Edinburgh's retail strengths

Scale

Edinburgh is Scotland's second retail location by number of outlets and expenditure. The city has almost 2,600 retail establishments, with annual expenditure of £900m on goods such as fashion, furniture and electrical equipment. Across the wider city region, Stirling, Falkirk and Fort Kinnaird Retail Park to the south east of Edinburgh also make the top ten retail locations by expenditure. Glasgow has Scotland's largest number of retail outlets, at more than 3,300.

Catchment

The catchment area for retailers in Edinburgh City Region is large and diverse. Edinburgh City Region has a population of 1.3m, and this is expected to grow by a further 100,000 by 2022. Migrant workers attracted to the city region's economic success and high quality of life from Europe and beyond are adding to the indigenous population. Tourism represents a further huge retail market, with Edinburgh attracting more than 2m UK visitors and 1m overseas visitors a year.

Diversity

A diverse mix of UK multiples, niche independents, destination outlets and seasonal markets gives Edinburgh 's retail scene a highly distinctive character. In the city centre, the biggest high street names rub shoulders with a wealth of specialist independents and a vibrant cluster of restaurants, bars and cafes. Markets including Edinburgh Farmers' Market, Christmas and Festival markets add a seasonal twist, while out-of-town centres offer scale, space and style at locations across Edinburgh City Region.

Prestige

Edinburgh's international reputation in sectors including finance, its excellent quality of life and its status as Scotland's judicial and administrative centre make it an attractive destination for retailers including prestige brands. The Inspiring Capital is the most prosperous UK city after London, with earnings higher than the UK average. The city's new luxury quarter around Multrees Walk, anchored by Scotland's only Harvey Nichols store and with luxury names including Armani and Louis Vuitton, is a reflection of this appeal.

Environment

Dramatic settings such as Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia and Stirling Castle make the shopping experience in Edinburgh City Region hard to forget. In Edinburgh itself, the 'walkability' of the compact city centre, with more than 100,000 on and off-street car parking spaces, is also a key selling point for shoppers and retailers alike. All-year-round events including a packed programme of festivals add to the unique vibrancy of the Inspiring Capital.

Investment

Sunstantial investment is underway to expand and redevelop a number of flagship retail sites across Edinburgh City Region. Under the project name 'String of Pearls', Princes Street and is undergoing an unprecedented programme of regeneration to create a string of dynamic interconnected developments stretching from Calton Hill to Haymarket. At least £17m has been invested in separate public realm improvements and redevelopment is also underway at sites including  Edinburgh's Waterfront and the St James Centre. Local businesses have set up the central business improvement district Essential Edinburgh to invest collectively in improvement projects.