Essential Edinburgh

25/06/2026

In case you missed it, our recent FREE outdoor cinema event in St Andrew Square was a resounding success! Huge thanks to our headline sponsor London North Eastern Railway for their support and Unique Events for bringing the experience to life.

With beautiful weather and an incredible turnout, the garden was the perfect setting for three days of film.

Thank you to all our city centre businesses and sponsors who helped make 'Square Cinema with LNER' possible... and FREE for all to enjoy!

21/05/2026

To celebrate our sixteenth year of Square Cinema, we are offering an exclusive competition to win a wonderful weekend in Edinburgh for four people to attend Square Cinema with LNER from 12th to 14th June 2026.

19/05/2026

Essential Edinburgh is delighted to see the Old Town business community investigating the possibility of forming a BID - there are huge synergies with our work and it would be great to work together in supporting our city centre. We will do everything we can to support the development of the BID if it goes forward.

Speaking to The Herald, campaign co-chairs Arthur Mustard and Kat Brogan invited local businesses to share their views via an online survey.

14/05/2026

🎬✨ Get ready, Edinburgh! The beloved Square Cinema with LNER is back for the 15th time this June! 🎉 Join us for three unforgettable days of FREE outdoor movies in the stunning St Andrew Square Garden from 12th to 14th June.

🍿 Kick off with Swayze-Night, featuring classics like The Outsiders, Dirty Dancing and a 35th-anniversary screening of Point Break! 🔥

Family fun awaits too - don’t miss daytime screenings of Zootropolis 2 and more.

Huge thanks to our amazing partners: London North Eastern Railway, Heineken 0.0, Costa Coffee & Point A Hotels. Let’s make cinematic magic again!

See the full programme here: https://www.edinburghcitycentre.co.uk/square-cinema/

21/04/2026

It’s official - we’re now a Certified B Corporation™ 🎉

This means we’ve met the rigourous standards set by B Lab™ across Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers, and we’re proud to be part of a global movement driving a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.

For us, this reflects our ongoing commitment to the levy-payers and partners who make our city centre community so vibrant.

We’re calling on other Business Improvement Districts across Britain to join us on this journey. Together, we can raise the bar and create lasting impact where it matters most.

A big thank you to Edinburgh B Corp 500 for guiding us through our B Corp™ journey.

25/02/2026

Eat Out Edinburgh is fast becoming an annual highlight, not just for food lovers, but for anyone in the city looking to shake off the winter, enjoy our vibrant hospitality scene, and reconnect with friends and loved ones.

The campaign also delivers real value for local businesses. Last March, participating venues saw bookings increase by an average of 31% year‑on‑year, a boost for our hospitality sector at a traditionally quieter time of year. A win–win for everyone.

This year’s campaign is our biggest yet, with 50+ brilliant venues taking part across the city centre.

Explore them all at EatOutEdinburgh.com.

06/12/2025

We are delighted to be included in the Edinburgh New Town Church's Digital Advent. From 1 to 24 December, a new window will open each day, and today - day 6 - features Essential Edinburgh 🎄.

During this time the church also has Star Festival running Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 2pm. The sanctuary will be decorated with 100s of stars and lights and will be a calm reflective place to be during the busyness of the Christmas season. On 9th and 16th December between 11am and 2pm Scottish Action For Mental Health (SAMH) will be at the Star Festival, offering drop-in support.

https://www.facebook.com/edinburghnewtownchurch

Worship, music, community, cafe and culture at the heart of Edinburgh’s George Street. Everyone is welcome.