Log of comments entered in the Guestbook - December 2002

1. News of the Fire

The fire apparently started in the area near the Gilded Balloon Theatre, 233 Cowgate at about 8pm yesterday (Sat 7 Dec). The fire is now reported to be under control, but several buildings have been badly damaged or destroyed.

The Cowgate runs parallel to the Royal Mile in the valley to the south of the Royal Mile, and passes under South Bridge. The area damaged runs along the south side of Cowgate from Guthrie Street to South Bridge, then along the west side of South Bridge as far as Chamber Street.

Please click here to see a page on the City Guide to Edinburgh Festivals web site, to see a photo of the Gilded Balloon Theatre in the Cowgate. (If you get a 'Runtime Error' message, click 'No')

The Gilded Balloon Theatre has been the venue for many comedy acts in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe each August. In the background of this photo, the Cowgate can be seen passing under South Bridge.

Click on the 'Show on Map' link at the top of the City Guide web site page. This will provide a map of the area. The Gilded Balloon Theatre lies below the letter 'G' of Cowgate on this map. It is immediately to the south of the Tron Kirk (or Church) in Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

Peter Stubbs: 8 Dec 02 - midnight

2. Buildings Damaged

The firemen are still around today, but fires appear to have stopped burning. They have left about 11 buildings very badly damaged. Some are in an unsafe condition, and will probably have to be demolished. Here are some photos of the burnt out Gilded Balloon theatre today.

Peter Stubbs: 9 Dec 02

3. Possible Cause

The police believe that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault in a faulty fuse box in one of the buildings.

Peter Stubbs: 11 Dec 02

It has now been confirmed by the Fire Brigade that the most likely cause of the fire was a faulty fuse box in a former department store's disused lift shaft.

Peter Stubbs: 15 Mar 03

4. Demolition of Buildings

For the past two weeks, the damaged buildings have been taken down by hand, but late last Friday (20 December) there was a dramatic collapse of two of the walls into the street.

These walls had become unstable because the floors had burnt and left a large amount of debris pressing onto the walls. The walls of some of the surrounding buildings are now unstable.

One of the collapsed walls is that above the Gilded Balloon. The ground floor wall and arches above the street are still standing. Attempts are being made to stabilize them.

The area destroyed is were the Cowgate passes under South Bridge. Much of it is below the street level of South Bridge. It was only when the walls collapsed last week that the extent of the damage could be seen from street level.

I have added maps showing the buildings damaged or destroyed by fire. I'll add more photos to this site soon.

Peter Stubbs: 24 Dec 02

5. Return to Normal

Despite the damage to or destruction of about 11 buildings, this is only a very small area of Edinburgh's Old Town. Most of the Old Town remains unaffected, and all the familiar views still look the same.

The South Bridge was opened again to traffic again today, and visitors are arriving in Edinburgh for the Christmas and New Year Celebrations, which will be held as planned.

Peter Stubbs: 24 Dec 02

6. Only a very small part of the Old Town has been lost

Thanks for your comments and your thoughts.

I don't know of anywhere to post condolences or comments. However, despite the serious loss of buildings, the area affected is only a small part of the Old Town, and there was no loss of life or injury.

The familiar views of the Old Town, Royal Mile, Castle, Holyrood, Grassmarket, etc. have survived the fire and are all in tact:

©	©
John Knox House in the Royal Mile	Edinburgh Castle and the Grassmarket

All the Christmas and New Year festivities took place as planned with lots of visitors around Edinburgh over the past ten days.

Peter Stubbs: 3 Jan 03

7. Ideas for Rebuilding

Demolition is continuing, behind the hoardings. It is unlikely that the site will be clear until Easter, and the true cause of the fire may never be known for certain.

However discussion on how the site may be rebuilt have begun. Suggestions include the following:

- pedestrianised shopping gallery
- high rise residential block
- restoration of the site to its previous state
- a 'civic stairway' or escalators to link South Bridge with Cowgate.

A link between South Bridge and Cowgate that passes under the bridge could bring more visitors to Cowgate and surrounding areas during the day. In the past, Cowgate has been lively at night, but seen fewer visitors through the day.

Peter Stubbs: 11 Jan 03 [Edinburgh Evening News: 8 January 03]

The owners of the destroyed properties are considering how the site might be redeveloped. They are being advised by architects Malcolm Fraser and James Simpson.

Peter Stubbs: 15 Mar 03 [Edinburgh Evening News: 1 March 03]

8. Competition for Redevelopment

www.southbridge.org.uk

A website has been created to allow architects, design students and the public to enter a competition. This is an unofficial competition, organised by the design firm Inigo Media and Adrian Welch, editor of the website www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk.

The competition is looking for ideas of how the site at South Bridge / Cowgate destroyed by fire might be redeveloped.

The competition is totally speculative. The organisers, Indigo Media, have no links the council, the South Bridge Trust, the owners of the site or any conservation organisation. However, the organisers plan to offer full feedback from the competition to the South Bridge Trust.

Peter Stubbs: 12 Jan 03

The competition was judged by Martin Hulse, Director of the Cockburn Association and Professor Charles McKean of Dundee University.

The winning design, by Edinburgh West End architects, Galloway Associates, incorporated a twelve storey tower, and buildings of traditional stone and glass, with views through the site to the Tron Kirk and St Giles. The winning design was by the Edinburgh architects Ron Galloway Associates.

Second place in the competition was awarded to Thomas Hamilton, architects, West Crosscauseway, whose plan included retail, offices, pubs and performing arts space, with a pedestrianised Chambers Street and a public square.

The entries are to be on display at Edinburgh University's Matthew Gallery, Chamber Street until 19 March 03.

Peter Stubbs: 15 Mar 03 [Edinburgh Evening News: 11 March 03]
Peter Stubbs: 5 July 03 [Edinburgh Evening News: 17 April 03, pp.8,9]

9. Clearing the Site

South Bridge was opened to traffic on Christmas Eve. It is hoped that it will be possible to open Cowgate by Easter 2003.

The arched wall at the front of the Gilded Balloon has been saved. It is now hidden behind scaffolding for protection.

Peter Stubbs: 25 Jan 03 [Edinburgh Evening News: 22 January 03]

10. Future Use of the Site

City of Edinburgh Council has given the owners of the properties that have been damaged and destroyed 12 months to reach agreement on the future use of the site.

Peter Stubbs: 25 Jan 03 [Edinburgh Evening News: 22 January 03]

11. The Gilded Balloon - 2003 onwards

Plans are being made to stage the Gilded Balloon's comedy shows during the 2003 Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Edinburgh University student union at Teviot Row and at the Venue nightclub, and possibly also at Bristo Square for outdoor events. [The Times: 9 February 2003]

The owner, Karen Koren, hopes that the Gilded Balloon will be able to return, some day, to the Cowgate, though she is also considering other sites. She hopes to find a venue that will be able to provide shows throughout the year, rather than just during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. [Evening News: 13 March03 pp.6-7]

Peter Stubbs: 15 Mar 03

12. The Gilded Balloon - Benefit Night

"Gutted!", a benefit night for the Gilded Balloon is to be held at Edinburgh Festival Theatre on 20 March 03, featuring Bill Bailey, Jerry Shadowitz, Sean Hughes and many others.

A similar night was held at Piccadilly Circus, London in January.

Peter Stubbs: 15 Mar 03 [Evening News: 13 March 03 pp.6-7]

13. The Cowgate Opens Again

It has been announced that demolition work on the site of the fire has been completed, and that the Cowgate is to re-open to pedestrians and vehicles on Monday 24 March, a month ahead of schedule.

Peter Stubbs: 21 Mar 03 [Evening News: 21 March 03 p9]

14. Possible Redevelopment

The site is now due to be handed back to the owners. They are reported to be keen for their businesses to be rebuilt on the site, and are expected, soon, to commission architects Malcolm Fraser to produce detailed designs for redevelopment.

One suggestion proposed for 2003 is that a giant marquee should be erected to enable the site to be used during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August for exhibitions and live music. It is not known yet whether it will be practical for this proposal to go ahead.

Peter Stubbs: 13 May 03 [Evening News: 8 May 03 p3]

15. The Site is Cleared

The site was cleared and the Cowgate reopened to traffic, on time, by Easter 2003.

This view looks down from South Bridge onto the cleared site beside the Cowgate in June 2003.

Peter Stubbs: 25 July 03

16. Edinburgh Festival

August saw the visitors and entertainers return to the streets of Edinburgh for the festival. Here is one of the street performers giving his show in Hunter's Square beside the Tron Kirk.

In the background is the site of the Old Town Fire, eight months earlier with the dome of Edinburgh University Old College behind.

Peter Stubbs: 26 August 03

17. Housing Plan

Following public consultation about the lack of housing in the proposed development of the site, Edinburgh Council has agreed to change their planning brief to allow some housing to be included if the architects can ensure that residential needs will be met.

Malcolm Fraser, the Edinburgh architect, hired by the owners of the site commented that it would be good to get a "lived in and loved atmosphere". It may be possible to include some housing, especially in the upper stories that were used mainly for storage before the fire.

[Edinburgh Evening News: 30 September 03]

[Herald & Post 2 October 03]

Edinburgh is unusual in already having a good mix of residential property close to the city centre, in both the Old Town and the New Town.

Peter Stubbs: 3 October 03

18. Feasibility Study commissioned

Edinburgh University and other owners of the fire site (who have taken advice from the architect Duncan Fraser) have now commissioned an economic feasibility study to look at various options for redevelopment.

Results of the feasibility study are expected in spring 04.

[Edinburgh Evening News: 29 November 03, p9]

Peter Stubbs: 5 December 03

19. Reconstruction - when?

It is now a year since the fire broke out in the Old Town.

Malcolm Fraser, the architect who has been advising the owners on possible redevelopment of the site that it will be a further two years, and more probably about four years, before work on reconstruction of the site begins.

[The Metro: 9 December 03, p17]

Peter Stubbs: 14 December 03

20. Billboards and Reconstruction Plans

Concern has been expressed by heritage bodies concerning plans to erect advertising billboards on the site of the Old Town Fire until the site is developed.

It is anticipated that initial development proposals for the site will be will be announced within the next few weeks, though it is expected to be several years before development starts.

[Edinburgh Evening News: 3 June 04, p23]

Peter Stubbs: 27 June 04

21. Rebuilding to commence - Summer 2005?

It is expected that building work on the site of the Old Town Fire might commence in Summer 2005, and might be completed in 2007.

Developers are expected to soon submit bids for projects including nightclubs, bars, shops, restaurants, offices and flats, to be followed by a formal Planning Application in early 2005. The Gilded Balloon comedy club is not expected to return to this site.

The owners of the site have yet to select a development partner. They have received proposals from the architect, Malcolm Fraser (architect for Dance Base in the nearby Grassmarket) for a proposal including a central square, closes and wide steps leading from the Cowgate to South Bridge.

A new building, featuring traditional stonework and glass, about the same height as the buildings destroyed by fire, is expected.

[Edinburgh Evening News: 17 August 04, p9]

Peter Stubbs: 13 September 04

22. Architects shortlisted

Work is due to start in summer 2005 on a £20m scheme to build offices, shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs on the site destroyed by fire in December 2002.

The joint-owners of the site have invited six parties to submit their proposals for the site. The names have not been announced but these are believed to include RMJM, the firm that together with Enric Miralles, designed the Scottish Parliament, opened in October 2004.

Andrew Burrell and Mr Malcolm Fraser (who gave advice to the owners shortly after the fire) have also confirmed their interest in this project.

[Edinburgh Evening News: 6 October 04, p16]

Peter Stubbs: 3 November 04

23. Future use?

The following are all reported to have expressed interest in building on the site of the Old Town fire:

- the Scottish Courts
as an expansion of the Sheriff Court in Chamber Street

- the Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival
if they are not allowed to build a complex on their preferred site at Festival Square

- housing firms and a supermarket
possibly to complement the student housing on the gap site beside Blackfriars House, Cowgate.

The owners are expected to announce their preferred developer within the next few weeks.

[Edinburgh Evening News: 28 March 2005 p.7]
[Herald & Post, 31 March 05, p.11]

Peter Stubbs: 3 April 05

24. Developer Chosen

It was announced on 16 December 2005 that out of an original 25 developers who expressed an interest in this site, one has now been chosen.

It is Whiteburn Properties. They have been successful in buying out the eight existing site owners for an estimated £4m, and that they plan to create a "modernist contemporary" building on the site.

The development is expected to cost a further £20m. It is expected to include a hotel, offices, shops, bars, restaurants, a night club, a live music venue, new sheriff court buildings and flats. Public closes and two mini-courtyards are also planned for the site.

This scheme was the one chosen by the eight owners of the site, from four schemes offered to them. Whiteburn hope to seek planning permission from Edinburgh City Council in summer 2006 and to begin construction one year later.

Whiteburn will be working with architect Allan Murray on this project. He designed the Tun Building on the site of the former Scottish & Newcastle Brewery in Holyrood Road. He is also currently working with Mountgrange on the Caltongate development of the former New Street bus depot.

[Edinburgh Evening News: 16 Dec 2005 pp.1,5]

Peter Stubbs: 16 January 06

25. Development Announced - SoCo

Developers, Whiteburn, have announced a £60m plan, designed by architect Allan Murray, to build a 140-bed hotel, offices, homes a night, club, with perhaps a gallery, concert hall, cinema or 1,000-seat theatre on the site of the Old Town fire.

It is proposed that two squares will be built within the development. The site faces onto South Bridge and Cowgate and is to be known as 'SoCo'.

Comparisons have been made with the New York area, 'SoHo', so named for being South of Houston.

It is expected that a planning application for this development will be submitted to Edinburgh City Council during 2006 and that the development will take three or four years to build

[Edinburgh Evening News: May 22, 2006, p.3]

[Edinburgh Evening News: May 23, 2006, p.8]

Both these papers have illustrations of the proposed building

Peter Stubbs: 23 June 06

26. Hotel with Glass Dome

Part of the proposed SoCo development on the site of the Old Town fire is to be a £40m 140-bed hotel and leisure complex with a large glass dome, on the corner of Chamber Street and South Bridge.

Cowgate

South Bridge

This has been designed by the Edinburgh architect, Allan Murray.

A computer generated image of the proposed development appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News on August 16, 2006.

Whiteburn Projects have now acquired the whole site from the many previous owners - with the exception of the owner of La Belle Angele nightclub who has refused to sell and intends to re-open his nightclub at the same location

[Edinburgh Evening News: August 16, 2006, p.4]

Peter Stubbs: 27 August 06

27. Fringe Venue 2007

The site of the Old Town fire in the Cowgate is to be hired out to 'C Venues' to become a tented village, with musical theatre, drama and visual art taking place during the Edinbrugh Festival in August 2007.

'C Venues' also propose to use empty offices at the back of the fire site for other Edinburgh Festival Fringe events in 2007.

Meanwhile, the owners of the site have still to submit detailed planning applications for their proposed SoCo development, comprising hotel, cultural centre, shops, bars and restaurants on the site.

[Edinburgh Evening News: August 16, 2006, p.4]

Peter Stubbs: May 24, 2007

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