New developments in Canonmills have provoked mixed reactions.
Newington-based Earthy have bought a 3-year lease to the row of shops by the bridge (1, 2, 3–6 Canonmills Bridge), and are knocking them together internally as you read this.
Later this month, they plan to open a restaurant and shop specialising in organic, sustainable, Fair Trade, and Farmer's Market goods and ambient products.
Earthy began in 2008 with a food market and café on Causewayside, and last year opened a second store in Portobello.
It is not yet clear how many staff will be employed in Canonmills, although Spurtle understands that a recruitment process is already under way.
[img_assist|nid=2771|title=|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=150|height=200]The reaction of most people we have spoken to has been overwhelmingly positive, with several interpreting it as a timely and well-deserved poke in the eye for local supermarkets.
Earthy's arrival comes as Glovart (Holdings) Limited's controversial plans to build 1 restaurant, 6 flats and 3 townhouses on the site have stalled (Ref. 09/00830/FUL; see Breaking news, 26.10.10).
The Council gave approval in November 2010 on various conditions (see file at foot of page), including the provision that work should begin on the consented project within three years. However, this does not mean that GHL will necessarily have to renter the planning process from scratch.
Speaking to Spurtle, a spokesman for Fouin & Bell Architects (GHL's agent) acknowledged that the financial climate remains very difficult for developers. However, so long as building begins before the November 2013 deadline, this will be sufficient to fulfil the terms of consent.
It is therefore likely that work will begin soon on accommodation to the rear of the newly leased buildings (currently a yard), which will not entail the same expensive natural stone which is to be used on the front elevation.
We tried to contact Glovart (Holdings) Limited directly, but their listed telephone number is dead.
On 14 March, Ben Raffles – PR and Events Manager at Real Foods Ltd – contacted Spurtle with this statement:
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[img_assist|nid=2770|title=|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=382|height=640]A less straightforward reaction has greeted news of the planning application for a change of use at 5 Howard Street (Ref. 12/00530/FUL).
Indre Urbonauicu wants to turn the former Piano Shop Ltd (Class 1) into a coffee shop (Class 3) 'selling panninis, sandwiches, desserts etc.'. The plan is to operate between 8.30am and 6.10pm.
On the face of it, the proposal seems perfectly innocuous. Certainly, no-one wants to see the premises remaining empty and forlorn for long.
But then when you consider that within a 5-minute walk there are already Russian Passion, the Orchard, Circle Café, Moo, two Coffee Angels (one of them within the Tanfield complex) and the East Gate Coffee Bar (RBGE), and at least half-a-dozen other similar establishments on Dundas Street and surrounds, then the wisdom or desirability of opening yet another begins to seem questionable.
'A café monoculture catering more to office workers than to residents' was how one local described it.
'Too much of the same,' commented Fergus Smith of Second Edition, who says other businesses nearby agree with him. He fears the diminishing retail diversity of the street will reduce the area's attractiveness to a wider variety of customers from near and far.
In the Edinburgh City Local Plan, there are many choice phrases about the contribution a diversity of uses makes to the vibrancy and sustainable development of town centres, and to the importance of maintaining the 'shopping character', but Howard Street and surrounds are not designated as a speciality shopping area.
Notwithstanding this, Planning officers maintain that an alleged 'detrimental impact on the character of the area' would still be considered a material cause for objection.
What do you think? Enough coffee in Canonmills already or too little? Send us your views.
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Broughton Spurtle @NewTownFlaneur I suspect the applicant meant 'pianists' – delicious with some black olives, feta and really ripe tomatoes.