Greenside Place

The Omni Centre

and the Giraffes

Greenside Place

Map of Calton and Broughton - 1925 - showing the sites of major developments ©

 

Greenside Place is on the east side of Leith Walk, beside the large roundabout and opposite St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral.

1940s

The buildings in Greenside Place had shops at 'ground level' and several stories of flats (apartments) above the shops.

Pat Swift who now lives in British Columbia, Canada was born at 9 Greenside Place in 1948.  She e-mailed me recently [2005] telling me that she recalls her mother swearing about having to "climb 100 steps" to get to their flat at the top of the building."

1970s

In the 1970s Greenside Place included many businesses.  These are the names that appeared in the 1970-71 Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directory:

1970

No. 2

Royal Bank of Scotland Ltd

No. 4

Carnie Car Hire

No. 5

Edinburg Savings Bank

No. 7

Wolfe

No  9

George White

No. 12

Royal Furniture

Nos. 13-14

Direct Supply Co.

No. 16

J Lindsay

No. 17

Hillside Church:  Tynecastle Wallpapers

No. 18

Playhouse Restaurant and Tea Rooms

No.19

Kandy Korner

No. 20

Playhouse Super-Picture Theatre

Nos. 25-27

Scott James & Co. Ltd.

 

The Omni Centre

By the 1990s, Nos. 2-16 and all of No. 17 except the facade had been demolished.  The site was awaiting development.  Early developments hit financial problems.

Eventually good progress was made and the Omni Centre, a 12-screen cinema, hotel and health centre opened on the site in November 2002.

View towards the Omni Centre from in front of St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, with sculpture by Eduardo Paolozzi in the foreground ©

The complex has a large glass frontage and incorporates the original facade from the church at No. 17.

The original frontage of Hillside Church has been retained and incorporated into the Omni Centre;  and the Playhouse Theatre is still in business:

The Playhouse Theatre, Greenside Place, close to the top of Leith Walk ©

 

The Giraffes

   Two Giraffes outside the Omni Centre, Greenside Place, Top of Leith Walk, Edinburgh ©

The two giraffes, made from scrap metal, were unveiled on the pavement in front of the Omni Centre on 28 July 2005.  The largest of the two giraffes is 22 ft high.

These are the work of artist Helen Denerley, formerly of Midlothian, now living in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.  She has made sculptures of animals for sites across Britain and in Japan.

Other Sculptures

Other sculptures to be found in the vicinity of the giraffes includes:

- a statue of Sherlock Homes (Picardy Place).

Statue of Sherlock Homes, created by Arthur Conan Doyle who lived close to this spot at Picardy Place ©

- a giant bronze hand + foot by Eduardo Paolozzi (outside RC Cathedral)

Sculptures on the pavement outside St Mary's Cathedral at the top of Leith Walk - 'Hand' by Eduardo Paolozzi ©    Sculptures on the pavement outside St Mary's Cathedral at the top of Leith Walk - 'Foot' by Eduardo Paolozzi ©

- a flock of eight bronze pigeons on the pavement (Elm Row)

A flock of pigeons in bronze on the pavement at Elm Row ©

 

 

Full Index

Views of Edinburgh

Princes Street views:
 Looking E         Looking W         Looking N + NE        Looking S

from Calton Hill        Preparing for the Trams        Princes Street Gardens

Other street views:
 Grassmarket         George Street          High Street        High Street closes        Leith Street
Lothian Road       North Bridge       Saint James Sq        Waverley Bridge       More Streets

 

 

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