Capital late night shopping plans

City centre shops have competition from complexes in the suburbs

City centre shops in Edinburgh could stay open until 2200 from Monday to Saturday under plans to bring late night shopping to the area.

The proposal from Edinburgh City Centre Management under the Business Improvement District (Bid) plan would be implemented in two years time.

Shops are to be balloted next spring on whether they would pay the extra levy on their rates.

The money would help fund new festivals and events.

Elinor Jayne, Bid development manager, said: "The initial feedback we've received so far, from businesses in all sectors, has been very encouraging."

If we want to continue to improve the retail offering in the city centre, we need to ensure our opening hours are as flexible as other shopping centres around the UK Cllr Ian Perry Edinburgh Council

The extra costs for businesses would be one per cent on the rateable value of their premises.

The move would help city centre shops compete with out-of-town shopping centres, which are regularly open after 2000 BST.

Cllr Ian Perry, Edinburgh Council's economic development leader, said: "We would welcome this move. If we want to continue to improve the retail offering in the city centre, we need to ensure our opening hours are as flexible as other shopping centres around the UK.

"Extended hours would allow people a wider shopping window which would better fit their busy lives and would help to ease the congestion we see in the city centre at peak times and during major events and festivals."