A major new £200 million hospitality and community hub is being proposed for Edinburgh’s Fountainbridge, as The Social Hub lines up its second UK site and continues its European expansion.
The group, founded by Edinburgh-born entrepreneur Charlie MacGregor, is in advanced talks over a plot on the former Fountain Brewery site, which has lain vacant for around 20 years. The land forms part of the wider regeneration masterplan for Fountainbridge, led by Buccleuch Property and Cruden Homes, which also includes hundreds of new homes, office and retail space and high quality public realm.
Plans submitted by Montagu Evans and Hawkins\Brown set out an investment of around £200 million to deliver a 560 bed hybrid hospitality destination. The proposed scheme would bring together extended stay rooms to help relieve pressure on Edinburgh’s housing stock, hotel suites and student accommodation within a single development.
In addition to bedrooms, the proposals include co working space for up to 300 people, community event areas, a bar and restaurant, gym and wellness facilities, and a fully accessible landscaped space outside for residents, guests and neighbours to enjoy.
The Social Hub will hold public consultation events in Fountainbridge on 8 December and 26 January to share its vision and gather local feedback. It also plans to host visits to its Glasgow site so residents can see first hand how the concept operates and the role it has played in that city’s regeneration.
Since opening its first UK hub in Glasgow in 2024, the brand has been credited with helping to revitalise the city centre’s “Golden Z”, bringing new activity and footfall to the lower end of Argyle Street and surrounding streets. The Glasgow site has hosted major events ranging from international comedy and film festivals to The Better Society Academy, headlined by John Swinney and supported by The Social Hub’s TSH Talent Foundation.
A certified B Corp, The Social Hub is recognised for its hybrid model that blends hospitality, education, workspace and community uses. Its Glasgow hub stages more than 600 events per year, from film premieres and cooking classes to yoga sessions and skills workshops, with a focus on social impact and community building.
Charlie MacGregor, founder and chief executive of The Social Hub, said the Fountainbridge opportunity has a personal significance.
“This is a very special moment for me; it is something I have hoped for and worked towards for many years. Edinburgh is my home city and part of my DNA. This is an opportunity to give something back and help shape a bold, positive future for Fountainbridge. We always want the local community to help shape our hubs and would encourage anyone with views about our plans to share them.
“The success of Glasgow has shown what we can achieve in Scotland and I am so excited to see how we can make the same kind of impact in this wonderful city. The Social Hub is more than a place to stay – it is a hub where people from all backgrounds come together, help create a better society and achieve extraordinary things.”
Nick Waugh, commercial property director at Buccleuch, added: “We are delighted to be working with The Social Hub to provide the last important piece of the approved masterplan and such a complementary use for the site.”
If approved, the Fountainbridge scheme would complete a key element of the area’s long term redevelopment, turning a long derelict former industrial site into a lively mixed use quarter with a strong focus on community, creativity and collaboration.
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