What you need to know about the Princes Street fire
What is happening on site?
There has been severe damage to the former Debenhams building, with much of the upper structure destroyed or damaged.
Since the fire, our focus has been on making the building safe, while aiming to retain as many of its historic features as we can, and getting Princes Street reopened as soon as possible.
The complexity of the remedial work cannot be understated, with specialists continuing to work, mostly by hand, under extremely challenging circumstances. This is a painstaking process and will take time.
Work to secure and make safe the eastern gable of the building has now been completed. This involved reducing it in height and then supporting it with a structural scaffolding.
Some unsafe stonework at the upper levels of the façade has been carefully removed. This stonework has been stored on site for reuse.
Work to secure the front façade of the building with a ‘retention structure’ continues. This is complex and challenging work which is carried out from cranes. Steelwork is now in place internally and externally to support the western end of the Princes Street façade, with work ongoing on the remainder of the upper floors.
The structural support beams that have been put in place on the site weigh around 300kg, while new vertical steel assemblies weigh around 800kg. The largest piece of stonework removed from one of the dormers (structural window feature) weighed approximately 1.2 tonnes.
Debris and dangerous material continue to be removed from inside the building and, once complete, there may be some further works required to strengthen the remaining internal structure.
This is intricate work, and it needs to be carried out safely. Due to the unstable nature of the building much of the initial work is being done by hand from above, using a crane with operatives in a basket. This work also requires pieces of stonework to be removed individually, which takes considerable time.
The wind will restrict when this can be done safely, with even relatively small gusts causing work to be paused. The safety of the people carrying out this work and the public has to be our priority.
The works are continuing to progress well and, subject to weather conditions remaining favourable, the hope is that work carried out will allow Princes Street to reopen by the end of August.
Wouldn’t it be easier to just demolish the building?
This is not necessarily a quicker or simpler solution. Fully demolishing the building would be a complex operation on a constrained site and would potentially take weeks to safely carry out.
Support for business
Do any businesses remain closed following the fire?
No. All businesses on Princes Street and Rose Street have reopened.
What support is being offered to affected businesses?
We’re acutely aware of the effect this is having on businesses – both in the city centre and further afield – and our teams are continuing to offer one-to-one advice and support.
Non-Domestic Rates Relief has been administered to those businesses that had to close temporarily.
Plans are being developed for a communications campaign to promote those businesses and communities most affected by the disruption were also presented and discussed. This could also include resident and visitor spend incentives, events and other promotions.
This activity will be paid for from the Scottish Government funding announced last week and would continue beyond the reopening of Princes Street and into next year.
In the meantime, the city centre and other parts of the city remain open for business and encouraging residents and visitors to plan ahead and check our website for updates.
Public safety
Is it safe to travel into the city centre?
Yes. Most of the city centre remains open and businesses outside the safety cordon continue to welcome visitors. However, a section of west Princes Street between Frederick Street and South Charlotte Street remains closed to vehicles (including buses and trams) while work continues to make the damaged building safe. Please follow diversions.
Whilst Boots has now reopened, a cordon remains in place around the fire site at the former Debenhams Building).
What caused the fire?
The cause of the fire has not yet been established. A joint investigation by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and Police Scotland is ongoing. Read more at
Were there any casualties?
No. Thankfully, there were no casualties. We thank SFRS, Police Scotland and partners for their swift and dedicated response to ensure public safety.
Will the building be knocked down?
It is a B-Listed historical building. We’re trying to preserve as much of it as possible, but it is too early to tell how much can be saved.
However, the original Victorian staircase and the stained-glass windows memorial to former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, at 111-112 Princes Street, have survived relatively unscathed. These two features dating from the 1880s will now be examined to assess if any further restorative work is required.
Who will pay for this work?
Under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003, we’ll seek to recover costs incurred by the Council in carrying out these urgent works from the building owners in due course.
The Council is incurring substantial daily costs at the site. Following the Council Leader’s meeting with the Deputy First Minister, and the announcement of the £5m support fund from the Scottish Government, some of this will go towards covering these costs in the short term.
Road closures and public transport
Are buses and trams running?
Public transport services are operating with temporary diversions. Some bus routes have been re-routed, and trams are only running between the airport and Shandwick Place. Trams are not running between Princes Street, Leith and Newhaven. Please check with your transport operator before travelling.
What are you doing to improve traffic delays and congestion caused by the road closure?
We've adjusted traffic signals to help improve the flow of traffic, particularly in the George Street area. We're also working very closely with our transport partners to make our network is running as regularly and efficiently as possible.
Bus companies which serve the bus station have rerouted from George Street to Queen Street to increase capacity for diverted buses. Across the Lothian Buses network, to best ease congestion and improve journey times – with some being rerouted to avoid George Street entirely at peak times.
We’ve also parking locations and hires available around Leith and the rest of the city to help people to get around.
We understand the disruption and delays are frustrating, but we must prioritise public safety.
How are you communicating this?
Each year we promote our Summertime in the City webpages, which covers Summertime Streets (Old Town Festival road closures), and how to get around the city using public transport, walking or cycling, especially to big events and venues.
This year, in response to additional pressure on public transport due to the fire, we added a . This encourages people to plan ahead and give more time for their journeys, signposting them to public transport and VOI journey planning tools.
This is being supported by transport partners with campaign materials at key transport hubs and across social media channels.
Why can’t you put extra bus stops on George Street?
We have considered this suggestion carefully but, having consulted with transport colleagues, the introduction of additional stops risks adding further delays to journey times.
How long will west Princes Street be closed to traffic?
Road closures will remain until the building has been made safe and the relevant structural assessments have been completed. We will provide updates as more information becomes available. Current indications are that some restrictions will continue until late-August.
We understand the disruption and delays are frustrating, but we must prioritise public safety. Thank you for your patience.
Why can’t trams run along Princes Street?
Structural engineers have concluded that the building's very fragile state means we’re unable to have vehicles, including trams, pass even at low speeds. There is a risk that vibrations caused by vehicles travelling along Princes Street, even at a slow walking pace, could cause further damage and safety risks. Structural assessments of the building are taking place, and work is continuing to stabilise the site before restrictions can be lifted.
Why can’t trams run in the east of the city to and from Newhaven?
The fire happened overnight when all the trams were in the depot in the west of the city. Until the restrictions on Princes Street are lifted, it is not possible to move trams to the east of the city.
Is it safe to go to shops and businesses near the fire site?
Pedestrians can still visit Princes Street except for the area between Boots and the former Debenhams building鈥�(101–112 Princes Street). Rose Street and Princes Street Gardens remain鈥痮pen for pedestrians.
Impact on events in the city
What does this mean for the festival activities planned for George Street in August?
George Street continues to act as a diversion route for diverted buses.
Assembly Festival have relocated two external outdoor venues, Bijou and Front Room, normally operating on George Street, to St Andrew Square to ensure the shows of 17 artists and companies can still go ahead.
We’re in regular contact with festival and event organisers with a view to minimising the impact on our events calendar, while ensuring those attending can easily access the latest information and guidance before travelling.
Thousands of people will be travelling to Murrayfield for major concerts and other events – what contingency are you putting in place?
There are several events taking place at Murrayfield Stadium over the summer and we are working closely with the venue, promoters, Police Scotland and public transport providers to plan for these events and communicate with those planning to attend.
So far, these arrangements have worked well.
Please plan your journey in advance. Visit our dedicated webpages for advice on how to travel to and from these events.
What support is being given to the festivals?
We are working with those festival partners who have been directly impacted by the disruption to understand their situation and will be providing support as part of the £5m received from the Scottish Government.
The Council's role
Who is managing the response?
The response involves the Council, as a statutory authority, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Police Scotland, transport operators and other partner agencies to ensure public safety, manage disruption and support recovery.
What is the role of the Council in this incident?
Our role in this incident is as a statutory authority. Our priority is public safety, and we have specific powers to deal with dangerous and defective buildings (or parts of buildings) in the city under the鈥�.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Once the relevant structural and police investigations are completed and the building is made safe, responsibility for the building is given back to the owners.
The building is not owned by the Council; it is privately owned.
Does the Council do fire safety visits and fire regulation?
The Council does not conduct fire safety inspections under fire legislation, but it does regulate fire safety aspects of buildings through Building Standards, which includes compliance with Building (Scotland) Regulations and proper documentation and inspections during building work.
The Council is responsible for ensuring public safety in and around buildings when it appears that a building has become dangerous. We do this by preventing access to buildings and spaces, carrying out any necessary urgent works and by issuing notices to owners requiring further works to be carried out to make buildings safe.
Fire safety enforcement and inspections are carried out by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to ensure compliance with the鈥疐ire (Scotland) Act 2005.
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