December 19th 1904 saw The “Scotsman” newspaper move to their iconic new offices at North Bridge in Edinburgh.
This was at a point in time when the bridge itself was rebuilt and widened and lots of new buildings sprang up as a result. The national news publication was keen to move to new purpose built environs. and this lavish result stands as a testament to the newspaper’s success reportedly costing over £500,000 to construct.
These offices were the home to The Scotsman and its sister publications until 2001 when they relocated to Holyrood Road, they have since moved again to Orchard Brae.
Today the building has been reinvented as a luxury hotel, and although internally it may have been considerably altered, its most impressive features still remain such as its marble staircase and mahogany panelled corridors - Not to mention its magnificent facade including the infamous ‘pishy steps’ linking the North Bridge to Waverly Station, which have went through a transformation themselves
For decades they had been plagued by vandalism and antisocial behaviour.
Edinburghers knew to hold their noses as they entered the steps in order to combat the overpowering stench of urine.
Journalists from The Scotsman and Evening News still recall the acrid aroma of disinfectant and wee that often seeped into the building.
Dubbed Work No.1059, the project was commissioned by the Fruitmarket Gallery on Market Street and made possible thanks to a bumper £250,000 grant jointly funded by City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh World Heritage. Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed conducted a major overhaul of the Category A listed convenience.
Each step is now clad in a different colour of marble. The major marble quarries of the world, from Italy to India, from Belgium to Brazil, are all represented there..
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