The latest development on Princes Street is the demolition of the former Littlewoods department stores premises which is to be replaced with a Primark. On Edinburgh’s most prominent retail thoroughfare it will be joining a range of chain stores including GAP, House of Fraser, Marks and Spenser and H & M.
Edinburgh’s city centre is well supplied with all the major high street retail chains but there is a growing frustration amongst a sector of the trade that independent retailers are being pushed out.
Laura Davidson, 26, from Lasswade, is in the process of establishing her clothing line If my name was….
She said, “After being based in London I am keen to live and work in Edinburgh, but it’s very difficult to establish a business here.”
At present Ms Davidson has stock on display at Cookie in Cockburn Street, Edinburgh and also sells through ASOS Marketplace, an online retail outlet. “The city doesn’t have anything like Camden Markets in London, not even remotely. There are occasional events but what we need is a location for a regular weekly market.”
Situated at Camden Lock, North West London, Camden Markets provides open-air and indoor stalls providing a range of goods including alternative fashion and arts & crafts. Regarded as one of the most popular tourist attractions in London, particularly for the under 30’s, it attracts almost to 100,000 visitors every weekend.
Edinburgh may have difficulty sustaining a Camden Market equivalent, but in Manchester, a similar market Afflecks, has been in business in the Northern Quarter since 1982.
Afflecks declares itself to be “an emporium of eclecticism, a totem of indie commerce” where customers can “shop for anything from Top hats to tattoos” and rents space to potential entrepreneurs.
Edinburgh has a large student population and is home to seven Universities and Colleges with many students remaining in the city after graduation. In addition, according to figures prepared by the Planning Information team of the City of Edinburgh Council, approximately 45 percent of the city’s population is aged between 16 and 45.
In August the influx of visitors attending and performing in various festivals spawns a multitude of stalls selling one off fashion pieces and even after the performers and visitors leave, the city remains a prominent year round holiday destination. In 2010 Conde Nast, the Luxury travel publisher, readers voting Edinburgh their top UK city vacation and the Guardian named it their top UK city destination for the 11th consecutive year.
After heritage, retail is a big draw to visitors, but the independent retailers believe they are increasingly priced out of the city centre by international chains and souvenir shops.
Ms Davidson trained at Heriot Watt University in Galasheils, in what had been the heart of the British textile industry. “I applied for Textile and Design Management but I moved to the Clothing Manufacture side.” She added “Always as a child I just liked making things.”
She chose to return north and established her business. “This is where I live and where I want to work.”
“All the dresses that I have now, none of them are drawn, they just kind of evolved from the fabric rather than being drawn and designed.” The result is a range of cotton dresses and playsuits in a variety of patterns and colours which by their nature are unique.
“If someone says – can you make that in a different size – I will but I always insure that the original has been altered so there is no danger of a customer every wearing the same item as anyone else.”
“Independent retailers who stock my line have to cover their costs so my clothes have to be priced accordingly. It makes it hard to compete even though my pieces are handmade and individually designed.”
www.if-my-name-was.co.uk
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