17 hours ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
New tourist office to open on the Royal Mile
Following the closure of the VisitScotland office next to the City Chambers earlier this year, the council has secured a tenant.
The rent payable to the council will be less than paid by the previous tenants but will be reviewed at the five year break and the lease will run for 25 years.
VisitScotland closed all of their visitor centres earlier in the year including this one at 249 High Street. the council is keen to keep a 'tourism offer' on the High Street and want to lease this to Cobbs which has offered a 'good rental' on a 25 year lease.
If the council had wanted to open its own visitor centre the building would have required further work – and it would have required around £550,000 of funding each year.
VisitScotland had reported the running costs were high relative to their income.
The report before the council committee this morning states: 'Cobbs are an established tourism based retailer which has been in existence for over 30 years. They currently operate four hotels in the Highlands, 12 gift shops in key tourist locations and employ over 500 staff. They have recently taken over two former Visit Scotland premises in Fort William and Aberfoyle.'
Cobbs have submitted a proposal for the 'Experience Scotland' retail and tourism offer within the ground floor space of 249 High Street previously occupied by VisitScotland. A copy of the proposal is in an appendix to the council report and may be found here online.
The offer will consist of Scottish themed retailing featuring local producers such as Edinburgh Honey Company, Coco Chocolatier, and Red Box tea and coffee.
The officer recommendation is: 'It is considered that the proposal from Cobbs provides the right balance in terms of commercial return to the Council with the inclusive rent more than matching what was previously received from VisitScotland on the ground floor. In addition, there is a commitment to providing a tourist based offer with the scope to develop this further in conjunction with the Council's Business Growth and Inclusion service.'
The rent will be £150,000 for the first five years when it will be increased at a review, and includes a proportion of utilities and rates payable for the building, and there will be a rent free period for the first three months since the property requires repair and upgrading.
All papers and access to the webcast of the meeting can be found on the council website here
Cllr Mandy Watt, Finance and Resources Convener, said: 'While more and more visitors are planning their trips to Edinburgh online, you can't beat a warm Scottish welcome face to face.
'We believe there remains an appetite for this type of in-person experience for visitors, particularly with the draw of a shop and a café, so I'm pleased that we've been able to secure the visitor information centre's future.
'This will prove invaluable as we encourage tourists to visit all parts of the city in all seasons as part of the city's tourism strategy, and as we introduce Edinburgh's Visitor Levy next summer. The lease will also support us to raise income worth £3.5 million over the next 25 years.
'Cobbs is well established throughout Scotland with the family nearing 40 years of tourism experience and we're looking forward to welcoming them into the space.'
Fraser Campbell, Managing Director of the Cobbs Group, said: 'We're well established in Scotland as the Cobbs group and we proudly operate 35 sites across the country. Opening a tourism office in the heart of Edinburgh is a dream and we're excited to take over the lease. Right in the heart of Edinburgh's festival action, it is the ideal site for showcasing everything the city and Scotland has to offer.
'We're particularly keen to highlight local experiences and 'Made in Scotland' items where we can and I'd urge makers and crafters to please get in touch so that we can offer a unique and authentic range for tourists to enjoy on Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile.'
The Edinburgh Reporter alerted readers to this news on Tuesday in our weekday article Five things you need to know today.
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