A SECTION of Princes Street will remain shut for the foreseeable future following a fire, Police Scotland has said.
The blaze in the disused former Debenhams building on July 9 led to a large section of the famous Edinburgh thoroughfare between Frederick Street and South Charlotte Street being closed to vehicles and pedestrians.
Rose Street South Lane is also closed.
No-one was injured in the blaze but it caused extensive damage to the historic building and the cause is under investigation.
Police Scotland Inspector Stephen Quinn said: “We are aware of the impact this disruption has caused to the area, including local businesses and transport.
“Public safety is our priority and we are working with partners to ensure normality can be restored as soon as possible.
“We continue to ask the public to plan ahead and if you are attending events in the city, please check the latest travel information and advice on the appropriate channels, particularly around transport.”
Edinburgh City Council is providing support to businesses affected, and it is hoped all Rose Street businesses can fully reopen on Saturday.
Council leader Jane Meagher has written to the First Minister to request additional support while work is carried out to make the fire-ravaged building safe.
Meagher said: “There is no doubt that recent events on Princes Street continue to have a major impact on the city centre and beyond, but I’m pleased to see progress being made, both in terms of preserving and making the building safe and reducing disruption in the area.
“This has involved a huge response from council teams and a range of partners, and I’d like to thank all those involved for their hard work over the last week to secure the building, to protect its heritage and to keep the city moving.
“I’m particularly grateful to the city’s transport providers – Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams – for their swift and constructive responses to this challenging situation, and I know there’s a huge amount of work going into restoring the tram to its full route as soon as possible.
“But I do want to stress that this can only happen when it’s safe to do so.
“We’re in regular contact with festivals and event organisers with a view to limiting disruption to our events calendar, and I’m delighted that we’ve found an alternative route for the wonderful Edinburgh Festival Carnival so it can still go ahead this weekend.
“We’re also hopeful of being able to find alternative locations for some of the events and attractions displaced from George Street.
“I’m acutely aware of the effect this is having on city centre businesses too and our teams are continuing to offer one-to-one advice and support.
“We’re also in touch with the Scottish Government about available support and I’ve written to the First Minister to discuss what more he can offer – as he did following the Union Street fire in Glasgow.
“This road closure is essential to protect the public while experts assess the condition of the fire-damaged building and make it safe, but we’re letting everyone know that the city centre is very much still open for business and encouraging people to check our website for the latest travel advice and information on visiting the area.”
