Princes Street is the main shopping street. George Street has alternative shops. The Royal Mile has Scottish souvenirs.
Edinburgh, the self-contained capital of Scotland, is the second largest city in Scotland after Glasgow and also the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. Over one million overseas visitors a year come to this city, elevating it to the second most popular tourist city in the UK, after London. Tourism is an important source of revenue for the city. Nominated as a World Heritage Site, tourists visit historical sites such as Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Georgian New Town. The Edinburgh Festivals take place every August attracting over 4.4 million visitors and generating more than £100 m for the city’s economy.
Edinburgh holds the distinction of having the highest gross value added per employee figure of any city in the UK, other than London, reaching a high of £50,256 in 2007. The largest employers are those dealing in the education, finance and business services, retailing and tourism. Edinburgh’s economy is mainly services sector based, i.e. focussed around banking, tourism and financial services. Bolstered by the strength of its financial services industry, inclusive of insurance and investment, Edinburgh has risen to be the UK's second financial centre after London and Europe's fourth by equity assets. Globally speaking, it leads Dubai, Amsterdam and Washington. Edinburgh is home to HQ Tesco Bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Virgin Money. Investment in real estate may be considered, underpinned by its economic strengths.
Markets:
Princes Street: The city’s main shopping area is Princes Street, fronting a wide range of stores from Boots, H&M and Jenners.
St James Shopping Centre: St James Shopping Centre is located just ahead of Princes Street,
and is easily accessed by car, bus, train or on foot. It offers shoppers a superb range of stores … from John Lewis and Next, to Republic, River Island and Wallis. Downloading the Shopping Centre’s guide would be worthwhile; visit www.stjamesshopping.com/pdf/mallguide2010.pdf which states by way of introduction, “St James Shopping is surrounded by an eclectic mix of classic and modern architecture, ancient monuments and designer boutiques.”
Gyle Shopping Centre: Gyle Shopping Centre, at the Gogar roundabout to the East, puts under one roof 70 of the best names, including Monsoon, New Look, Next, Gap, River Island, Wallis and Dorothy Perkins, along with perennial favourites such as Marks and Spencers, WH Smith, Boots and Morrisons, etc. Visit www.gyleshopping.co.uk for more details.
George Street: George Street, north of Princes Street, also showcases upmarket chains and stores.
Multrees Walk: Multrees Walk, next to the St. James Centre, hosts brands such as Louis Vuitton, Emporio Armani, Mulberry, Calvin Klein and Harvey Nichols.
Fort Kinnaird: Fort Kinnaird, just off the A1 in Edinburgh, is another decent shopping centre. Shops include Boots, Marks and Spencer, New Look, SportsDirect.com, River Island, Phones 4 U and more.
Supermarkets: As may be expected, Tesco, ASDA and Sainsbury’s dominate the category.
Argos also has a branch in the city.
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