George Street is the central thoroughfare of the First New Town of Edinburgh, planned in the 18th century by James Craig. The street takes its name from King George III and connects St Andrew Square in the east with Charlotte Square in the west. It is located on the north side of the Old Town of Edinburgh, to the north of the Princes Street and to the south of Queen Street, running straight along the high point of a ridge. George Street, as first proposed in 1767 and initially built, was a residential area. However in the Victorian period the houses were replaced by shops, showrooms, banks, small department stores and hotels. A number of the grander of these buildings were designed by the prominent Victorian architect David Bryce, who lived in the street. George Street in the 21st century remains essentially a Victorian townscape, but the use of many of the commercial buildings has changed to restaurants, coffee shops and bars, with many high quality clothes shops.
15-17-19 - Caledonian Insurance Company designed by David Bryce in 1839-1840. Rebuilt in 1879-1880 when number 19 became part of the George Hotel.
19-21 - The George Hotel, now renamed the Principal, established in 1881, combining Bryce's building and five townhouses dating back to 1775.
25 - home of the novelist Susan Ferrier from 1784 to circa 1830.
65 - formerly Dowells Auctioneers, built in 1907-1908 using pale pink Dumfriesshire sandstone, designed by John Nichol Scott and Alexander Lorne Campbell.
89 - Renaissance-style five-storey shop, built in 1902, designed by Harry Ramsay Taylor. Formerly Gray's of Edinburgh hardware shop from 1903 to its closure in 2010,.
During construction work for the Edinburgh Trams project in 2011 and 2012, George Street became an important diversionary route as the parallel Princes Street was closed to traffic; a survey in April 2012, during the works, found that footfall on the street was one-third higher than during the same month in 2011, while footfall in Princes Street had declined. By 2013 it had become, according to the Edinburgh Evening News, "the city’s most prestigious shopping district". In October 2012, the City of Edinburgh Council approved a 12-month trial starting in June 2014 that saw George Street featuring a one way system for vehicles, and a dedicated two way bike lane. As part of this the outdoor space for restaurants and bars on this street was extended, too. On street car parking was being reviewed, and the frequency of buses on Princes street was reduced significantly. The trial used an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order as a place making and design measure. At the end of a trial the street was returned to its previous layout before the long-term plan was put to the public. Ironside Farrer conducted a consultation and proposed a "continental style" solution in their report. This report was discussed by the council on 7 June 2016 and the design principles approved unanimously. The council agreed that a more detailed design was to be drawn up by February 2017 covering issues around traffic flow, transport users, the built streetscape including the statues, and pedestrians.
Future plans
A new City of Edinburgh project for a 'George Street and First New Town Redesign' was launched in 2018, with a series of consultations and drop-in events during 2018 and 2019. The aim of the redesign is "to create a vibrant area with a world class street environment that is safe for all users. It will enhance its use for pedestrians while prioritising active travel for all."
In 2013 the street became a focal point for the Edinburgh Festival, with pedestrian areas increased and traffic space reduced. During the August 2016 festival period a new event, WestFest, took place on the most westerly block of George Street, which was closed to traffic between Castle Street and Charlotte Square. The event featured a whisky experience, a mobile cinema and 9-hole mini golf as well as a temporary cafe and bar. Most of the George Street restaurants had extra outdoor seating during the event.
