Historic shop front to be revealed

Edinburgh World Heritage is developing a project to restore a Victorian shop front at 37 – 41 Nicolson Street to its former glory.

This property was purpose built in 1899 as a multi-floored shop premises, and was designed by the architect Peter L. Henderson (1848-1912). The first occupants of the store were John MacIntyre & Co. Warehousemen and Costumiers of ladies’ dress, who used the three publicly accessible sales floors.

Over the years, the building has retained its original open planned interior and decoration, including cast iron columns and beams encased within elaborately plastered ceilings.

It also represents a work of significance for the architect, Henderson, who was essentially a brewer's and licensed trade architect, known for the predominantly industrial nature of his work.

The project will involve repairing decayed and cracked stonework and restoring the original Victorian shop front, which still survives hidden beneath a modern timber framework.

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