Most of Edinburgh’s Princes Street pavement is expected to reopen by December, easing pedestrian disruption caused by continuing work around a fire-damaged historic building in Scotland’s capital city
Webdesk Zunaira Fatima
Most of the pavement outside the fire-damaged former Debenhams building on Edinburgh’s Princes Street is expected to return to public use by the end of December 2026, according to an update from the City of Edinburgh Council.
The street itself reopened to pedestrians, vehicles and trams on 28 August, after being closed for around seven weeks following a major fire on 9 July. However, work to secure the damaged building meant that part of the pavement and a section of the road remained occupied by contractors. A temporary pedestrian walkway was created using part of the eastbound carriageway.
The council’s latest update says the occupation of the pavement and road is expected to be reduced by the end of December. Most of the footway and affected carriageway should then return to their previous use. A small section of pavement will remain occupied, but officials do not expect it to cause significant obstruction to pedestrians.
The fire severely damaged the former department store, leaving parts of its upper structure and historic frontage unsafe. Specialist engineers have been working to stabilise the building, installing steel supports and carefully removing damaged stonework and bricks. Some pieces of masonry were particularly heavy, making the work complex.
The incident caused significant disruption during the busy summer tourism and festival season. Bus services were diverted, while tram operations between the city centre and areas including Leith and Newhaven were interrupted for almost seven weeks. The street’s reopening in August allowed normal tram routes and city-centre bus services to resume, although restrictions around the building remained.
The council also used the closure period to complete maintenance work on Princes Street and parts of the tram network. This included pavement and road repairs, work on tram infrastructure and improvements to damaged surfaces. Bringing forward these projects was intended to reduce the need for further disruption.
The fire affected nearby businesses, which faced reduced visitor numbers and difficulties linked to transport changes. The Scottish Government announced up to £5 million in support for the city’s recovery, including assistance for affected businesses and work connected with the damaged site
The cause of the fire has not yet bee established, and investigations by Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are ongoing. The planned return of most of the pavement by December is expected to improve pedestrian access, although some limited restrictions will remain while work continues.
