The Social Hub submits plans for £200m Edinburgh destination
Hospitality business, The Social Hub, has submitted plans to reimagine a long‑derelict site in Edinburgh as a £200m hospitality and community ‘powerhouse’.
The B Corp-certified group, founded by Edinburgh-born Charlie MacGregor, has submitted proposals for the former Fountain Brewery site in Fountainbridge, which has stood vacant for around 20 years.
The scheme forms part of the wider masterplan to regenerate the area and will help deliver affordable housing, now being progressed by the council, alongside a new canal-side public square.
The proposals centre on a 580-bed facility, spanning student, hotel and extended-stay accommodation, helping to ease pressure on Edinburgh’s housing stock from student and visitor demand.
The development will also deliver a fixed co-working area for up to 300 people, alongside a line-up of social spaces, including a restaurant, café, rooftop bar, clubhouse, theatre and a state-of-the-art gym.
Once operational, The Social Hub said it expects the facility to create up to 100 jobs, support more than 280 roles and boost Edinburgh’s economy by £15.5m.
Last year The Social Hub held a series of public-consultation events in Fountainbridge, with feedback from local residents directly informing the submitted plans. Community members were also invited to visit the group’s Glasgow hub to see first-hand how its model has helped energise and rejuvenate the Merchant City and the wider city centre.
The proposals have already secured support from organisations such as the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.
Charlie MacGregor, founder and chief executive of The Social Hub, said: “Submitting these plans is a landmark moment – not just for The Social Hub, but for me personally.
“Edinburgh is my home city, and bringing our model here is something I’ve dreamed of for years. We’ve listened closely to the Fountainbridge community, understood what the area needs, and shaped a scheme designed to make a lasting, positive impact.
“The Glasgow hub has shown the power of our model to bring students, neighbours, entrepreneurs and visitors together. Now we want to spark that same energy in Edinburgh – by creating a place woven into the life of the city.”
Aerial CGI rendering of the proposed development
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