Leith and Portobello Shopfront Improvement Scheme


Shopfronts make a highly important contribution to the character and environmental quality of their area. In recognition of this various agencies have operated a shopfront improvement initiative directly aimed at improving the retail performance and environmental quality of an area.

In 2002, building on the success of previous schemes, the City of Edinburgh Council launched the Leith and Portobello Shopfront programme providing grants for shopfront improvement in Great Junction Street and Portobello High Street. In 2005 the area eligible for grant was widened to include all of Portobello Conservation area and Leith Conservation area to the north of Leith Walk.

The shopfront Improvement Scheme offers generous grant assistance to help shop owners and tenants repair or upgrade shopfronts, create new retail identity and increase their profile. Experience in other parts of Edinburgh has shown that an increased turnover can be anticipated after a shopfront has been enhanced.

The maximum grant awarded is 75% of the total costs. The level of grant awarded reflects the range of works and the level of costs involved. Grant assistance is available for a range of works from repairing or generally tidying up a frontage to new frontages, either traditional or modern, provided that they are well designed and constructed using quality materials. The security measures of shop units can have an impact on the shopping environment, particularly at night, and therefore appropriate solutions can be implemented which are not visually disruptive to the shopfront and which maintain transparency allowing window shopping at night.

Technical guidance and advice is available to assist architects in the preparation of shopfront designs in Portobello and Leith . All shopfronts should be designed in accordance with this guidance.

To see if your shop is included within the schemes area of operation, please look at the following maps:

Portobello Conservation Area Map (337Kb)
Leith Conservation Area Map (718Kb)

Information Leaflet (380Kb)
Technical Guidance - Not currently available


If you are interested in applying for a grant please print out the application form and send it to the address below.

Application Form (27Kb)
Guidance Notes (24Kb)

For more information please contact:

The Conservation and Design Section
18-19 Market Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1BJ

Tel: 0131 469 3770
E-mail: helpdesk


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