Wednesday 23 July 2008

The Fire 5 years on

Does anyone remember the fire in Edinburgh in December 2002 which was widely reported to have destroyed part of the Old Town? Though it turned out not to be quite a bad as that, five and a half years later there is still a huge hole in the middle of the city. Because the site was owned by eight different owners, the negotiations over a redevelopment of the site were long and complex. However I am told there are now concrete plans to build a new city district called SoCo, presumably after its location on the corner of Southbridge and the Cowgate.

4 comments:

Allie said...

My teenaged daughter and her high school theatre troupe are heading to Edinburgh in August. They have been invited to perform at the Fringe. She's SO excited! One thing we haven't been able to find out is the cost of eating there. Can you shed any light on this for us? On average, how much does it cost for lunch or dinner for teenagers? They aren't really "in" to sit-down, three course meals.....and I'm sure they'll be checking out the Scottish counter-parts of McDonald's and such. I've marked your site in my favorites and plan to come back daily as the city gears up for Edinburgh. You take lovely photos! Many thanks!!
~Allie

Dido said...

Hi Allie

Thanks very much for your kind comment! Eating out isn't actually that expensive compared to other places. Some of the larger chain pubs (Weatherspoons, but also the Tron) do cheap burger & a drink deals for about £5, though in most places you will be able to get a meal for between £5 and £8. I personally like to go out for food around the university, for example on Potterrow, as there are lots of cheap and cheerful places that do decent food. Sandwiches/wraps etc for lunch are usually about £2-3 from take-outs, again I can recommend the uni area (George IV bridge, Forrest Road, Potterrow). Hope this helps!

What is the name of your daughter's theatre troupe?

Anonymous said...

Allie, if your daughter and her friends are looking to eat cheaply in the Potterrow area, my two recommendations are for a vegetarian curry at the Edinburgh Mosque (the mosque kitchen is open every lunchtime, and serve a large portion of curry and rice for £3) or the Forest Cafe on Bristo Place (where you can get enormous portions of food for under £5 from about noon till 8pm).

Hope they have a wonderful time!

Anonymous said...

Dido, I really meant to post this link - it's a photo I took back in February of the Great Fire site from another angle. Thought you might find it interesting...