Edinburgh’s tram service has been unable to run down to Leith since a major fire on Princes Street on 9 July cut off the transport link at a crucial time of year for hospitality businesses in the vibrant district.
The overnight fire in a vacant department store happened while the tram fleet was largely parked up at the western end of the line at the Gogar depot. Since then, concern over the stability of the fire-damaged building has prevented any trams from transiting along Princes St to reach the eastern end of the network.
Some operators in Leith reported last weekend’s takings down by as much as 30% due to the drop in tram-borne footfall.
There is some hope that a vibration assessment next week might set the scene for a careful movement of some trams past the fragile building to enable a limited service up and down Leith Walk, but for now, as the first weekend of the city’s Fringe festival gets underway, the eastern tracks remain idle.
However, down on Constitution Street, Malones Leith has declared that the neighbourhood ‘isn’t closed’, and lined up a month of community-focused events for August, betting that with the city centre harder to reach, locals will ‘rediscover what’s on their own doorstep’.
Malones said that it had put real investment behind its daytime and family trade – alongside a Kids Eat Free offer, it has launched a brand-new children’s menu, a new dessert and hot drinks menu, and invested in additional training for its team to support daytime service – a deliberate move to make the venue an all-day, all-ages spot for locals.
To appeal to the weekend crowd, Malones has launched its new Irish Brunch. Running every Friday in August from 11am to 5pm, it offers a large brunch dish and five Guinness or Spicy Margaritas for £35 per person – a deal pitched squarely at locals looking to start the weekend without the trek, the queues or the festival mark-up of the city centre.
Rounding out the month is a programme of events organised in conjunction with local businesses. This includes a pay-what-you-can Irish language class, a free barrel-top whiskey tasting session, and the bar’s popular Tarot & Tipples evenings with neighbours Portal Leith & Tuesday Moon.
GM at Malones Leith, Charlie Douglas, said: “The trams being off has been a real blow for everyone down here, and I’ve got nothing but sympathy for the businesses feeling the pinch. But writing Leith off isn’t the answer.
“Our thinking was simple – if it’s harder to get into town, let’s give people every reason to stay local and enjoy what’s on their doorstep.
“So rather than cut back, we’ve invested: in our team, in our menus, and in a full month of things for the community to come out for. Leith isn’t closed. It’s open, and it’s ours.”
