Fort Kinnaird
LocationEdinburgh, Scotland, UK
Opening date1989
ManagementBritish Land
OwnerBritish Land and M&G Real Estate
No. of stores and services70+
No. of anchor tenants4 (Marks & Spencer, Primark, TK Maxx & HomeSense and Next)
Total retail floor area560,000 sq ft
Parking2,609 spaces
Websitefortkinnaird.com

Fort Kinnaird is a large outdoor retail park in Newcraighall, located off the A1 in the south-east of Edinburgh, Scotland. Often known simply as ‘the Fort’ to locals, it is currently the second largest retail park in the UK with 75 units occupied.

History

Built on the site of the former Newcraighall Colliery, the retail park opened in 1989 as Craig Park.[1] Edinburgh's very first multiplex cinema was opened at the park in 1990 by UCI Cinemas.[2] Its name was later changed to Kinnaird Park.

Over the years, it has expanded into land surrounding the original footprint of the original Kinnaird Park, including the site of the former Niddrie Brickworks, which closed down in 1991. The site was branded separately as Edinburgh Fort. Eventually both sites were renamed under its current name in the late 1990s.[3]

In 2008, the cinema, which was now operated by Odeon Cinemas, along with its adjacent bowling alley, was closed down and demolished.

In late 2013 work started on a £24m extension to the park. It included 7 restaurants, a children's play area and a seven-screen cinema, which was built on the same site as the original cinema that had been demolished 5 years earlier. The cinema is once again operated by Odeon.[4] The development was completed in March 2015.

In 2018, M&G Real Estate purchased the Crown Estate's 50% stake in the retail park for £167.25 million, forming a joint venture with The Hercules Unit Trust, the existing owners of the other 50%.[5]

Stores

Extended section of Fort Kinnaird

The retail park has many high street brands such as Marks and Spencer, River Island, Primark, Next, Fatface, H&M and New Look.

Stores range from large to smaller units. Other stores include Boots, WH Smith, Waterstones, Smyths, Oak Furniture Land, HomeSense, T.K. Maxx, Argos, Specsavers and Tapi Carpets.

The retail park also has many food outlets, including Bread Meats Bread, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Pizza Express, Tony Macaroni, Subway, Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Frankie & Benny's, KFC, Burger King and Nando's.

References

  1. ↑ "Nostalgia: Holding the Fort". Scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  2. ↑ "5 Edinburgh cinemas which are no more". Edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Work begins on Fort Kinnaird multiplex : October 2013 : News : Architecture in profile the building environment in Scotland". Urbanrealm.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  5. ↑ Masterson, Victoria (7 June 2018). "Fund manager buys stake in Edinburgh's Fort Kinnaird retail park". Insider. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.

55°56′6.30″N 3°6′12.46″W / 55.9350833°N 3.1034611°W / 55.9350833; -3.1034611

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