A beloved Edinburgh Nepalese cafe inspired by the Dalai Lama has been evacuated following a fire as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
Three appliances from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service responded to a flurry of calls from neighbours of the Himalaya Cafe on South Clerk Street amid reports of a blaze at the building.
The busy thoroughfare remains closed in both directions while a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service operation is carried out.
Traffic is currently being prevented from moving between Bernard Terrace and East Preston Street while firefighters tackle the flames, which started on Tuesday morning.
An SFRS spokesperson said the incident was being attended to, but was unable to confirm the nature of the fire.
One eyewitness described the street as “going tonto”as emergency vehicles screeched into the area shortly before 10:30am.
Businesses and surrounding properties are understood to have been evacuated while SFRS crews deal with the incident.
The popular eatery was under threat of closure earlier this year when its landlord announced plans to sell the building - leaving the cafe homeless.
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Lothian Buses say services have been disrupted and urged passengers to check the latest information before setting off on their journeys.
Bus services including the 2, 5, 7, 8 29, 30, 31, 33, 37, 47, 49 have been diverted as a result.
