Safety in Edinburgh (old town).

[Ineedcoffeenow]

DD is a student at Edinburgh Napier and looking for flats for next year with friends. (yes, they’ve left it late!). They’re considering a flat in the old town on South Bridge, just off the royal
mile. Can anyone advise about safety around that area on a night?

That’s the one part of Edinburgh I wouldn’t feel safe in. The junkies and alcoholics loiter around Hunter Square, and the drugs rehab room is planned for near there.

South Bridge itself is a very busy main thoroughfare. Can attract some "less desirable types" around Hunter Square but it's always busy and served by lots of buses. I'd be more concerned about traffic noise and getting to the Napier campus than safety!

@Zebrahmany thanks. It was my concern that it may be a hangout for people on drink/drugs on an evening. DD has got into a habit of walking home on her own on a night, which scares me half to death. It’s been OK while she’s in halls as there’s always people walking back and forth, but I worry for next year,

@MiddleAgedDread yeah, it’s not the most convenient of locations, but there isn’t anything in the merchiston area. It’s either this flat, Haymarket or Newington. Apart from the location, the south bridge flat is lovely at a good price. Nothing much more seems to be coming up. I’m really pissed at the lot of them for screwing up. There was any amazing flat in the perfect location, but they messed around with the application so lost out.

Im doing my best to stay out of it, but DD seems a bit oblivious to issues of safety that I feel the need to at least get her to think carefully. I’ve suggested they go along to that area on a night and get a sense of how it feels.

If they discount south bridge, the next option is probably haymarket.

It is a busy area so I feel perfectly safe walking around there at night. Yes there is the Hunter Square crowd, but there are enough people in general that it doesn't feel isolated or risky. There are the restaurants, bars and theatre crowds milling about as well.

I get the bus home alone from there at night, although before 11pm sort of times, I generally wander around anywhere later than that on my own but then I'm old and usually in bed by then! Which street in Haymarket? There's a few streets off Dalry Road that i don't think I'd want to live in.

@MiddleAgedDread it's Haymarket Terrace

I tried to add a link but it didn’t work.

Sorry! I can see it is working now 😬

South Bridge does have some dodgy characters- they gather in Hunter Square - but as it's so central there are also loads of tourists and other people coming home from nights out. I would walk that way late at night- I would just stay alert, and would be fine if one of my children lived near there. I think the main things to consider is that it will be a very noisy location.

Haymarket Terrace would also be pretty noisy from traffic. Like South Bridge, some dodgy characters around but it's just about being alert and aware of your surroundings.

Where’s the Newington flat? I work at George square so am around that area a lot. I’ve walked home from town on my own and never had any bother but that area around hunter square can feel a bit unsettling - except in August when it’s super fun and crazy noisy.

I would probably choose Newington over south bridge but I don’t know how the buses work to Napier.

I’ve just been to the area on a few holidays, staying in the student housing at Sugarhouse Close. Our impression was that South Bridge itself was busy, multicultural and very urban, probably no different to much of London. Not threatening though. What DID feel dodgy as all heck at night was Cowgate, which runs beneath it at 90 degrees. I was with DH so did go along there, but I would have absolutely avoided walking under the bridge at night alone. Maybe locals can say more about Cowgate though.

Personally, I'd rather live at Haymarket than on South Bridge. That's also a very busy main road with a lot of buses and the tram and railway runs along the back. It's probably less busy for walking home at night than South Bridge as it's a bit further out of the city centre and not in a studenty area.
totally agree @WannabeTourGuide about walking through the Cowgate, it's seedy down there in the day time!

I was out at a gig on Wednesday evening in the Cowgate with a friend. Decided to run for the last bus and found myself on one of the stairs all by myself. Ran up quicker than I thought I was capable of as it was one of the only times I was actually a bit frightened in Edinburgh - was really stupid in retrospect but thankfully nothing happened. I wouldn't love my children living in that area and walking through by themselves often, it's pretty gross at times.

My DD stayed near South Bridge last year and felt safe as it was always busy (even returning from work after 1am). It was noisy (even in the top floor) but she has noise cancelling earphones. She witnessed a couple of fights (one a stabbing) but didn’t feel it was likely to affect those walking by (more junkie on junkie). Liked the area as good for train and for uni (George Square) and there were great ToGoodtoGo deals of an evening when weather bad. Was cheaper than other places probably because WiFi a bit dodgy (thick walls) and flat hadn’t been decorated for a very long time.

#@Ineedcoffeenowthat flat isn't south bridge it's Haymarket so the other end of princes Street. I don't go out at night in town these days. Hunter square by south bridge is awful. Probably better towards Haymarket and I think would be easier to get to Napier

Generally Edinburgh city centre is safe, with a low crime rate. Yes, South Bridge is grotty & noisy with some unsavoury people hanging around Hunter Square, but it's busy & I have never felt unsafe there, regardless of the time of day (44F, lived in Edinburgh for 25 years, inckuding working & living in that neighbourhood). It's a good location for a young person as it's near nightlife, city centre facilities, festival venues, etc (although a trek to Napier, depending on which campus).

I stay just up the road at potterrow and never had a problem yes there's junkies etc at hunters square but to be honest they have never been a problem when I have walked passed never felt threatened or unsafe and I have been here 20 years cowgates worse Newington's not far from me and the same there is student accommodation at potterrow although am not a student any more questions am happy to answer I like living here so close to Tesco's Sainsburys lidl etc soz on phone so this is 1 long post

RTFT!

She would probably be fine on South Bridge. It’s so busy. The characters keep themselves to themselves, maybe a bit of incoherent abusive muttering at worst, but it can feel unsettling. What would massively put me off would be the commute to Napier from there! Haymarket is not ideal either but at least you are kind of skirting town rather than plowing through it to get to Napier from there.

Newington is studenty so I'd probably go with there, then south bridge. Haymarket isn't the best location for students.

I often catch a bus or night bus there. There is one bus stop with quite a few homeless/addict types but I’ve never seen any trouble except among themselves and the next stop along is fine. It’s a very busy area. I’d be more worried about noise and the fact it’s a bit dirty than about safety.

Which Napier campus does she need to get to? She’d be better to the west of the centre than so central.

Mostly Merchiston, with one of them at Sighthill and DD will have some of her classes at Craiglockhart.

From what DD has said—there are buses from South Bridge across town, whereas they aren’t from Haymarket so she’d have to walk. No idea if this is correct. There are currently no flats suitable on the market around their preferred location of Fountainbridge/merchiston/bruntsfield so they’re looking anywhere.

Haymarket. Better bus links to Napier, nicer area all round. Traffic crawls at 20 mph and the trams are pretty silent. There’s investment in the area with new swanky offices which have triggered a much needed smartening up of cafes, pubs, shops etc. Great transport links to rail and airport.