Exploring Edinburgh's Abandoned Jenners Department Store 

Spent 27 years working at Jenners, an amazing place especially when it was still family run. Was one of the last staff out on close down day so thanks for the tour of my old haunt, good to see work is progressing.

I was so sad when Jenners closed. My grandmother used to take me for afternoon tea there as a child and their restaurant was still my favourite place for coffee when back in Edinburgh. It had one of the best views in the City. Such an iconic building. I am saddened by the current state of Princes Street.

As an Edinburgh resident Jenners was very much an Edinburgh institution. I am sure it will always be known as Jenners to those of a certain vintage. The main room with all the balconies you showed which was the main atrium would house a huge Christmas tree every year which again was an Edinburgh institution, you can find many pictures as to how wonderful the tree and decorations looked online. I have hopes that the new redevelopment will be kind to the architecture and the buildings history. Thanks for showing this gents.

Thank you very much for paying respect to Barry I‘m a former firefighter myself, these old buildings have taken a many of us.

Lovely to see inside the building again. I knew this place so well. My favourite shop. Many a lunch hour browsing around Jenners and often a place to meet with friends for coffee at the week end. In 2015 I had a short stay in hospital. In the next bed to me was Millie, a lady in her 90's. She reminisced about her younger life, Jenners very much being part of it. Her first job there at 16 years old, as a shop assistant. Her wages helped support her ailing mother and younger sister. Her uniform was a black dress, black shoes and mid length gloves. She said it was only the wealthier people who shopped there and often she would be sent on foot to deliver items to a customers home. Mostly small items but they were too lazy to carry them, she said. Millie would often walk miles in all weathers and sadly, seldom got a thank you. So many stories within those walls.

i was working just around the corner when the fire broke out and we took in people from neighbouring businesses that had to evacuate and gave them coffees while they waited to see if they’d be opening back up… the road was still closed when i finished and had to be escorted to get out - so tragic a man lost his life that day, still see tributes and flowers left outside every now and then. RIP x

I remember as a kid coming here at Christmas to see the big tree

Seeing it abandoned makes me so sad, it is such a beautiful building that symbolised a bygone age of shopping.

So sad to see it like that. The toy department in the basement was brilliant, and the food department on the top floor always well stocked. The highlight was always the huge Christmas tree in the middle. It was never the same when Frasers took over. Some of those escalators could be dodgy though!

I live nearby and every time I walk past it, to this day, I feel a pang of sorrow. You visited the basement where the toy department was - vivid sweet memories of taking my child there several times, he lusting after the latest nerf gun or whatever was craze of the moment. Visiting at Christmas wa a treat in itself. Such a landmark, it is nothing short of scandalous that this icon has been allowed to fall to this. Edinburgh district council wastes millions on dodgy projects but this should have supported as a bulwark against the dehumanising likes of Amazon While I can’t openly condone trespassing, it was good/sad to see this, thanks

This place was always worth going in, especially at Christmas with it's remarkable decorations. It looked like something from a movie. Sad it closed but this is Britain, fading glory and managed decline. Bravo for getting in and out. That was great to watch, thankyou.

I also worked in this beautiful building for many years as sous chef then Head chef. I feel I was privileged to work here with so many great colleagues. The 2 brothers Andrew and Robbie were 2 of the most down to earth guys, even helping out in the kitchen on many occasions as the boardroom was next door. It was also great at Christmas time when the hauled the Christmas tree in the front doors and plonked it in the middle of the building. Also a magical place for all the kids visiting the toy department looking for what to ask Santa for, then visiting the man himself, one of the best Santa’s in Edinburgh. It’s a such a same it shut as it was an Edinburgh institution and one of the last great buildings that stood on Edinburgh’s famous street, overlooked by Edinburgh castle. Edinburgh should hold its head in shame by the downfall of such an iconic street that is looked over by this magnificent and most recognisable icon of Edinburgh and Scotland. There has been many great buildings destroyed on this street and replaced with monstrosity’s of the 1960’s and 70’s Why Harrods did not take this building over and officially name the store by its unofficial name Harrods of the North !! Let’s hope they proof us all wrong and make the building a destination for visitors to this great city again.

It's so sad. Jenners was an institution. There was Civic pride in the place. People used to come from mls to visit it. I wish City Councils had done smthing to help the 'high street' earlier in our cities all over the UK. Encouraged independent stores by reducing rates for them. Grants for maintenance etc. Promoting unique independent shops along side galleries and museum's for the tourist trade.

Jenners at Christmas was such a joy. The toy dept... Looking at all the Airfix models... (90s). I remember playing the Super Nintendo stand they had with F-Zero and the Nintendo lady they had with her uniform and baseball cap was so nice, my cousin visiting from Australia spoke to her about Gameboy stuff and he walked away with lots of extras for it. I remember buying a new bobble for our Christmas tree on the farm, just before we made the big drive down to Galloway...Looking out from above down at all the floors in that big opening, people going about their business....This truly is a loss, and this is from some kid following his mother around doing her shopping (!)

So sad to see this beautiful building looking so gutted. We have fond memories of the store. So hope it can be saved.

If you see the original architecture of the main rail station in Edinburgh, Waverley, it’s very similar, beautifully ornate & very special. The Xmas tree in jenners was always a wonderful site

I'm impressed you got in and not caught! They are turning in into retail on the bottom 1st floor a restaurant Upper floors a hotel. Had you stuck to the Upper floors there is a lot of offices/staff areas with original features.

One of your first ones where I've been to the building. Sad to see it empty. I remember my boy being given a Lindt bunny by a sales assistant one Easter.

Went there 2012 pressed the lift for basement. Floor was closed then in the basement. Frasers ran it down. It's a beautiful store inside.

Interesting to see this as a kid Jenners toy department down stairs was always a must visit at Christmas

So sorry about fireman Godbless ❤️🙏

Glad you didn't get caught. The way you guys casually entered the hotel next door, through the corridors, and out to the street made me smile. Of course, that's the way to avoid arousing suspicion, but it takes courage!.

I was in there buying Christmas presents before it shut down, such a wonderful atmospheric building hopefully its back in use before too long.

Loved Jennifer's. Especially when i was a kid. Had many trips there with my mum, and brother. I always loved going to the toy department down in the basement.

What a great video and thanks Alistair, Theo and Alex for coming back to Scotland where your are more then welcome anytime. Having been in the building a few times (by the front door), it is an amazing building and although its stripped, you did show its best parts, which are its external architecture and the central atrium with its lantern skylight. It was very interesting to see your method of access and egress, which whilst being outstanding, it did raise my blood pressure seeing you all climbing that fence and the drop below. Glad to see its going to be put to a good use. Thanks as always lads.

I shopped at Jenner's a couple of times, having visited Edinburgh. I loved it. So Scottish and so traditional. I wish someone would bring it back to its former glory asap. Tourists and residents alike treasured this store for years. It should be the jewel in the crown in Edinburgh, once again and forever.

Wow! I hope you enjoyed your time here in Edinburgh! Jenners was always the place to be at Christmas. At one point it had a beautiful toy department. Everyone from here had visited the place at some point in their lives.

Thank you for a last look inside Jenner's. I remember that it was a beautiful place to shop and a highlight of shopping trips in Edinburgh.

It breaks my heart to see historic places such as this, that hold so many good memories for people, fall into ruin. Thankfully it looks like it's being saved. What a cool place, I wish I could have seen it as a department store.

I remember going there with my family when i was young. Took them 2 hours for them to finish looking inside. Nice building through and through.

Fab to see, many hours wandering around this place, always got lost with all different floors/stairs/levels but absolutely loved that place. Was magical the toy and haberdashery in the ground floor, the beauty section at the entrance and all the rest. Missing the fab place x

I worked in the toy department down in the basement. It was a great experience. So sad that Jenners is gone.

Fond memories of Jenners and Edinburgh as it used to be. Now its been given over to crap hotels, bland student buildings and tacky tourist shops.

What you guys is so fascinating and the love you have for the architecture. It's a shame that companies that own these premises don't capitalise on these amazing places and let people like you to explore, video and capture gems like this, that will be changed and never be seen again.

You lads are responsible for my curiosity being piqued by the magnificent time capsules you shew us lucky folk around. The missus has said that I spend more time on screen than cost centre no.1. Thank you for the variety.

What you are doing is phenomenal & very important. Recording & cataloguing British Social Histoty. Thank you.

yeh every one commenting how awesome this building was as a child at christmas , i think from like 1984 until around 1999 i used to go every year with my mum and sister , it was my favourite store in Edinburgh the toy selection was amazing and the christmas tree was just fantastic so big

Remember going there a quarter century back and man if was impressive!

Trained at the Royal Infirmary and as a penniless student nurse the plan for me and my flatmates was when we retired we'd meet for coffee in Jenners and be one of the blue rinse Morningside Matrons. Sad indeed. And thinking of the young firefighter who lost his life during the fire. He deserves a plaque.

i remember my nan taking me too Jenners all the time it was her favourite place in the city, I could spend hours trying to decide on toys in the basement floor toy section, then after i decided my nan would take me too the store café/restaurant, she passes a decade before the fire, while I miss her, I'm glad she never got too see what happened to the store

We loved Jenners, sad it’s closed but glad to see it’s being saved.

Wow! Thanks for that one guys - it seems like only yesterday since I was in there, shopping. The bit of the basement that you were wondering what used to be in was latterly the toy department, with a bit of children's clothing and pushchairs, etc - and generations of memories of visitng Santa's Grotto there! It closed a couple of years before the rest of the building as there was said to be flooding, but I'm pleased to see that's not the case now. If you're not from Edinburgh you might not know, there used to be a giant Christmas tree in the Central Hall each year too - visible from each level of the gallery. Said to have 11,000 lights, it was brought in a wrap through the pinned-back revolving doos on the South St David Street side, and attracted many thousands of visitors, each year! We're still told the lower floors will offer several retail spaces and that only the upper floors will convert to an hotel, with the Central Hall and its galleries preserved and shared by both, so time will tell, I guess.

Oh no - is it true? I visited Jenners in 1991 and bought the Princess Diana cookbook, still one of my favourites to cook from. My hubby explored the city - I spent THE ENTIRE DAY in Jenners (oh joy!) and was just planning a return to the city later this year. Just like this wonderful building, I’m gutted.

Maybe ten or eleven years ago I was browsing at Jenners, and somehow I managed to accidentally get myself into a staff only area. Really amazing to see it from the inside again.

I loved Jenners, spent many a Saturday wandering through its departments.

I remember shopping in there. It was a lovely store. Sad to hear it has closed

Its sad to see what has become of that beautiful department store. Ive lived in Edinburgh for the past 20 years and its changed so much in that time. Its a beautiful building. It should be getting put to use and not sitting abandoned.

Absolutely wonderful video guys....Well done. Thank you for recording history.

Beautiful building , hope it's not ruined!

Such an incredibly beautiful building. Sad to see it in its current conditions. Makes no sense for such a historical setting to be empty

The alarms and footage is like a horror film, a bit creepy 😱 I remember going there when I was younger, internet shopping has made these old style department stores redundant, good to see it being restored as a hotel

The Houdini team..well done guys great stuff.👍

That was good to see I miss Jenner's it was a shop that gave you its a touch of class

I used to shop at Jenners occasionally. Got off with one of the staff while Christmas shopping one year 👍🏻😎👍🏻 Jenners was also well-renowned for its annual giant Christmas tree, which stood in the main chamber in the middle of the store, extending all the way up through to the glass ceiling.

Many happy memories of this beautiful place

This is reminiscent of the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney which was restored to perfection , having been stripped of its original internal decorative and structural features decades ago , but never actually derelict . The restoration involved reopening the central voids to recreate the galleries . These voids had been filled with concrete to create full , continuous floors . Virtually all of the decorative internal features were recreated from scratch about thirty years ago ! Anyone who thinks Jenner's looks stripped should see the pictures of the Queen Victoria Building during the reconstruction to see what can be achieved ! A most interesting and informative video with a touch of suspense ! And yes , the " newer " section of this building does remind me of Debenhams , Manchester !

Great video. History captured for ever. Thank you. Really enjoyed it.

That was fantastic - thank you guys. Such a shame Jenners closed.

Great video guys, thanks for your daring efforts! Heart was in my mouth until I saw your cheeky escape, well done! 😅👏🏼👏🏼

Really appreciate this great film journalism that documents the radical changes taking place that affect the social, cultural and commercial landscape of Scotland’s capital and similarly echos through many other cities. Change certainly doesn’t seem for the better for this iconic building. This really captured a piece of history and immense change.

Beautiful building, thanks for the explore 👍

This is very sad to see. Jenners was the #1 go-to for shopping in the town and a great loss for Edinburgh. Princes Street is now ruined and the tram wires have spoiled the lovely open view of the castle & gardens. Ulez coming this year, after the tram fiasco.

Thanks for this wonderful video!

I remember visiting Edinburgh once in the late 1980's and going into Jenners with the big Christmas Tree and decorations. Sad to see what's happened to it, but hopefully the building will be sympathetically removated

Fantastic video guys thank you

Brilliant explore as always guys carried out with diligence and empathy

Building so beautiful sad to see it abandoned 😢

I worked in Jenners 1990-1997. Took me right back! Hope the restoration is done asap. Beautiful building in the perfect spot. Thanks guys.

Quality stuff, always wondered what it looks like in the inside now, cheers boys

My home town, well done guys excellent explore, brought back some happy memories 👍

Wow thank you.. brilliant explore.

I loved that store...kind of shocked it's abandoned

There is a department store in Cheltenham called Cavendish House which was recently owned by House of Fraser and have decided to close the store. It should be nice and fresh to explore in the next few months once fully closed down.

Absolutely beautiful building!

It's not abandoned. It's undergoing renovation. The gallery and old frontage are to be a shop, the modern bit and the upper storeys are to become a hotel

You did this at the right time, they’ve started today to do some work again inside.

been thru princes street and waited at the bus stop right beside it countless times but have never been inside, thanks for showin

Reminds me of the Bradbury Building in Los Angeles, featured in Blade Runner and a Twix advert!

Thankyou for being back in Scotland great video thankyou so much 💯👍

The whole of Princes Street where Jenners is located is terrible now; we used to have pride in it but now it’s embarrassing. Not the jewel in Scotland’s crown it once was…

Great to see inside of Jenners again. Used to shop their and have coffee and their amazing strawberry tarts and other goodies.

this was great to see. so sad to see it all. worked in here. and shopped over many years. could see where all the depts had been. a great miss to Edinburgh

So sad to see it like that I remember when I was younger we would go and meet Santa ❤

Awesome video as usual, guys👍🏻💯 When you look at the design of the interior, with the balconies running around the entirety, and a glass roof, it's exactly the same as swimming baths of that era. Quite amazing to see the same theme in a different setting. Cheers and ATB👏🏻

GREAT VIDEO GUYS .

Great video. Very gutsy incursion.

The building is actually in the process of being converted into a hotel, so not actually abandoned. I think everyone who was a kid in the Edinburgh area over the last 80 years or so will remember the amazing Jenners Christmas tree every year, but sadly sentiment does not pay the bills - hopefully the hotel, once opened, will continue that tree tradition.

Amazing! Happy memories of shopping there . There’s an old cinema on South Clerk St that’s been abandoned for years : would be great to see that filmed if you return to Edinburgh!

Very nice building. At least something will be kept.

Have many wonderful memories of Jenners as a child growing up in Edinburgh in the 50/60's. Suppose nowadays we should be thankful they haven't demolished it to build another horrendous poop emoji at the east end of Princes Street!

It was beautiful at Christmas time with the enormous tree. Happy memories.

Such a beautiful building! It's so sad.

What a stunning building.

Great explore! Beautiful architecture! 😁

It was such a beautiful store. I used to love going in at Christmas, when there was a huge Christmas Tree in the main Hall.

Such a magical place at Christmas time

What a fantastic looking building absolute quality it must have beautiful inside.

I used to be taken to see Father Christmas there every year- so xciting!

What a beautiful building.❤

What a place, love it