cutting-edge cultural capital and drawing more people to the city as it rebuilds in the wake of the pandemic. Giving back to the community is central to its purpose. As well as supporting the local economy by employing more than 3,000 people in a variety of sectors – not to mention the 6,796 construction jobs created during its build.</div><div>But perhaps most important of all is the role St James Quarter plays in bringing people together to shop, dine, sleep and, well, have fun. From spirit-lifting days out with friends to promising first dates that stretch into the small hours, it’s providing a fresh canvas to make joyful new memories at a time when we need it most. And doesn’t that feel good?<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_G5A3250.jpg","filesize":8283823,"height":3001,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/e22e3c6243218bb31e1d8a901f424548.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/e22e3c6243218bb31e1d8a901f424548.jpeg","width":4500}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/e22e3c6243218bb31e1d8a901f424548.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/e22e3c6243218bb31e1d8a901f424548.jpeg" width="4500" height="3001"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>Retail therapy Think about the most stylish person you know; the tastemaker who uncovers the under-the-radar labels before anyone else and has a knack for effortlessly combining designer clothes with covetable high street finds. The retail mix at St James Quarter has been considered with that person firmly in mind. Forget the humdrum shops you’ve grown accustomed to seeing spring up everywhere. This is the only place in Scotland where you can browse the rails of &amp; Other Stories, Spanish brand Stradivarius, Gen Z favourite Bershka and Zara’s edgier sibling, Pull&amp;Bear. Flying the flag for homegrown talent are two of Scotland’s leading accessories designers: Iolla, which specialises in on-trend eyewear (and has an interactive try-on garden), and Kartel, whose modern timepieces are inspired by rugged Scottish landscapes. Pop-up retail space Sook, meanwhile, will host an ever-revolving array of brands in its first Scottish site. Feeling spendy? You might want to visit Swiss watchmaker Breitling and upscale shoe store Russell &amp; Bromley, a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, for those all-important finishing touches. Calvin Klein, The Kooples and Tommy Hilfiger are among the other brands that sit at the luxe end of the sartorial spectrum. There are high street mainstays too, of course, including Zara, H&amp;M and Mango. Many of these favourites are elevated by experiential elements. Superdrug, for instance, has a Beauty Studio area for treatments, and John Lewis &amp; Partners boasts a World of Design hub where you can make a free drop-in appointment with a stylist to help you reimagine the interior design of your home.</div><div>Beauty mavens will be making a beeline for Harrods’ standalone H Beauty store, which opens later this year – it’s the place to go for next-gen skincare and cult make-up brands – as well as Aesop for its iconic hand wash. And for all you fitness fanatics, there’s the dynamic Peloton showroom where you can experience a personalised walk-through of the bikes that everyone’s talking about. Make sure you work up an appetite, because when you see St James Quarter’s selection of eateries, you won’t be able to choose just one.<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_G5A3064.jpg","filesize":7699611,"height":3001,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d7768fcf707d4a29ee3b4f1575c31af6.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d7768fcf707d4a29ee3b4f1575c31af6.jpeg","width":4500}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d7768fcf707d4a29ee3b4f1575c31af6.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d7768fcf707d4a29ee3b4f1575c31af6.jpeg" width="4500" height="3001"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>On the plate Picture the scene. You’re ravenous after a busy day out and take the escalator to the fourth floor of St James Quarter. You’ve heard there’s a food hall and you expect to be met by the usual suspects. Except instead of fast food chains, you see something rather unexpected. At one food station, MasterChef winner Gary Maclean is fixing a plate of hand-dived scallops; behind another is TV chef Jimmy Lee carefully preparing a katsu chicken bao. But you don’t need to be decked out in your finery, and you won’t be waiting months for a reservation because there’s space for almost 400 people to dine here. Bonnie &amp; Wild is quite unlike any other food hall in that it focuses squarely on celebrating Scotland’s larder and its brightest culinary stars. Each of its eight indie food stalls serves restaurant-quality food spanning a range of cuisines, from artisanal gelato and melt-in-your-mouth fried chicken to imaginative plant-based meals. It’s high-end food without the stuffiness or pomp – the kind of place where you’re encouraged to sample something from everyone. It would almost be rude not to. Three bars, each with a different vibe, will keep you well watered – whether you enjoy craft beer, crisp wine or creative cocktails and mocktails.</div><div>Complementing the food stations are four speciality retailers selling premium butchered meats, quality spirits, artisan cheese and picture-perfect pâtisseries. Grab some to go or savour them at a table by the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook bustling St James Square. But if none of that grabs your fancy, there are other bars, cafés and restaurants dotted throughout the district. Head to Tortilla for LA-style Mexican food, Maki &amp; Ramen for playful bowls of Japanese goodness or Salerno Pizza for traditional Neapolitan fare. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for some very exciting openings. St James Quarter will soon be home to Scotland’s first outpost of Black Sheep Coffee, and Bross Bagels, a Jewish deli dishing up a fine line in Montreal-style salt beef bagels.<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"_G5A3707.jpg","filesize":10235948,"height":3001,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/31a6c287114180d49a4a4cf396f73e8f.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/31a6c287114180d49a4a4cf396f73e8f.jpeg","width":4500}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/31a6c287114180d49a4a4cf396f73e8f.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/31a6c287114180d49a4a4cf396f73e8f.jpeg" width="4500" height="3001"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>After hours The fun doesn’t stop when the shops lock up either. SJQ has been designed with entertainment in mind and brings some welcome new additions to enliven the nightlife in Edinburgh’s East End.</div><div>Just a short stroll from Bonnie &amp; Wild is Lane7, a neon-lit industrial-style bowling alley that wouldn’t look out of place in New York. As well as bowling lanes, there are ping-pong tables, classic arcade games, crazy golf and a photo booth, making it an uber-cool hangout spot for groups of friends. Do you like your cocktails poured with a side serving of theatre? The Alchemist has selected St James Quarter for its first location north of the border. These master mixologists serve creative concoctions shrouded in smoke and sparkle for a drinks experience that brings the drama. (Try their boundless brunch the next day for the hair of the dog and a stack of mango-topped pancakes.) Those in the mood for something a little more sedate will find it in the soon-to-open Everyman Cinema, which is redefining the classic trip to the flicks. Think less stale popcorn and shuffling in an uncomfortable chair, more wine and pizza delivered directly to your plush velvet seat while you watch the film. A selection of mainstream, independent and classic films ensures that everyone is catered to – whether you’re a movie buff or you simply want to sink into the latest blockbuster. At the heart of the district is Scotland’s first W Hotel, W Edinburgh – a 244-bed 12-storey marvel clad in spiralling bronze ribbon, which is due to open next year. The hotel will offer a series of buzzing rooftop spaces, including a destination bar, chef’s table and fusion restaurant SUSHISAMBA, which blends Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine. The outdoor terrace promises to be something special, with 360-degree panoramic views of Edinburgh’s historic skyline. When it’s time to rest your head for the night, there are contemporary suites designed by Jestico + Whiles in the W Edinburgh, or you can make your way to Roomzzz, a boutique aparthotel with 75 rooms set to open next spring.<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image/jpeg","filename":"02JG1063.jpg","filesize":8274874,"height":3000,"href":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/8896cd4fbf4b2f66b80c49ccfe87d97d.jpeg","url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/8896cd4fbf4b2f66b80c49ccfe87d97d.jpeg","width":4500}' data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes='{"presentation":"gallery"}' class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/8896cd4fbf4b2f66b80c49ccfe87d97d.jpeg"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/8896cd4fbf4b2f66b80c49ccfe87d97d.jpeg" width="4500" height="3000"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></a></figure>And the next day? Well, it’s time to do it all over again...</div>

This Must Be The Place

<div>
<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":400,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/faace3f20d215ce40b358b2f575adda3.jpeg?w=600","width":600}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/faace3f20d215ce40b358b2f575adda3.jpeg?w=600" width="600" height="400"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>If you’ve never had an Arbroath smokie, a few minutes in the company of award-winning chef Gary Maclean might have you yearning for one of these traditional delicacies. He lovingly describes the laborious process of how a smokie is prepared, which involves a whole haddock suspended in a half-whisky barrel over glowing hot whisky-infused wood chips. Coals are laid across the embers, the fish is covered in sackcloth, and it is very slowly smoked, absorbing all the earthy flavours from the process. “It’s an incredible thing. I do a food festival in Dundee every year, and I love it. It’s always a big crowd… the people that run it are amazing, and I always really enjoy it, but all I think about when I’m heading up there is, ‘I’m having an Arbroath smokie for lunch!’" Edinburgh locals won’t have to go that far as the Arbroath smokie is among one of the specialities at Creel Caught, opened by Maclean in the <a href="/store/bonnie-and-wild/">Bonnie &amp; Wild</a> Scottish Marketplace at The Quarter. Fresh scallops, crabs, langoustines and other locally sourced seafood are lovingly prepared by a team of enthusiastic chefs, hand-picked by Maclean himself. </div><div> As someone who has opened more than 80 restaurants and received countless awards (including, of course, the MasterChef: the Professionals title in 2016), his enthusiasm for producing fine dining experiences is undimmed and stimulated by the Bonnie &amp; Wild offering, where ambitious young chefs are learning from each other and evolving the menus all the time.. “This whole environment at Bonnie &amp; Wild has been amazing. I don’t know how many people are working there at any one time, but there are eight kitchens, butchers, a wine shop, a pâtisserie… and everyone’s getting around. My young chefs are in the Southeast Asian place next door having a look at what they’re doing… tasting food, going around the corner and looking at what the vegan offering is. So, there’s a real sense of teamwork within that space as well." Bonnie &amp; Wild is a landmark concept in the Edinburgh dining scene, albeit one that has antecedents in major gastronomical centres, such as London andj New York. While the food in those international, high-concept food halls is often of a high standard, sometimes the dining areas themselves can be underwhelming. Not here, where the commitment is to build something lasting and meaningful for anyone who orders a plate of food. “It’s a special place and it really is a special concept. What Bonnie &amp; Wild has done is to look upon this as a high-end restaurant, in terms of furniture, package, drinks, offers, uniforms, standards of service… Those kitchens are decked out with the absolute best you can buy, because this is a long-term project." Reflecting back, four years on from that MasterChef win, Maclean is able to have a little perspective on events. “I’ll be honest, from then till now, it’s been a blur… it’s truly life-changing.” A life-changing event for someone who was ready to take on the challenge – something that he had arguably been gearing up to ever since he first started working in a kitchen back in the 1980s. “There were no restaurants where I grew up, on the rough side of Glasgow. The only food you ever ate was in your own house or your pal’s house. You never saw a chef. There were no chefs on TV." One subject he excelled at in school, however, was home economics and that lit the spark. “I skipped school at 15 and got a job in a country house hotel in the Trossachs. I went from the street corners of Glasgow to one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Within a day, I was standing there, boning out a red deer, and I quite literally never looked back." Memories of those early days have obviously remained with him and, for someone who left school with few qualifications, education is a cornerstone of his life’s work – passing on all that acquired knowledge – not just about food prep but on all the minutiae you need to be a top chef. “That’s the pinnacle of my career – working in education and bringing young chefs through, and that was never, ever going to change. Even with everything else that I’m doing, I’m still lecturing full time at City of Glasgow College.” He wants the young chefs he meets to go on a similar journey to himself. “I want them out and about. I want them to see where the food comes from. I want them to learn about food. I want them to fall in love with Scottish produce." Also important is the rich and abundant resources to be found in Scotland’s fishing waters, and Creel Caught is built around sustainable, traceable fishing, where the scallops are hand-dived, the langoustines are caught in ‘a creel’ and industrial fishing processes such as dredging are definitely not on the menu. Maclean is a chef who likes to see every part of the process. “I’ve been lucky to get out onto fishing boats... to mussel farms and aquaculture and things like that… I’ve got a real respect for the boys and girls from these rural communities that are out there doing a pretty dangerous job. And it always frustrates me that it’s really hard to access… Supermarkets don’t do fish well. Where do you buy langoustines? How can you pick up a lobster? What I wanted to do [in Creel Caught], is to have the very best Scottish seafood in that casual dining, fun environment." Judging from the early reviews, he’s succeeded. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, however; so next time you’re at The Quarter, treat yourself to a smokie, fish and chips or something else from the Creel Caught bill of fare and find out for yourself. </div>

Master of One: Gary Maclean & Creel Caught

<div>
 Roll up! Roll up!
 
 St James Quarter is excited to announce its partnership with Edinburgh Festival Fringe to deliver a whole host of
 entertainment this August, guaranteeing memories that will last a lifetime.
 
 
 A brand-new Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue this year, visitors to The Quarter can pick from more than 100 performances
 taking place Thursday to Sunday from 11:30am - 6:00pm until Monday 30th August.
 
 <img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/1ca3bf80f08a6cb07b56de9b3617fff8.jpeg" alt="two string musicians">
 
 Visitors can chuckle the night away with some hilarious stand-up comedy, be serenaded by performances from a
 professional saxophonist or enjoy some delicious street food from a range of local vendors - there truly is something
 for everyone to enjoy.
 
 
 Located in the heart of the city and connected to some of the most iconic streets in Edinburgh, St James Quarter has
 extended its Edinburgh Festival Fringe offering with shows taking place across several locations including:
 
 <ul>
 <li>St James Quarter: Level 4</li>
 <li>St James Quarter: Little King Street</li>
 <li>St James Square</li>
 <li>Register Square</li>
 </ul>
 
 St James Quarter is a welcoming lifestyle hub for art, culture and fashion – the perfect spot for anyone visiting the
 city to explore and enjoy the world's largest arts festival.
 
</div>

The fringe at SJQ

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Exclusive sky-high fashion shoot reveals never-before-seen panoramic views of the city from St James Quarter As many excited shoppers explore the brand-new St James Quarter, we’re taking a look back at one of our highlights in the lead up to launch day - our sky-high fashion shoot.<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":1333,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/fca67667406d8ca1d0c0cc4dafd04426.jpeg","width":2000}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/fca67667406d8ca1d0c0cc4dafd04426.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Look 1 We worked with top Scottish models and award-winning photographer, Jon Enoch, to reveal never-before-seen panoramic views of the city and showcase some of the glamorous brands debuting for the first time in Edinburgh and Scotland. The models were styled in a selection of incredible clothes, shoes and accessories that are available at the Quarter. <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":1333,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/02e97991a2769ddac2dcf1a36c4a8eb6.jpeg","width":2000}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/02e97991a2769ddac2dcf1a36c4a8eb6.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Look 2 The stunning fashion shoot also unveiled the new cityscape, boasting dazzling panoramic views of several iconic Edinburgh locations including the east end of Princes Street, St Andrews Square, Edinburgh’s oldtown and Charlotte Square merging with the southside from 55 metres high above the Capital. <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":1316,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c3fcbcb4bc4ccc9a496fb6d84af22bcd.jpeg","width":1975}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/c3fcbcb4bc4ccc9a496fb6d84af22bcd.jpeg" width="1975" height="1316"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Look 3 You can shop these looks at Scotland’s brand-new fashion district, St James Quarter. We are open from 9am until 8pm Monday - Saturday and 10am until 6pm on Sunday. Built up an appetite while shopping? Refuel at one of our world-class food and beverage retailers, including Salerno Pizza, Tortilla, and Bonnie &amp; Wild. Restaurants and leisure offerings are open until 10:00pm. For more information, please visit: stjamesquarter.com St James Quarter Instagram – <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stjamesquarter/">instagram.com/stjamesquarter </a>St James Quarter Facebook – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StJamesQuarter">facebook.com/StJamesQuarter </a><figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":1333,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/943a0a388515adbf652c74a47b60fceb.jpeg","width":2000}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/943a0a388515adbf652c74a47b60fceb.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Look 4<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":1333,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/728f21ec6098e634273103e9814f1530.jpeg","width":2000}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/728f21ec6098e634273103e9814f1530.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Look 5<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":1333,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/ea545d811f335c3a8475afeb00a471cb.jpeg","width":2000}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/ea545d811f335c3a8475afeb00a471cb.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Look 6<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":2000,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d66026976672e7bbe6bccae16863a485.jpeg","width":1356}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d66026976672e7bbe6bccae16863a485.jpeg" width="1356" height="2000"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Look 7 Outfit Details:
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Look 1 – Suit, £174, Next. Shirt, £45, Calvin Klein. </li>
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Look 2 – Top, £375, PINKO available at Multrees Walk. Ring, £80, Pandora.</li>
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Look 3 – Dress, £295, John Lewis &amp; Partners</li>
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Look 4 - Top, £375, PINKO available at Multrees Walk. Ring, £80, Pandora.</li>
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Look 5 - Suit, £125, Next. Bow Tie, £8, Next. Shirt, £16, Next.</li>
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Look 6 – (L-R) Top, £375, PINKO available at Multrees Walk. Ring, £80, Pandora. Dress, £295, John Lewis &amp; Partners.</li>
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Look 7 - Jacket, £129, John Lewis &amp; Partners. Trousers, £50, John Lewis &amp; Partners. Tie, £12, Next. Shirt, £45, Next. Shoes, £58, Next. Belt, £22, Next. Socks, £20, John Lewis &amp; Partners. </li>
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Sky High Place To Be

The Present <img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/12773b6e3a2baeb3466e8a6b66da542e.jpeg?w=650" data-size="intrinsic">St James Quarter is a new retail led, lifestyle district that fully integrates into and enhances Edinburgh’s City Centre providing an inspiring, attractive, and vibrant destination for locals and visitors to live, shop, eat, sleep and play.  St James Quarter will house an enviable line up of  restaurants, cafés, bars, shops, public spaces and leisure venues covering 1.7 million square feet.  St James Quarter is set to become a welcoming cultural and lifestyle hub for art, culture and fashion that will complement the city’s world-renowned cultural offering and support its vibrant events calendar. Many brands are debuting in Scotland for the first time at St James Quarter: The Alchemist, &amp; Other Stories, Stradivarius, Bershka, and Pull&amp;Bear to name a few. With these new additions as well as classic favourites and unique destinations like the one-of-a-kind Bonnie &amp; Wild Food Hall, St James Quarter reinforces Edinburgh’s position as Scotland’s cosmopolitan lifestyle capital. Our naturally ventilated, canopy-roofed Galleria unites Edinburgh’s shopping districts, creating a walkable circuit and linking the path to Leith for an easier throughway across the city. Easily accessible via public transit (including extended tram routes), by train or by car, St James Quarter is a brand-new, exciting hub created and curated for the people of Scotland. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/555143144">St James Quarter Drone Footage</a> on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>. The History The New Town of Edinburgh, master planned in the 1700s by James Craig after he won a competition to design the area, possesses a distinct energy and an ongoing history of mixed-use spaces. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the New Town became a haven for writers, printers and publishers, and the W Edinburgh at St James Quarter references this legacy with its ribbon design that alludes to paper unspooling as it runs through the printing presses of times gone by. More than 250 years after Craig designed the district which would become New Town, St James Quarter will continue the legacy he founded with new spaces for visitors to discover. The Future St James Quarter is a place where you can live, shop, explore and play, a continuation of the long heritage of the New Town’s role in Edinburgh’s development. The Quarter’s launch isn’t over,  exciting new shops, restaurants and more will continue to open throughout the coming months, meaning new experiences will await you every time you arrive at the Quarter. These further developments will include a Roomzzz aparthotel where guests can stay for one night, one week, or even up to a year, as well as Edinburgh’s first boutique Everyman cinema, complete with delicious food and drinks available right at your seat. New Eidyn’s beautiful apartments will allow residents to experience St James Quarter on another level, with stunning views across the city and amenities galore. Scotland’s first W hotel, the stylish W Edinburgh, will complete the St James Quarter with its location at the heart of the Quarter.

About Us

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<figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":867,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/3bb25acea618281444c7b366c33df602.jpeg?w=650","width":650}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/3bb25acea618281444c7b366c33df602.jpeg?w=650" width="650" height="867"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Following five years of construction, 17,378 tonnes of steel, and an estimated 2.835m working hours completed - the final crane at St James Quarter has officially been removed, revealing Edinburgh’s brand-new skyline to the people of Edinburgh and beyond. To help with the big reveal our team granted STV reporter Vanessa Kennedy exclusive access to not only the new St James Quarter site but a birds-eye view of the breath-taking scenes of the Edinburgh skyline. Vanessa was suited and booted, styling a hi-vis jacket, steel-capped boots and a hard hat for the occasion. Before taking to the skies, she was briefed by our highly trained construction team about the history of the site and how the cranes operate. After a quick cheer of encouragement from the team on the ground, Vanessa entered the crane’s bucket with a member of our construction team and was lifted over 60 metres in the air by the final crane left on the site. Vanessa reported for STV News from the crane and said: “It’s one of the biggest regeneration projects in the UK, the St James Quarter is now just weeks away from opening its doors to the public. The city centre is strapping itself in for a new era in retail and it’s a transformation that hopes to elevate Edinburgh as a shopping destination. “Over the last five years cranes like this one I am in at the moment, which is about 60 metres high have become an iconic part of Edinburgh’s skyline. This is the last one to be dismantled and from up here you can really appreciate the scale of this huge project." <a href="https://vimeo.com/555147568">Removal of the Final Crane</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>. Since construction began, 13 cranes have shaped the city skyline and played a key role in the construction of the £1bn project. The removal of the final crane marks another celebratory milestone for St James Quarter, which is working towards opening at the end of June. Reaching peaks of over 88m, the St James Quarter cranes grew almost as tall as the Capital’s iconic Calton Hill and, over the years, became a much-loved fixture of the Edinburgh skyline. The cranes became a local talking point within the city and lit up the sky at night – a permanent lightshow visible from far and wide. </div>

Behind the Scenes: Edinburgh’s New Skyline

<div> St James Quarter is a destination which not only complements but actively enhances the artistic and cultural wonder of Edinburgh. To deliver the creative spaces that will enhance St James Quarter, we’ve partnered with makers from all cultural and artistic disciplines to build a unique neighbourhood within Scotland’s capital city. Illustrators, designers, photographers, musicians, filmmakers, fashion designers, dancers, writers and more come together in the St James Quarter Collective with a shared purpose: making St James Quarter a lifestyle and cultural destination. To achieve this ambitious goal, we set out to create close-knit, value-based connections with the community by supporting local arts programmes, encouraging and promoting talent, mentoring undergraduates and showcasing local culture and arts to cement St James Quarter’s position at the heart of Edinburgh and its community. We’re excited to announce the first members of the St James Quarter Collective. Watch this space for more creative artists and makers we’re partnering with in the future! <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":339,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d4465812e5e5d300f950f975bbcc9f85.png?w=600","width":600}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d4465812e5e5d300f950f975bbcc9f85.png?w=600" width="600" height="339"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>Beira: Beira disrupts the fashion world with honesty and transparency. The fashion industry accounts for 10% of carbon emissions and recycles &lt;1% of its own waste, making it a major contributor to the destruction of the planet. Growing concern over the climate crisis means consumers are paying more attention than ever before to sustainability when it comes to their fashion choices, which is where Beira comes in. Named for the Goddess of Winter, Beira is a sustainable Scottish brand creating beautiful, functional, limited edition, high-quality womenswear using ethical remanufacturing of discarded materials from the luxury fashion industry. Conscious consumers who want to enjoy responsible luxury need look no further than Scotland’s own Beira. Keep your eyes peeled for fashion-focused designs at St James Quarter showcasing the Beira brand. <figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":600,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/77ba373ae98170b0ad0e792073aa1a4b.jpeg?w=600","width":600}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/77ba373ae98170b0ad0e792073aa1a4b.jpeg?w=600" width="600" height="600"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure><figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":600,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d8f07fc016088621ad0b1cbf811d75ba.jpeg?w=600","width":600}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/d8f07fc016088621ad0b1cbf811d75ba.jpeg?w=600" width="600" height="600"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure><figure data-trix-attachment='{"contentType":"image","height":150,"url":"https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/15fc1c16e1b5f1a6ee31579bad97e1cb.svg","width":150}' data-trix-content-type="image" class="attachment attachment--preview"><img src="https://placewise.imgix.net/images/api/retailhubjs/15fc1c16e1b5f1a6ee31579bad97e1cb.svg" width="150" height="150"><figcaption class="attachment__caption"></figcaption></figure>
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The Leith Collective: Recycle. Restore. Reclaim. Reuse. Relove. Leith Collective is a supported retail space for artist, makers and upcyclers throughout Scotland. Whether they are seeking out artists who convert unwanted items into unique pieces of art to save them from landfills or developing workshops and events for the local community, their focus is on sustainability and mentorship of the local community. Many Leith Collective makers work in the shop to build personal connections with guests, and they actively support and employ individuals with mental health issues. Members of Leith Collective benefit from mentorship and business guidance, strengthening Scotland’s creative economy. Leith Collective’s unique aesthetic can be glimpsed in works which they have curated for St James Quarter.</div>

Introducing: The St James Quarter Collective

Edinburgh St James (GP) Limited

The St James Quarter is a new district of the city that connects the existing streetscape to a mixed-use destination of the future – anchored by places and experiences that will draw people from one place to the next – a key component of the map of the city. Boasting a world-class retail, leisure, hotel and residential offer and injecting over £1 billion of investment into Edinburgh, strengthening the city’s global standing by transforming its East End. It will be an inspiring, attractive and vibrant destination for people to live, shop, dine, experience and play.

<div>Retail Hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00am - 8:00pm Sunday 10:00am - 6:00pm Restaurant &amp; leisure hours may vary, please check individual locations' directory pages for specific hours.</div>

ExploreSt James Quarter

In the spotlight

Welcome To Edinburgh

SJQ's Beauty Bag Essentials

In The Know: Chioma Okoro

Photo Finish: What’s Next for Kate Spiers

This Must Be The Place

Sky High Place To Be

Introducing: The St James Quarter Collective

Student Discounts

SJQ Valentine's Day Round-up

Life on The Fringe: Shona McCarthy

Seduced By Edinburgh: Anna Freemantle-Zee

Master of One: Gary Maclean & Creel Caught

About Us

LITTLE KING ST: STREET-FOOD FAVOURITES

The dogs of SJQ: Calling all furry friends

A Jewel In The Crown: Gordon Dewar & The Future of Edinburgh Tourism

Edinburgh Style: The Runway Is Ready

The fringe at SJQ

Behind the Scenes: Edinburgh’s New Skyline

.css-4zleql{display:block;}ExploreSt James Quarter

Welcome To Edinburgh

SJQ's Beauty Bag Essentials

In The Know: Chioma Okoro

Photo Finish: What’s Next for Kate Spiers

This Must Be The Place

Sky High Place To Be

Introducing: The St James Quarter Collective

Student Discounts

SJQ Valentine's Day Round-up

Life on The Fringe: Shona McCarthy

Seduced By Edinburgh: Anna Freemantle-Zee

Master of One: Gary Maclean & Creel Caught

About Us

LITTLE KING ST: STREET-FOOD FAVOURITES

The dogs of SJQ: Calling all furry friends

A Jewel In The Crown: Gordon Dewar & The Future of Edinburgh Tourism

Edinburgh Style: The Runway Is Ready

The fringe at SJQ

Behind the Scenes: Edinburgh’s New Skyline

ExploreSt James Quarter