To the outside eye, Edinburgh may seem like a city preserved in time - but as any native to the Scottish capital will tell you, things have changed massively over the decades.
Some of our favourite (or in some cases, least favourite) places to go as a child in Edinburgh have long since disappeared - and the places we shop, eat and play just aren’t what they used to be. We’re taking a look at some of these long-lost and much-loved spots that shaped our childhoods.
Check out the places from around the city that we’re missing below.
READ MORE - Eight childhood games every Edinburgh local will remember from playtime
Fat Sam’s
Opening in 1986, this Chicago gangster-themed restaurant served up huge portions with a side of unique entertainment for nearly two decades.
Housed in the former meat market building at Fountainbridge, guests tucked into American style burgers and steaks with a jazz band in the background. Should you successfully finish your meal, you’d walk away with an ‘I Survived Fat Sam’s’ sticker.
After 14 years of business, the spot closed for good in 2000. By 2007, the building was demolished to make way for new office and retail development - or so we’re told, perhaps a rival gang of Fat Sam took revenge.
John Menzies
While Menzies had stores across the city, the first opened up on Princes Street in 1833.
It wasn’t until January 1998 that this store closed, so there’s a lot of generations who will recall a trip to the iconic outlet. Magazines, stationery, toys, games, records and so much more could be purchased with whatever money you’d managed to scrape together that week.
Just as the Princes Street store closed its doors, the company sold its retail operation to WHSmith. Menzies went on to focus on its distribution business, and is now an aviation service - still based in Edinburgh.
Rankins
Only those of a certain age will recall Rankins of Edinburgh, the legendary family-run fruit and flower specialists that served the city for over 65 years.
Founded by brothers William and Peter in 1912, the company started life as a fruit and veg stand from a small cart on Infirmary Street. Before long, the Rankins had 20 locations across Edinburgh.
The business was finally sold back in 1985, but memories of the greengrocers live on today. Any local who was a youth before the mid ‘80s will recall being dragged in to a Rankins with their gran on the weekend - we might not have enjoyed it then, but we all miss it now.
Casey’s
An old fashioned sweet shop is hard to come by these days, but any child of Edinburgh will remember one of the city’s finest - Casey’s.
With two locations in the city, the family run shop served locals for over 70 years. For those in the Old Town, they could head to the St Mary's Street outlet - while those on the other side of town had a shop in Abbeyhill for all their sweet tooth needs.
Before it closed, the Abbeyhill spot was popular with Hibs fans who would pop in for Easter Road Rock - coloured green and white, with the club’s name on the side. Soor plooms, Chelsea whoppers, kola kubes and pretty much anything else you can think of could be brought home in a wee paper bag.
Sadly, Casey’s called it quits in 2009 - and the city has never been the same since.
Brattisani’s
An Edinburgh institution, Brattisani’s was everyone's favourite stop for a post-swim chippie.
The Brattisani family came to the city in the 1870s, opening a business that would last for the next 115 years. At one point, Joseph Brattisani was running five different restaurants across the city.
For most children in the city, the perfect Saturday consisted of a trip to the Commie (or Commonwealth Pool for the more formal amongst us) followed by a trip to Brattisani’s in Newington. Sadly, they salted (and sauced) their last supper in 2004 - breaking hearts all over Edinburgh.
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Martins the Bakers
Long before Greggs, Martin’s was once the place to be for all your freshly-baked needs. With dozens of shops around the city and a fleet of vans that delivered door-to-door, the bakers dominated for much of the 20th century.
In its later years, the business became part of the Allied Bakeries group - before gradually vanishing and passing on outlets to Greggs.
Powderhall
Up until 1995, Powderhall Stadium was known as the home of dog racing in Edinburgh. Built in 1869, the grounds also played host to football matches, bike racing and other competitions over its time.
Many children of the city will remember a trip to the races, most likely paying little to no attention to the competition and running up and down the seating area instead. After the track closed, the stand was demolished and the grounds soon became a housing estate.
James Thins
Founded by James Thin, the bookseller was once the principal bookshop for the city. While their main focus was academic works for the University of Edinburgh, a wide variety of publications could be found in this emporium.
A book was a pretty big expense back in the day, so a trip to Thins was a real treat - and one you can’t make these days. In January 2002, the business went into administration with the shops sold between Ottakar’s and Blackwell’s - who now operate the flagship branch on South Bridge.
Patrick Thomson’s
Once Edinburgh’s most popular department store, Patrick Thomson’s - or "PT's" as locals called it - was established in 1889 as a small fabric store on South Bridge. In the 20th century, they moved to 15 North Bridge and marketed themselves as the Shopping Centre of Scotland.
The latest trends in fashion, furniture, carpets, costumes and toys were available for purchase at Thomson’s. Some may even remember the Palm Court restaurant, with views across Edinburgh.
Patrick Thomson was closed in the ‘70s, and reopened as an Arnotts in ‘76 before closing for good in ‘82. It soon became a Carlton Hotel, which still stands today.
Leith Waterworld
The only pool in Edinburgh with flumes and a fast river run, Leith Waterworld was the place to be as a child.
Built on the site of the former Leith Central railway station, the pool opened in 1992 to much excitement - before closing in 1999 due to tiling and electrical problems. It returned in 2002, with a new and improved play area.
Despite campaigns to keep it open, it closed for good in 2012. It now serves as a soft play area, but nothing will ever compare to the wondrous water experience.
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