A major fire broke out at a building on Princes Street in Edinburgh during the early hours of Thursday, prompting a large emergency response. The property, located at 109 Princes Street, was originally built in 1869 as the Palace Hotel. Firefighters rushed to the former Debenhams building, while road closures and public transport disruptions were put in place across the city centre.
When Did Emergency Services Respond?
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service received the emergency call at around 2:50 am. Authorities deployed seven fire engines and three specialist vehicles to tackle the blaze. Firefighters remain at the scene as operations continue.
There have been no reports of injuries so far. Emergency services continue to monitor the situation while firefighting efforts remain underway.
How Has The Fire Affected Traffic?
Police Scotland has closed several roads around the affected area. Road closures are currently in place on:
•   Princes Street
•   Frederick Street
•   Castle Street
Authorities have advised the public to avoid the city centre until further notice.
How Has Public Transport Been Affected?
The fire has caused major disruption to public transport in Edinburgh. Edinburgh Trams are operating only between Edinburgh Airport and West End. Lothian Buses have diverted services via George Street, while ScotRail has introduced ticket acceptance between Edinburgh Gateway and Edinburgh Waverley to help affected passengers.
Who Owns The Building?
The damaged building was purchased by Criterion Capital in July 2024. The company had planned to convert the property into Scotland’s first Zedwell Hotel. The Debenhams department store permanently closed in May 2021, a month after a major fire damaged the building in April 2021. Later that year, Legal & General proposed a £50 million redevelopment of the site. The plan included building a 207 room boutique hotel and a hospitality hub, but the project was eventually cancelled.
The property was later purchased by Criterion Capital, a real estate company led by billionaire Asif Aziz. The company planned to convert the building into a Zedwell hotel, which would have been the brand’s first hotel in Scotland if the project had gone ahead.
