Edinburgh’s Princes Street is set for a new speciality coffee shop in an abandoned shop.
The City of Edinburgh Council approved the application to create the new coffee house, that will serve “speciality grade Robusta beans.”
Black Sheep Coffee will open the premises at 24-25 Princes Street and it will become their third shop in the city.
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They say their coffee beans are truly unique and “the world’s first speciality grade Robusta beans.”
The brand is becoming increasingly popular in recent years, with coffee shops and cocktail bars across the UK, France and Philippines.
Now they are coming to Princes Street and say the new store will generate approximately 12 full time positions and 8-10 part time positions with flexible shifts on offer.
The B-listed building on a prominent corner location on Princes Street and St Andrew Street.
The upper floors of the building housing the subject unit are currently in use as a hotel (Hotel Indigo) with associated bar and restaurant facilities.
The operation does not include any hot food production for either eat in or takeaway, other than for the toasting of sandwiches or the reheating of baked goods and Black Sheep Coffee say most of their sales are takeaway.
Vodafone vacated the premises three years ago in 2019 to move to a new store further up Princes Street and the developers say it is crucial to get the store opened again as soon as possible.
The estate agent Savills prepared the design statement on the application form for Black Sheep Coffee and state that the Black Sheep Coffee Shop on Princes Street will bring much needed football back to a location, currently with a long history of being vacant, and also benefit other businesses in the area.
They added that the likes of St James Quarter is already drawing a number of key retailers away from Princes Street so new development should be encouraged.
They said: “The occupation of this unit by Black Sheep Coffee, a popular new entrant to the market, will contribute positively to this part of the City Centre. Implementation of the proposals will enable a sizeable investment, generating jobs and footfall, all to the benefit of the wider city centre’s vitality and viability.
“There is no proposed physical changes to the existing unit required to facilitate the occupation of Black Sheep Coffee.
“Occupation by Black Sheep Coffee will secure a long term tenant that positively contributes towards the vibrancy of the City Centre and Princes Street both during the day and evening.
"This is particularly important given the considerable long vacancy history at the unit and the prominence of its location within the City Centre.”
