Retail in Edinburgh – November 2025: It’s not all doom and boarded-up shop fronts!

I was strolling down Princes Street lately and you might think half the retail world’s gone on an extended coffee break.
But look a little closer, and you’ll see something new brewing behind those “To Let” signs – change, innovation, and opportunity.
According to the latest reports, Scottish business confidence jumped to 54% in October, with retail optimism rising 13 points to 53%.
Not bad for a sector that’s supposedly “on life support”!
Here’s what’s shaping the Edinburgh retail landscape this month:
Omni channel is king – Blending online presence with physical experience isn’t optional anymore. Shoppers want both the click and the connection.
Experiential retail is back – It’s not just about selling; it’s about storytelling.
The best stores now feel like mini-theatres, not warehouses.
Costs are up, but creativity’s cheaper than rent – Small retailers that think lean, act fast, and engage locally are thriving.
Values matter – Sustainability, ethics, and community roots are no longer nice extras; they’re magnets for loyal customers.
So yes, while some stores are closing, others are evolving. The smart ones are pivoting, partnering, and personalising their way into the future.
At Forrest Growth Partners, we help small businesses and retail entrepreneurs navigate these shifts with strategy, not stress. Because in this city, the high street isn’t dying it’s redefining itself.
What retail trend do you think will define 2026 digital dominance or the great physical comeback?

AUTUMN TRENDS IN SCOTTISH BUSINESS

Scotland is on fire right now (in the good way, not the “call the fire brigade” way). Here’s what’s happening:

Startups Everywhere - Over 21,500 new businesses so far this year. Hospitality is booming +18.7%.

Translation: if you want a coffee, a pizza, or a fancy oat-milk turmeric latte... someone just opened a place for you.

Trades & Construction +27.1%
If you’ve got a leaky tap or need a loft conversion, you might finally get an appointment before Christmas. Miracles do happen.

Confidence is High as 73% of Scottish firms expect more revenue in 2025.
The other 27% are still trying to find where they put the stapler.

AI Adoption- 61% of businesses are already using AI, with 8 in 10 seeing higher profits.
The other 2 probably asked Chat GPT to write their business plan in Klingon.

The Big Moves
Topshop is back on the high street your 2005 jeans called, they’re thrilled.
McGill’s is investing £25m in a Glasgow mega-depot, creating 850 jobs.

And yes, Scotland now has its first cultivated truffle on Bute because even fungi are getting entrepreneurial.

Scotland’s business scene is buzzing with ideas, investment, and innovation. The only real question: Are you ready to grow, or will you let a mushroom out-hustle you?

Self-Employed Dad Life

The only downside to being self-employed?
Apparently, I’ve been promoted!!!
TO
School drop-off manager
Pick-up chauffeur
Head chef (specialising in “one pot cuisine”)
Business owner or somewhere in between
Turns out, self-employment isn’t just about flexibility it’s about integration.
Work and family don’t live in separate boxes anymore, they overlap (usually around 5pm when dinner’s burning).
The apron clashes with the tie, the kids crash the calls…
But the trade-off?
Freedom, balance, and happiness through the roof!!
And best of all!! It means my wife gets to keep smashing her career while I’m right here, building mine around the life we want.

Scotland’s Fiscal Footprint (GERS)

Scotland’s Fiscal Footprint (GERS)
By Andrew Forrest

The latest GERS figures are in – and let’s just say Scotland’s economy is looking a bit like a student bank account at the end of Freshers’ Week:

Fiscal deficit: £26.5 billion (11.7% of GDP) – that’s more than double the UK average, and no, it’s not because we’ve been buying too many caramel wafers.

Spending per head: £2,669 more than the UK average – thank you, Barnett Formula (and maybe a wee bit of Scottish thriftlessness).

Growth forecast: Around 1% in 2024–25 – not quite a Highland charge, more a polite shuffle forward.

Key pressures: Oil revenues slipping, health and welfare bills climbing, workforce getting older, and global trade giving us the side-eye.

OPPORTUNITIES – Why Treat It Like a Doom Scroll?
Yes, the numbers could give a Chancellor heart palpitations, but Scotland still has big wins up its sleeve: high public spending, skilled people, and world-class sectors like renewables, tech, and food & drink. If policy and investment can boost productivity and spark innovation, we could still write a very different economic story – one that doesn’t end with “and then they raised taxes… again.”

So, what’s the answer?
Does Scotland need fiscal reform, economic diversification… or just a big jar for loose change?