More By The Shore campaign kicks off to attract new visitors to Leith and Newhaven
The five-month campaign will spotlight unique local products, dishes and deals, as well as offering special events and vouchers
After the Princes Street fire disrupted footfall for local businesses in August, a five-month campaign called More By The Shore has begun in Leith and Newhaven to attract more visitors to the area.
Developed by Forever Edinburgh in collaboration with local businesses, the campaign is taking a three-pronged approach to helping local businesses, the first of which is More By The Shore Specials, showcasing the unique dishes, drinks, products and experiences which are only available in Leith, The Shore and Newhaven. Participating businesses include Leith Makers, The Royal Yacht Britannia, Fingal Hotel, Victoria Bar, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Loud & Clear, Pekoe Tea, Portal Leith, Griffen Fitness and Qupi Café. They’ll be offering deals and offers throughout the campaign period, which is currently running until Sunday 8 November.
The second stage of More By The Shore will be More By The Shore Sparkles, in which many local shops will offer ‘buy £5 get £10 back’ vouchers for both residents and visitors. Running from Saturday 14 November–Sunday 3 January, the campaign will also feature local events and a new ‘hero lighting’ day to entice festive shoppers.
Finally, More By The Shore Savings will extend the voucher scheme, but exclusively for EH postcode holders. It will also feature After 5, a content series which promotes the area’s evening life. From winter menus and late openings to live music, screenings and creative workshops, the campaign will aim to help the area through the post-Christmas months, which are notoriously difficult for trade, and will run from Monday 4 January–Sunday 28 February.
Councillor Jane Meagher, leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: ‘I am delighted to see the campaign launching, promoting the fantastic shops, restaurants, bars and other businesses in Leith, the Shore and Newhaven. I know that businesses in these areas were severely affected by the disruption following the Princes Street fire, at a time of year that they usually rely on for an increase in sales. It is only right that we do all we can to help these businesses get back on their feet – which is why a large portion of the Scottish Government funding package has been set aside to support this.
‘The campaign aims to encourage more people to visit and spend money in these wonderful areas of the city. From exclusive products, offers and discounts and special events, there’s something for everyone. We’ve worked with, and listened to, local businesses to bring the campaign to life, which I’m pleased to say will run all the way to the end of February.’
The scheme has been made possible by a £5 million fund announced by the Scottish Government in August to aid recovery from the Princes Street fire. Many Leith businesses were affected by the downturn in footfall during Edinburgh Festival season. Posting on Instagram in August, representatives for Argonaut Books claimed Edinburgh Council were ‘asleep at the wheel’ in the immediate aftermath of the fire, which led to a 35 percent drop in sales compared to Fringe season in August 2025.
‘In what should be the busiest non-December period,' they wrote, 'we have performed worse than the average month. Wages, stock costs and business rates are significantly higher than in previous years. This month every two out of three sales has been from a regular customer. For sake of comparison, a previous festival month would be 40 to 50 per cent returning. All that to say, the damage has already been done. We are extremely privileged to have supportive, engaged community of readers and all of you have without a doubt helped us weather yet another council disaster. We really should be able to expect better from our elected representatives but we have been numbed by years of poorer and poorer service every year.’
The More By The Shore campaign may rebuild a bridge between Leith-based businesses and Edinburgh Council, offering additional promotion for no extra cost.