Derelict Places Around Leith

Long story (!) but is there any derelict buildings around Leith?

I think it’s all quite gentrified nowadays. Not sure if there’s anywhere down the shore for instance

Thanks

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Originally Posted by LustForLeith

Long story (!) but is there any derelict buildings around Leith?

I think it’s all quite gentrified nowadays. Not sure if there’s anywhere down the shore for instance

Thanks

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I cant think of any derelict, perhaps a few requiring a bit of a facelift though. Slum clearances early to late 70s rid Leith of a rake of vermin infested tenements (I didnt mind the vermin) with the steady decline of industry a few buildings such as whisky bonds etc were repurposed in the late 80s/90s and turned into offices, flats and foodie joints.

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

I cant think of any derelict, perhaps a few requiring a bit of a facelift though. Slum clearances early to late 70s rid Leith of a rake of vermin infested tenements (I didnt mind the vermin) with the steady decline of industry a few buildings such as whisky bonds etc were repurposed in the late 80s/90s and turned into offices, flats and foodie joints.

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I was thinking the same thing

I suppose right down the docks might be a shout. I’ll take a wee wander for a recky

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Originally Posted by LustForLeith

I was thinking the same thing

I suppose right down the docks might be a shout. I’ll take a wee wander for a recky

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"Oh aye, officer, I was just looking for derelict buildings. I've heard everything now son!"

The amount of money that can be quickly rustled up by chucking up some bijou 2 bedroom flats or student flats means that nothing is really allowed to be derelict for long any more.

Even around the docks the flats are rising up at some rate these days.

There's a derelict building next door to the Marksman pub on Duke Street. It's been boarded up for years, I think it used to be a pub/private hire venue but I could be totally wrong!

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Originally Posted by Hibs Go Bragh

There's a derelict building next door to the Marksman pub on Duke Street. It's been boarded up for years, I think it used to be a pub/private hire venue but I could be totally wrong!

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Yep formerly Skivvys, had many a radge night in that place

There is a stretch on Salamander Street that is pretty derelict. An old warehouse that has been available for rent for an age. Opposite Daltons and just along from the Bullfinch pub.

With all the new housebuilding going on around there would be stunned if they remain that way for much longer.

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Originally Posted by LustForLeith

I was thinking the same thing

I suppose right down the docks might be a shout. I’ll take a wee wander for a recky

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When I was a kid in Leith I absolutely loved rummaging through the derelict tenements and whisky bonds. Even now I can picture dated wallpapers, stoves and even in one or two tenements antiquated tv sets and radiograms.

I remember one particular derelict tenement on Great Junction St opposite Leith hospital and we got into an old shop from the Bangor Rd side. The shop looked as if the owners just padlocked the doors and left in a hurry with many items still packaged on the shelves and strewn on the floor.

I dont recall anything of worth to me in regards jars of sweets or spare coppers
but I do remember I walked away with loads of packs of Wilkinson Sword razor blades and shaving brushes which I gave to my Dad.

Not sure if it is still derelict as I haven't passed there in a while and technically not Leith but there's the building next to McDonald Road Fire Station. Think when one of my mates was into "urban exploring", he went in there to film.

Edit: This building. Not sure what it was. I lived near there for 9 years and it was derelict all that time.

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Originally Posted by overdrive

Not sure if it is still derelict as I haven't passed there in a while and technically not Leith but there's the building next to McDonald Road Fire Station. Think when one of my mates was into "urban exploring", he went in there to film.

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The old power/lighting station with the chimney?

Last time I was down there it was still in a total state of disrepair. I think I had heard something about flats but it's a listed building and it would be a huge job.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

The old power station with the chimney?

Last time I was down there it was still in a total state of disrepair. I think I had heard something about flats but it's a listed building and it would be a huge job.

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That's the one. I've put a link to the Google Street View of it on my OP. Always thought it would make a great food market like the Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid or Time Out in Lisbon

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Originally Posted by overdrive

Not sure if it is still derelict as I haven't passed there in a while and technically not Leith but there's the building next to McDonald Road Fire Station. Think when one of my mates was into "urban exploring", he went in there to film.

Edit: This building. Not sure what it was. I lived near there for 9 years and it was derelict all that time.

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A place I passed but never ventured into, its a fascinating piece of Edinburgh tram history. Built around 1899 this former coal-fired power generating station with renaissance basillica.

It was at one time the coal yard for the power station and the building was opened in 1898. This electricity generating station housed the haulage engines used for the cable-tramway although it was originally designed as an electric lighting station.

It is a listed building and sad to see it crumbling away, not the most beautiful of buildings but its industrial pedigree is fantastic.

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

When I was a kid in Leith I absolutely loved rummaging through the derelict tenements and whisky bonds. Even now I can picture dated wallpapers, stoves and even in one or two tenements antiquated tv sets and radiograms.

I remember one particular derelict tenement on Great Junction St opposite Leith hospital and we got into an old shop from the Bangor Rd side. The shop looked as if the owners just padlocked the doors and left in a hurry with many items still packaged on the shelves and strewn on the floor.

I dont recall anything of worth to me in regards jars of sweets or spare coppers
but I do remember I walked away with loads of packs of Wilkinson Sword razor blades and shaving brushes which I gave to my Dad.

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I must have explored every derelict building and condemned tenement in Leith in the early-mid 70's. As you say flats were abandoned, often with curtains still up and furniture still in situ. It was quite eerie and apocalyptic.

Remember going into old shops myself in Bangor Rd and via the back of Gt Junction St. We once found a tin of gunpowder like substance, it was lit and kind of imploded when a few matches were tossed on it.

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Originally Posted by superfurryhibby

I must have explored every derelict building and condemned tenement in Leith in the early-mid 70's. As you say flats were abandoned, often with curtains still up and furniture still in situ. It was quite eerie and apocalyptic.

Remember going into old shops myself in Bangor Rd and via the back of Gt Junction St. We once found a tin of gunpowder like substance, it was lit and kind of imploded when a few matches were tossed on it.

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Is there more information on why there were so many buildings left derelict? Would be an interesting read

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Originally Posted by Trinity Hibee

Is there more information on why there were so many buildings left derelict? Would be an interesting read

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38 pages of some great reading here 👍

https://sp.ukdataservice.ac.uk/doc/4927/mrdoc/pdf/q4927uguide.pdf

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

38 pages of some great reading here 👍

https://sp.ukdataservice.ac.uk/doc/4927/mrdoc/pdf/q4927uguide.pdf

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Cheers. Stockbridge and comely bank interesting too

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Originally Posted by Trinity Hibee

Is there more information on why there were so many buildings left derelict? Would be an interesting read

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"By the 1960's Leith still suffered from chronic overcrowding, and the decision was taken to address this
problem, but to try and retain much of the population within Leith. The result was the demolition of many entire
streets, and their replacement with tall tower blocks".

THis quote is from the paper linked a few posts ago.

I'm not entirely sure that over crowding should sit as the main focus of the tenement clearances we saw in Leith in the 1960's and ran on into the 70's. My memories of living in Elbe St, c 1971-73, was that there was no inside toilet, no hot water (some flats did no doubt have immersions), no bath. Slum properties. We were overcrowded as well, no doubt about it.

The article mentions this

"In 1880, the Leith Improvement Act was passed and an Improvement scheme put into action. Under this scheme,
a large part of Leith, the area between the Shore and the Kirkgate, was demolished and spacious new tenements
were built ( like Henderson Street ). While this improved housing conditions per se, to meet the cost of the
redevelopment, the price of the new flats was beyond the reach of most of the Leithers who had been displaced
by the redevelopment. Consequently, these people had to crowd into the already overcrowded old tenements
which constituted the problem that the scheme had aimed to redress".

Property prices beyond the reach of most Leithers rings a bell. A lot of the properties above became the slum tenements knocked down in the 60 & 70's and were always owned by landlords and investors. This was mirrored in other parts of the city at different times. We bought a flat in Learmonth Gardens and some older folk living in the stair said that the tenements (late era tenements, built in the 1930's) were all bought by Ferranti's, to house employees (like their parents).

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Originally Posted by superfurryhibby

"By the 1960's Leith still suffered from chronic overcrowding, and the decision was taken to address this
problem, but to try and retain much of the population within Leith. The result was the demolition of many entire
streets, and their replacement with tall tower blocks".

THis quote is from the paper linked a few posts ago.

I'm not entirely sure that over crowding should sit as the main focus of the tenement clearances we saw in Leith in the 1960's and ran on into the 70's. My memories of living in Elbe St, c 1971-73, was that there was no inside toilet, no hot water (some flats did no doubt have immersions), no bath. Slum properties. We were overcrowded as well, no doubt about it.

The article mentions this

"In 1880, the Leith Improvement Act was passed and an Improvement scheme put into action. Under this scheme,
a large part of Leith, the area between the Shore and the Kirkgate, was demolished and spacious new tenements
were built ( like Henderson Street ). While this improved housing conditions per se, to meet the cost of the
redevelopment, the price of the new flats was beyond the reach of most of the Leithers who had been displaced
by the redevelopment. Consequently, these people had to crowd into the already overcrowded old tenements
which constituted the problem that the scheme had aimed to redress".

Property prices beyond the reach of most Leithers rings a bell. A lot of the properties above became the slum tenements knocked down in the 60 & 70's and were always owned by landlords and investors. This was mirrored in other parts of the city at different times. We bought a flat in Learmonth Gardens and some older folk living in the stair said that the tenements (late era tenements, built in the 1930's) were all bought by Ferranti's, to house employees (like their parents).

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That’s really interesting.

The phrase “the more things change, the more things stay the same” came to mind when I was reading it.

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Originally Posted by superfurryhibby

"By the 1960's Leith still suffered from chronic overcrowding, and the decision was taken to address this
problem, but to try and retain much of the population within Leith. The result was the demolition of many entire
streets, and their replacement with tall tower blocks".

THis quote is from the paper linked a few posts ago.

I'm not entirely sure that over crowding should sit as the main focus of the tenement clearances we saw in Leith in the 1960's and ran on into the 70's. My memories of living in Elbe St, c 1971-73, was that there was no inside toilet, no hot water (some flats did no doubt have immersions), no bath. Slum properties. We were overcrowded as well, no doubt about it.

The article mentions this

"In 1880, the Leith Improvement Act was passed and an Improvement scheme put into action. Under this scheme,
a large part of Leith, the area between the Shore and the Kirkgate, was demolished and spacious new tenements
were built ( like Henderson Street ). While this improved housing conditions per se, to meet the cost of the
redevelopment, the price of the new flats was beyond the reach of most of the Leithers who had been displaced
by the redevelopment. Consequently, these people had to crowd into the already overcrowded old tenements
which constituted the problem that the scheme had aimed to redress".

Property prices beyond the reach of most Leithers rings a bell. A lot of the properties above became the slum tenements knocked down in the 60 & 70's and were always owned by landlords and investors. This was mirrored in other parts of the city at different times. We bought a flat in Learmonth Gardens and some older folk living in the stair said that the tenements (late era tenements, built in the 1930's) were all bought by Ferranti's, to house employees (like their parents).

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My Mum and Dad were lucky enough to be able to purchase a flat in Beggs buildings in Abbeyhill so they could start their married life and raise us when we eventually came along, in fact Beggs buildings was literally a stones throw away from Elsies where myself and big Brother were born.

Sadly I think my Mum and Dad were screwed as the flats had been earmarked for demolition not long after they purchased it and regardless of putting up a fight they slapped a compulsory purchase of a couple of hundred quid and were were relocated to Lochend.

I was too young to remember Beggs buildings but I think it was around 1969 that we moved to Lochend. My Brother vaguely remembered the stairwell and surrounding areas being plagued with mice and rats as there were a lot of sewers and also close to the railway lines.

You mention landlords, they owned swathes of properties and basically called every shot as they not only owned the buildings they literally owned all fixtures and fittings. I suppose the saying “travelling light” comes to the fore because we did, all we had was the clothes on our backs as we didnt own furniture, tvs or radios, in fact the landlords even owned the pots n pans and a sparse amount of cutlery.

It also must be said that tenement flats were tiny and many still had outside toilets although we were lucky as we had a luxury toilet that was placed in a tiny cupboard, however that was as grand as it got as we didnt have a sink or a bath so it was a scrub a dub at the livingroom sink and often with used water so we washed in age order, I was second out of 5 of us, not bad I suppose but my Brother was a minger and more often or not I would hear my Mum shout at him to “mind and clean yer ears, you could grow ****ing tatties in there”

We had a small livingroom to the rear that overlooked the animal feeds factory and the stench and noise was unbearable. A small narrow hallway led onto a reasonable sized bedroom that had one double bed and two singles in which me and my Brother would top n tail in one bed that was built into an alcove which we shared with a large nest of mice. My three Sisters crammed into another single bed that was wedged under the old sash windows.

Again the noise was unbearable as being in Leiths industrial heartlands meant lorries thundering up and down the cobbled streets 24/7 and more often or not the windows rattled and the building shook. The building was cold and damp and we couldnt heat it as it was too costly. A two bar metered electric fire in which we could only afford to put on one bar at set times of the day in which we all huddled around, if we were lucky Mum would have enough coins to be able to put the small metered black and white tv on so we could watch some shadowy and shaky tv for an hour as we snuggled up on the couch.

That was just the way it was, tenement life was great, it was a community and we all looked after each other, no-one had riches, probably more rags but we were all the same, as one.

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Originally Posted by superfurryhibby

"By the 1960's Leith still suffered from chronic overcrowding, and the decision was taken to address this
problem, but to try and retain much of the population within Leith. The result was the demolition of many entire
streets, and their replacement with tall tower blocks".

THis quote is from the paper linked a few posts ago.

I'm not entirely sure that over crowding should sit as the main focus of the tenement clearances we saw in Leith in the 1960's and ran on into the 70's. My memories of living in Elbe St, c 1971-73, was that there was no inside toilet, no hot water (some flats did no doubt have immersions), no bath. Slum properties. We were overcrowded as well, no doubt about it.

The article mentions this

"In 1880, the Leith Improvement Act was passed and an Improvement scheme put into action. Under this scheme,
a large part of Leith, the area between the Shore and the Kirkgate, was demolished and spacious new tenements
were built ( like Henderson Street ). While this improved housing conditions per se, to meet the cost of the
redevelopment, the price of the new flats was beyond the reach of most of the Leithers who had been displaced
by the redevelopment. Consequently, these people had to crowd into the already overcrowded old tenements
which constituted the problem that the scheme had aimed to redress".

Property prices beyond the reach of most Leithers rings a bell. A lot of the properties above became the slum tenements knocked down in the 60 & 70's and were always owned by landlords and investors. This was mirrored in other parts of the city at different times. We bought a flat in Learmonth Gardens and some older folk living in the stair said that the tenements (late era tenements, built in the 1930's) were all bought by Ferranti's, to house employees (like their parents).

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My Dad's side of the family are and were Leithers for multi generations but during what you talk about in the 60s they basically all got punted out and moved to Muirhouse when the houses were just built, lots of other folk were also in the same boat, thankfully they all managed to get back into Leith around the late 70s early 80s

There used to be great places to investigate when I was a kid like Craig and Rose(wasn't abandoned then but good for a look about),the Rubber Factory, the old railway bridge on Jane Street/Leith Walk, I used to be in about it all

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Originally Posted by Mon Dieu4

My Dad's side of the family are and were Leithers for multi generations but during what you talk about in the 60s they basically all got punted out and moved to Muirhouse when the houses were just built, lots of other folk were also in the same boat, thankfully they all managed to get back into Leith around the late 70s early 80s

There used to be great places to investigate when I was a kid like Craig and Rose(wasn't abandoned then but good for a look about),the Rubber Factory, the old railway bridge on Jane Street/Leith Walk, I used to be in about it all

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Leith old Central rail station, now that was a place of adventure, very eerie place after it closed.

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

Leith old Central rail station, now that was a place of adventure, very eerie place after it closed.

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I went there a few times before it was demolished, I was terrified of the dark and was petrified of the place, but would never admit that to my friends. I’m sure there were people sleeping rough in the old ticket offices and we’d get a right scare when we went in to them. I was the same with the Cooperage at St Clair, we used to play hidie in there and there were cellars that were pitch black I was genuinely terrified of the place.