A major tourist attraction in Scotland’s capital that’s been a long running fixture is set for another lengthy stay.
The Royal Yacht Britannia has agreed a new 25-year lease to stay on Leith’s Waterfront, securing its place as the main tourist destination in the area next to Ocean Terminal.
After arriving in Edinburgh on 5 May 1998, The Royal Yacht Britannia opened as a visitor attraction in Leith on 19 October 1998 and has remained there ever since.
The ship’s new lease which will see its stay in Leith Port extended to more than 50 years is part of the multi-million-pound redevelopment project of the Ocean Terminal centre.
A spokesperson for The Royal Yacht Britannia said: “We are delighted to have secured the long-term future for The Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith as part of the exciting redevelopment of Ocean Terminal, and we look forward to moving into our state-of-the-art visitor centre and fantastic new gift shop in early 2025.”
“Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world, travelling more than a million nautical miles, serving the Royal Family for over 44 years. Today, she is a five-star visitor attraction and exclusive evening events venue.”
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The Ocean Terminal shopping centre first opened in 2001 and has been undergoing a revamp after owners Ambassador Group announced plans to demolish a third of the mall and make way for more than 550 homes in 2021.
As part of the plans, a new Tesco, cinema and bingo venue have been confirmed for the site, alongside plans to open up the waterfront to the public.
The investment is costing around £250m and hit a major milestone in May this year as the main demolition work got underway.
The bulk of the works are set to be finished by the end of 2024, with the new Britannia visitor centre and gift shop opening in early 2025.
Managing Director of Ambassador Group, the Scottish owners of Ocean Terminal, Chris Richardson said the new lease alongside the redevelopment of the site will cement the area as one of the UK’s leading tourist attractions.
Mr Richardson said: “This is a significant development for the reconfiguration of the site, and we are absolutely thrilled that The Royal Yacht Britannia, one of the UK’s most popular visitor attractions, has agreed a 25-year lease with OT.
“I am in no doubt this will be a formidable partnership, cementing our position as a leading tourist destination on Leith’s waterfront, furthering our ambitions for the wider regeneration of Leith, and the local community around the site.
The Britannia was built in Scotland’s famous John Brown & Co shipyards which built famous liners including the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary. It was launched in 1953 by Queen Elizabeth II and its name was kept secret until the young monarch smashed a bottle of Empire wine and announced to the crows “I name this ship Britannia.
Before being decommissioned in 1997, the Britannia served as the venue for Royal honeymoons over the years and also evacuated British nationals and others trapped by fighting in South Yemen during the civil war in the 1980s.
Since its time in Leith, the ship has welcomed more than 7 million visitors and has been named TripAdvisor’s number one UK attraction in 2023.
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