Gyle Shopping Centre


(The Gyle)

The Gyle Shopping Centre is a large retail mall at South Gyle in W Edinburgh, situated a quarter-mile (0.4 km) east southeast of Gogar roundabout and 4½ miles (7 km) west of the city centre. Opened in 1993, the centre occupies a 20.2-ha (50-acre) site and began as a joint venture between the City of Edinburgh Council, and the anchor stores of Marks & Spencer and Safeway. It cost £68 million and extends to some 55,742 sq. m (600,000 sq. feet), employing around 2000 staff across 70 retail outlets, including a food court which was completed in 1994. In 2022, it welcomed 8.6 million shoppers. William Morrison Supermarkets has replaced Safeway but this remains the largest Marks & Spencer store in Edinburgh. In 1997, Marks & Spencer bought out its development partners to become the sole owner of the centre, selling it to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), Britain's second-largest pension provider, in 2000. The centre was purchased by the Belfast-based William Ewart Properties in 2006 and then by Capital & Regional investment trust in 2023.

An immense car park at the front of the centre provides space for 2500 vehicles, its entrance marked by a huge slab of rock brought from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco that contains fossilised sea creatures. The theme of water is repeated in public art works, such as a river of stones created by Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925 - 2006) and a bus shelter with glass engraved by Julie Ross to suggests fish swimming in an ocean or leaves swirling in the wind. Further artworks include a fossil tree by Bill Scott and a concrete jungle by Alan Watson.

The Gyle has its own stop on the Edinburgh Tram Line, which opened in 2014.


Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry arrow

If you have found this information useful please consider making
a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info...

By using our site you agree to accept cookies, which help us serve you better