Top Scottish chefs warn Leith trade being 'destroyed' due to tram disruption as fears grow for festival season

Several of Scotland’s top chefs have criticised the lack of support for hospitality businesses in Leith in the wake of the fire on Princes Street, saying the neighbourhood renowned for its food and drink scene has been cut off from the rest of the city ahead of festival season.

Tram services from the city centre to Newhaven have been suspended since July 9 while Princes Street has been closed following the fire that devastated the former Debenhams store.

Dean Banks, who was recently named Chef of the Year at the Scottish Excellence Awards, said trade in Leith had been “destroyed” due to the ongoing travel disruption, with revenue at his seafood restaurant Dulse plummeting 60 per cent in the first full week following the suspension of the trams.

The celebrated chef said he had been left “speechless” by the lack of clarity on how long the disruption may last, warning his restaurant could face a possible financial loss of around £100,000 during August if no solution is found.

“There has been no form of information or timeline from the council about how long this is likely to go on for,” he said. “Absolutely zero communication, not a whisper of anything.

“How the hell are we meant to run a business like that?”

Chef Dean Banks said his Leith restaurant is suffering amid the ongoing suspension of the trams | Contributed

He continued: “This is our capital city in the run up to the Fringe, where Edinburgh goes on the world stage and people arrive from every corner of the world.

“A disruption like this on Princes Street was an inevitability. It wasn’t an if, but a when. Surely there should have been a plan in place for if something like this happened.

“It boggles my mind that they don’t have a solution.”

Edinburgh Trams has been unable to run even a limited service on the Leith side of the city because the tram vehicles were in the depot at Gogar at the time of the fire on Princes Street.

And the damaged building is said to be in such a fragile state that even running an empty tram along Princes Street could cause vibrations which would harm it further.

Transport convener Stephen Jenkinson said on Monday work was still under way to stabilise the façade, and that it could take at least “another couple of weeks” before the service could be restored.

Mr Banks, who opened his first restaurant, Haar, in St Andrews in 2019, is calling on both Edinburgh council and the Scottish Government to provide support for businesses, including rates relief for those in the hardest-hit areas and a clear timeline for the restoration of the tram system.

“We need to fix this now,” he said. “It’s a capital city and people’s jobs and livelihoods are at stake.”

James Murray, the Michelin-starred chef behind the new Leith restaurant Dogstar, agreed the transport situation on top of ongoing problems with crime had led to a lot of disgruntlement among independent business owners.

“There’s a feeling here that business owners don’t really get listened to, that we’re a bit forgotten,” he said. “Leith is the main hub for food and drink in the whole of Edinburgh now, and I think we should be treated with a bit more respect.”

James Murray opened Dogstar in collaboration with the team behind Nauticus Bar last year | Dogstar

He said while Dogstar had not appeared to suffer so far, he was concerned about the impact on the team’s latest venture The Keelson, a bar and kitchen which opened on The Shore last month.

“We strategically opened The Keelson in June so it would be welcoming people in time for festival season,” he said. “It was a nine month project that we did in four, and we spent extra money to be able to do that.

“To then find out the main transport link for people to get here isn’t running is a bit gutting.”

Fellow Michelin-acclaimed chef Barry Bryson, whose first restaurant Barry Fish is also located on The Shore, said wider problems with traffic in Leith - which he said have only been exacerbated by the recent disruption - risk undermining the area as the capital’s prime food and drink destination.

“Leith is without a doubt the most significant eating and drinking area in Edinburgh now and we’ve been completely isolated,” said Mr Bryson.

Barry opened his first restaurant in Leith last year and it has quickly become a popular spot for delicious seafood in the city | Barry Fish

He continued: “Everyone in the hospitality industry understands the seriousness of a fire and the importance of public safety. But not having a plan B is a huge problem.

“The people who are most impacted are those with restaurants, cafes and bars who rely on walk-ins, the ones who rely on people making a last minute decision to go.

“No one’s going to come to The Shore for a pint if you live on the other side of town and it’s going to take you 50 minutes, because it’s just not worth it.”

Both Mr Murray and Mr Bryson agree that the recent tram suspension has exposed years of “poor traffic planning” in Leith, which they say has led to significant congestion.

“There has been a series of very badly thought out systems and a whole load of cameras and bus lanes making it very difficult for traffic to move around,” said Mr Bryson.

“The one-way streets are really hard to navigate. For example, Henderson Street is the only way to access The Shore and there’s no two way traffic.

“So I think what we really would have liked to have seen is a more robust system in the first place, so when things like this do happen we’re not isolated.

“It has shown that the moment trams stop working, Leith is not accessible.”

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “We’re doing everything within our power to make sure Princes Street can reopen as soon as possible, but this can only be when it’s safe to do so. In the meantime, we’re focussed on minimising disruption across the network, alongside Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams. For Leith specifically, bus services continue, and we’ve increased the number of Voi e-bike parking locations and hires available. I’d encourage everyone to visit the area and support the fantastic local businesses there.

”I fully recognise how challenging and frustrating this period has been for our residents, businesses and visitors and they have my thanks for their continued patience.

“However, I’m disappointed at the fact that almost three weeks on from the fire, and over ten days after the Council Leader wrote to the First Minister, we’re yet to see any meaningful action or offers of support from the Scottish Government. This is in stark contrast to the aftermath of the Union Corner fire in Glasgow, where a £10m fund was announced in under a week. I’d reiterate the council leader’s call to the First Minister to get around the table and support the capital city during this incredibly difficult period.”