The Edinburgh Reporter February 2023

99

By KIRSTY LEWIN

HAVE YOU EVER wanted to sit down

while walking in Edinburgh? Or been with

someone who’s needed to? Your shopping

might be too heavy, or a health condition

means you have to rest. Maybe you want

to get out from work and sit alone, have

something to eat and enjoy the fresh air, or

sit with a friend, drinking a coffee and

having a blether. Public benches are an

essential part of urban design – both for

our physical needs and our social needs.

But we need a lot more of them.

We have new benches in Porty in what

may seem an unlikely place. They are at the

Seafield entrance to the Promenade,

alongside planters and bike stands. They

face out to sea, with fantastic views over

the Forth to Fife. They are there, not

because benches were requested by the

community, but because the Council had

to use physical measures to prevent drivers

driving onto the shared use path,

endangering pedestrians and cyclists.

Spokes Porty and others had campaigned

for years to get vehicles off the path.

PUT TO GOOD USE

Within hours of installation, people were

using the benches. On the first day I saw

two young women with babies in prams,

sitting chatting. Later, I saw an older man

sitting on his own, smiling at the view. I’ve

seen people resting having walked up the

hill, cyclists sitting down to check their

phones, little children playing hide and

seek around the planters while their

parents relax, and people with large

shopping bags taking a break. The

benches are the last place to sit between

the Promenade and the benches on the

Restalrig Leith Links railway path. That’s

quite a distance if you’re not fit and well.

In November I had major knee surgery.

I’m not alone in finding walking difficult

and painful at times. Since then I’ve been

looking for public benches. Where can I sit

down for a few minutes? Will I make it to

the physiotherapist or the dentist or the

GP if there’s nowhere to rest on the way?

The strategic placement of benches can

make a trip possible. Lack of them can

prevent people getting out independently

or increase dependence on cars and taxis.

It’s time for more benches. By using

creative measures – for example widening

pavements by removing car parking

spaces and or using build-outs. The Council

claims to have ambitious plans for the

future of Edinburgh. Public benches are an

easy win – let’s get more of them in every

neighbourhood of the city soon.

Firefighter dies after battling blaze at historic Jenners building

In praise of the

public bench

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

AN EDINBURGH FIREFIGHTER, 38-year-

old Barry Martin, died just a few days after a

large-scale fire at the former Jenners store on

Princes Street.

Interim Chief Officer Ross Haggart said: "It

is with profound sadness that I confirm, on

behalf of his family, that Barry Martin has

passed away following the serious injuries he

sustained during a large-scale fire at the former

Jenners building in Edinburgh.

"Barry, who was being treated at Edinburgh

Royal Infirmary, had been in a critical

condition since the fire.

"I speak for the entire Service when I say that

we are all devastated by the loss of Barry and

our thoughts remain with his family, friends

and colleagues at this deeply distressing time.

"Both Barry’s family and the Service have

been overwhelmed with the messages of

support we have received, and we thank

everyone for the time they have taken to

share these.

“Barry’s family would also like to thank all

the medical staff who have cared for him.

"I would now ask that we all allow Barry’s

family, friends and colleagues to grieve

in private.”

A total of five firefighters, including Barry,

were injured in tackling the fire but all others

were released from hospital after treatment. A

police officer was also treated for the effects of

smoke inhalation and later released.

And at the height of the blaze, 22 fire

appliances were sent to deal with the fire

involving more than 100 firefighters.

Minister for Community Safety Elena

Whitham said: “I am absolutely devastated to

hear of the tragic loss of a brave and

courageous firefighter. My deepest sympathies

and condolences are with Barry Martin’s family,

friends and colleagues.

“We’re lucky to have our valued firefighters

who every day put their personal safety at

risk to protect our communities and save

the lives of others. Their sheer bravery

and professionalism is second to none and

must be commended.

“I would ask that the privacy of Barry’s

family, friends and colleagues is respected

at this time.”

Jenners is one of our most loved buildings,

but the Danish owners do not think the

damage is as bad as first thought.

The owners, AAA United, owned by

billionaire Anders Povlsen, said the fire has

resulted in “localised damage” but the building

is intact. Director Anders Krogh said: “Of

course, we were devastated to find out about

the fire in the Jenners building shortly after it

broke out. Our thoughts and appreciation are

with the rescue team. Thanks in no small part

to great work by workers on site and resolute

action from the local fire department.

“The first investigations show very localised

damage, only in the lower north side of the

building. The overall building is intact, but we

still await further investigations over the

following days will reveal the total extent of

t h e d a m a g e .”

The blaze began in the Rose Street building

at ground floor level but smoke was eventually

seen coming out of the dormer windows on the

south east corner. Smoke damage is also

understood to have affected the M&S building

to which Jenners is linked by two bridges in

Rose Street Lane North.

The cause of the fire is being investigated, but

it took place during renovations to the building

which the developers say will take it “back to

its former glory”. AAA said when applying for

planning permission that they understood the

responsibility which comes with the ownership

of the building saying: “This project seeks to

secure the future of the Jenners building for

generations to come. The original Jenners

building will always stay and is the very DNA

of our plans with the redevelopment of a

vibrant, sustainable and accessible department

store being the heart of the project.”

The Harrods of the North was built in several

stages between 1895 and the 1970s - after a

devastating fire in 1892. All of the Victorian

building is Category A listed - except the Rose

Street building. The decoration and

ornamentation on the front elevation was not

repeated in the 1970s modernist building

added on Princes Street. This was simply clad

in Craigleith stone. In the plans for the new

retail store with a high end lifestyle hotel hotel

above, the “architectural quality” of the original

building will be re-established.

Plans show the shopfronts to Princes Street

restored and a new double height ground floor

facade added on the 1960s extension which is

shared with the Mercure Hotel. There are also

plans to add a roof terrace on Rose Street.

In the line of duty

Barry died days after

horror blaze ripped

through building

Alan Simpson

Paul Johnston