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The 1960s 'monstrosity' that wrecked Edinburgh's historic Old Town

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date14 April 2024
AuthorDavid McLean
Publication titleEdinburghLive (Scotland)
However, this was not the case in 1967 when Midlothian County, one of the council's predecessors, commissioned the construction of a colossal office block resembling an ocean liner to serve as their Old Town headquarters

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Taking up a massive 15,000 square feet plot on the corner of George IV Bridge and the Lawnmarket, the creation of what would become the old Lothian Regional Council's HQ must surely be considered one of Edinburgh's most significant architectural missteps.

Construction began on the £1 million project in June 1967, leading to the demolition of several historic buildings, including the upper part of Victoria Street's original terrace and the Melbourne Place buildings, once home to Alex Ferguson's confectioners, renowned for their iconic Edinburgh rock.

Finished in 1969, the seven-storey office block was linked to the Midlothian County building across the street via an underground tunnel beneath the George IV Bridge roadway.

The architect, Edinburgh-born Sir Robert Matthew, also responsible for designing George Square's...

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