The development plans for Jenners Department Store in Edinburgh have been approved by Edinburgh City Council and they include a luxury 96-room boutique hotel, restaurant and rooftop bar on the upper floors. Retail will remain at the heart of the operation and will be based from the basement to the first floor.
David Chipperfield Architects are working on the project with 3DReid and Glasgow-based conservation specialist Loader Montieth. Backed by Danish retail billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen, who bought the Princes Street building in 2017 for £53m, the aim is to recreate its style and grandeur.
In a design statement lodged with Edinburgh City Council, AAA United director Anders Krogh said: ‘When we acquired the Jenners building, we knew that it came with a great deal of responsibility.
“It is iconic within Edinburgh’s built environment and integral to the city’s cultural heritage. We approach this renovation with upmost respect for the historic importance and value placed upon the building by the people of Edinburgh.
“We understand the scale of the challenge and are fully dedicated to honouring this building and its place within the future of Edinburgh.
“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. Our major focus is to bring back a fully refurbished department store, supplemented by a food and beverage and hospitality offering.”
Founded in 1838, Jenners is one of the oldest department stores in the world to continuously trade from the same site. The current building was erected in 1895 and the category A building was designed by William Hamilton Beattie. Jenners was owned by Frasers Group when it was closed in May 2020.