Invitation to businesses in Leith affected by the tram failure
The Community Council received the following letter. Please reply to Rebecca’s invitation directly if you wish to participate (i.e. not to the Community Council).
Following the fire at the former Debenhams building on Princes Street and the resulting disruption to travel and footfall, recovery funding has been made available to support businesses and encourage activity across Leith, The Shore and Newhaven.
More By The Shore is a new Forever Edinburgh destination campaign designed to support recovery by encouraging residents and visitors to explore the area, stay longer and spend locally.
We’re now inviting businesses across Leith, The Shore and Newhaven to get involved completely free of charge.
We’re also asking our partners and stakeholders to share this opportunity with businesses and organisations across your networks to help us reach as many local businesses in these areas as possible.
Want to find out more?
We know this is relatively short notice, but we’re keen to get the campaign moving and start getting the message out to businesses as quickly as possible.
We’re holding an online business briefing on Wednesday 26th at 10am, where we’ll provide more information about the campaign, the opportunities available and how businesses can get involved.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/310013494453184?p=UlLK70oo5AACNmOTrH
Meeting ID: 310 013 494 453 184
Passcode: eh38zV36
Depending on attendance and feedback from Wednesday’s session, we may also arrange a further online or face-to-face session at a later date.
What is More By The Shore?
The campaign will showcase the businesses, experiences and places that make Leith and Newhaven special through a programme of seasonal activity, incentives and storytelling.
Whether you’re a restaurant, café, bar, shop, attraction, beauty business, accommodation provider or experience business, there are opportunities to take part.
There’s no cost to participate, and businesses can choose the opportunities that work best for them.
How can businesses get involved?
Leith Leisure Trail (working title)– launching this year
A new trail celebrating the businesses, flavours and experiences that make Leith and Newhaven unique.
Businesses could get involved through:
- Leith Exclusives – unique products, dishes, drinks or experiences.
- Offers and incentives – special offers or added-value experiences.
- Things to see, do and experience – helping visitors and residents discover more of the area.
More By The Shore at Christmas – November/December 2026
We’ll showcase the best of Leith and Newhaven through festive content, offers and incentives.
Businesses can get involved through:
- More By The Shore for Less – joining the festive voucher scheme.
- Christmas offers and experiences – sharing your festive activity with us to be featured in campaign content.
- Forever Edinburgh promotion – opportunities to be featured in festive guides and wider campaign activity.
More By The Shore in 2027 – January/February 2027
We’re also developing activity for the New Year, including:
- Resident voucher activity – exploring a Resident Rewards Edinburgh voucher scheme for EH postcode holders, subject to final confirmation.
- After 5 – showcasing Leith and Newhaven after dark, including evening dining, entertainment, live music, screenings, workshops and other winter experiences.
We’re also developing a business toolkit that businesses will be able to use to help promote the campaign themselves.
Why get involved?
- Reach new audiences and get your business in front of residents and visitors looking for things to do, eat, drink, shop and experience.
- Help drive footfall and be part of activity designed to encourage more people to visit and spend locally.
- Showcase what makes you different and highlight your products, experiences, events and offers.
- Participating businesses will receive free promotion and benefit from campaign content, digital promotion, social media, PR and wider Forever Edinburgh marketing activity.
- Be part of something bigger and join a collective campaign showcasing Leith, The Shore and Newhaven as one of Edinburgh’s most exciting destinations.
Find out more and sign up for free: MORE BY THE SHORE – Forever Edinburgh
Please share this opportunity with businesses in your networks and encourage them to get involved.
Business engagement taking place across the area
From this week, a team of Council officers will also be visiting businesses across Leith, Newhaven and The Shore.
The purpose of these visits is to better understand the impact businesses are experiencing, hear directly from local businesses and make sure they are aware of the support and opportunities available. If a member of the team visits your business, we’d really welcome the opportunity to speak with you.
We’re looking forward to working with businesses, partners and stakeholders across Leith, The Shore and Newhaven to help make More By The Shore a success.
Warmest wishes
Rebecca Burnett
Rebecca Burnett |Business Growth Talent Development and Lead| | The City of Edinburgh Council | Waverley Court, Level 1:4, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG | Tel 0131 529 6649 | Mob 07710385214 | Fax 0131 529 6207 | rebecca.burnett@edinburgh.gov.uk | www.edinburgh.gov.uk
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EALA Impacts are working with all three of the Leith Community Councils (Leith Links, Leith Harbour & Newhaven, and Leith Central) to make a Local Place Plan for Leith.
This is important because the Local Place Plan will feed into the City Council’s “City Plan 2040”, which sets out what is allowed to be built in the city, and will be used for many other things to shape the future of our neighbourhood.
It is really important that local poeple say what they want and don’t want in their area, in the future.
The deadline for submission to the City Council is Autumn 2025, but your comments and ideas should ideally be in by end of July / August.. Please use the QR code below or send in by email.
Read more about the importance of Local Place Plans, and how to make them, here