The Edinburgh businesses that will never reopen again after the pandemic

Despite the promise of a vaccine to fight off coronavirus giving the world cautious hope, the economic impact of the health crisis is still being measured.

Dozens of Edinburgh businesses have been forced to close for good despite government financial support, leaving many locals out of work and unable to find new jobs.

With tourism all but grinding to a halt, lots of the city’s restaurants and bars have been forced to think about the future, with the usual summer boom from the Festival Fringe unlikely to return again until at least 2022.

Some estimates put the number of jobs lost to the pandemic already, and those expected to come before the end of the year, at 100,000.

A recent report found Edinburgh was the second worst hit city in the UK, with a 57 per cent reduction in vacancies year-on-year making it even harder for people to find new works.

And ever those businesses that have managed to survive have often been forced to make staff redundant. The Royal Mail, Centrica and the owner of Frankie and Benny’s are just some of the big names who have announced four-digit job losses.

The G1 Group, owners of some of the most well-known bars and pubs in the city like Three Sisters and Biddy Mulligans, even asked staff to take three months of unpaid leave to save their jobs.

In the west end of the city, many cafes and restuarants have been forced to close for good, including popular eateries like Maialino.

And in Leith, some of the areas most famous insitutions have been forced to call it a day, including The Mermaid chip shop.

Where owners haven’t yet made the choice to close, some have laid bare the realities of trying to keep their business afloat.

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Dominion cinema, built in 1938, is costing tens of thousands a month despite not trading.

The owners revealed the realities of keeping the shutters down and the costs associated, revealing it could struggle to survive.

We’ve taken a look at all the companies who have announced they will not reopen even after restrictions end, and the businesses forced to make staff unemployed. Check out our gallery above to see the businesses who have said they will cut jobs or close for good.