Introduction
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, the seat of the Scottish parliament and the second-largest city in the country after Glasgow. It’s located 398 miles north of London, 90 miles north of Newcastle and is within striking distance of the wild and unpopulated Highlands.
As one of the most ruggedly beautiful cities in the UK, it’s unsurprising that it’s a thriving cultural and tourist destination. The skyline is dominated by Edinburgh Castle, perched high on Castle Rock and the city is also home to the romantic palace of Holyrood House, where Mary Queen of Scots lived in the sixteenth century.
The great thing about Edinburgh is that it’s not just a historical monument, it’s also got a vibrant modern heart. For instance, it hosts the annual Edinburgh Festival, which is a now cult event featuring official and fringe theatre. In addition, people gather in Edinburgh from all over the world to celebrate traditional Scottish events, such as Hogmanay, Burns Night, St Andrew’s Day and so on.
But of course there is a serious side to this affluent city. West of the castle is the insurance, financial and banking buildings and Edinburgh International Conference Centre – a testament to the city’s reliance on the service sector rather than manufacturing.
One of the city’s biggest projects at the moment is the development of a tram system, which is expected to go live by 2012.
Population
Compared with many cities in England, the population of Edinburgh is moderate, yet it is the second most populated city in Scotland after Glasgow. In 2007, it stood at 468,070, according to estimates from the City of Edinburgh Council, which also states that more than 95% of Edinburgh respondents classed their ethnicity as White in 2001. It’s also a fairly youthful population, with the General Register Office for Scotland, 2008, stating that Edinburgh has a higher proportion of people aged between 16 and 24 than the Scottish average.
Economy
Edinburgh’s economy is traditionally based around the services sectors and is one of the strongest in the UK, with the ONS recording a GVA per capita of £28,238 in 2005.
Central to the city’s fortunes is banking, and so it’s no surprise that the financial and business sectors are burgeoning. Other top employers are education and health, retailing and tourism.
Unemployment in Edinburgh has been lower than other cities in Scotland, which has softened the impact of redundancies in the financial sector triggered by the recession. Office for National Statistics figures showed that 2.8% of the city's working age population was claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in Spring 2009.
Hospitality job opportunities
There’s no escaping the fact that tourism is a crucial moneyspinner for the city. As a World Heritage site, tourists from all over the world flock to see Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Georgian New Town. In fact, the city attracts a million overseas visitors a year, making it the second most visited tourist destination in the UK after London, according to National Statistics Online.
But it’s not just historic sites that drive tourism. Every August, the number of visitors attending the Edinburgh Festival almost doubles the resident population, creating jobs and generating about £100m for the Edinburgh economy. In 2009, the festival organisers recorded a record 1.85 million tickets were sold – a 9% increase on the previous record of 1.7m in 2007.
In the past decade or so a number of chic, world-class hotel operators have taken the city by storm. For instance, RF Hotels Balmoral, the Eton Collection’s the Glasshouse and the Scotsman, Hotel Missoni, the Howard, the Bonham, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin to name a few. Also in the mix are more affordable growing companies such as Apex International.
Quick hospitality stats
Edinburgh is at the heart of Scottish tourism and so the following statistics will have a big impact on the city’s tourist market:
- In 2005, The Tourism Framework for Change established a target of 50% growth in tourism in Scotland by 2015
-
People 1st's State of the Nation report predicted some 14,800 jobs would need to be created in Scotland between 2007-2017. Taking replacement into account, some 94,400 new employees are needed in that same period
- Some 26% of current vacancies are hard to fill because of a shortage of skills
Other hospitality facts:
- Two hotels are being proposed for Edinburgh Airport – a 150-bedroom four-star hotel and 200-bedroom three-star hotel
- Figures compiled in 2009 show that the average worker in Edinburgh now earns a gross wage of £516.60 a week – or £26,848 a year. This is 3.8 per cent ahead of a year earlier and is well ahead of the UK average, which increased by 2.3 per cent to £490.20. source: Edinburgh Evening News February 2010
General living
Edinburgh is ringed by greenbelt. In the centre, the Medieval Old Town and residential Georgian New Town districts are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Further afield, residential areas include South Side and Leith, which is the port area and now home to Royal Yacht Britannia.
It’s a relatively compact, intimate city with good housing at prices that tend to compete favourably with other cities. In a 2009 YouGov poll, Edinburgh was voted the "most desirable city in which to live in the UK".
Property
|
Property type |
Average price |
| Detached |
£473,315 |
| Semi-detached |
£317,872 |
| Terraced |
£279,732 |
| Flats |
£170,870 |
Highest value areas
|
Area |
Zed-Index |
| EH10 (Edinburgh) |
£349,282 |
| EH9 (Edinburgh) |
£341,484 |
| EH2 (Edinburgh) |
£318,102 |
| EH3 (Edinburgh) |
£315,690 |
| EH4 (Edinburgh) |
£259,185 |
| EH13 (Edinburgh) |
£246,927 |
| EH12 (Edinburgh) |
£246,699 |
| EH1 (Edinburgh) |
£237,112 |
| EH15 (Edinburgh) |
£216,329 |
| EH14 (Balerno) |
£215,848 |
Lowest value areas
|
Area |
Zed-Index |
| EH11 (Edinburgh) |
£145,253 |
| EH17 (Edinburgh) |
£151,471 |
| EH8 (Edinburgh) |
£172,765 |
| EH7 (Edinburgh) |
£178,941 |
| EH6 (Edinburgh) |
£179,629 |
| EH30 (South Queensferry) |
£181,473 |
| EH29 (Kirkliston) |
£189,510 |
| EH16 (Edinburgh) |
£195,007 |
| EH5 (Edinburgh) |
£205,262 |
| EH14 (Balerno) |
£215,848 |
Source: Zoopla.co.uk
*The Zed-Index! is the average home value in a given area based on current Zoopla.co.uk Estimates.
Travel and commuting
Edinburgh is well-connected both nationally and internationally by Edinburgh Airport. In fact, many businesspeople commute to and from London on a daily basis.
Rail links are also good, with London, for instance, only four or five hours away on the train. There are four stations serving Edinburgh, with Waverley being the main and most central one. The others are Haymarket, Edinburgh Park, and South Gyle.
Edinburgh is also at the hub of the Scottish motorway system, which connects with major cities throughout the UK. You can drive to Aberdeen in about two hours, Manchester in four and Birmingham in five-and-a-half hours.
A new tram service is on schedule to launch in 2012. In the meantime, getting around the city is easier by bus than by car, partly because it has 28.5 miles of bus lanes.*
It’s also much more comfortable than by bicycle in the city centre, which is only for hardy cyclists who can cope with hills and cobbles. Having said that, the Scottish government has pledged £750,000 to cycling organisation the Bike Station to encourage more cyclists.
*Source: City of Edinburgh Council
Lothian Buses is one of the two main bus companies. Its season ticket Ridacards cost:
£15 - a week
£45 – four weeks
£540 annual
Source:
www.edinburgh.org
Culture, tourism and nightlife
Just walking around this UNESCO heritage city is stimulating enough for some people, but it would be hard not to get caught up in Edinburgh’s lively artistic and musical life.
This is certainly a city that buzzes with culture, fun and creativity. Besides the theatrical extravaganza of the Edinburgh Festival, the city has a string of other annual events. These include the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Jazz and Blues festival, the Mela, the Film festival and more.
And as with any cosmopolitan city in the 21st century, its world class restaurants, bars and clubs are right on the cutting-edge.
Eating and drinking
Most of the major UK pub and restaurant chains are represented in Edinburgh, as well as some excellent independent outlets. Entrepreneur James Thomson’s empire dominates the top end of the Edinburgh foodie and style scene. Check out his Witchery by the Castle and Rhubarb at his five-star hotel Prestonfield.
Also setting the tone are Michelin-star holders:
Cultural activities include:
- Museums such as the National Gallery of Scotland and Royal Scottish Academy
- Historic sites such as Palace of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle
- Musical highs such as the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Source:
www.edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com
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