Safety fears at shopping complex

St James Centre has been closed at one entrance since Sunday

Part of Edinburgh's St James Shopping Centre has been closed due to safety fears over the building which sits directly above the complex.

Emergency repairs are being carried out on its exterior cladding after structural problems were found during an inspection of New St Andrews House.

The section of the St James Shopping Centre off Elder Street will remain closed until Wednesday at the earliest.

The centre's owners said the closure was a health and safety precaution.

The rest of the complex remains open for business.

A spokesman for the St James Shopping Centre said the area closed off included one of the city's main post offices.

He said: "Contractors working on behalf of the St James Shopping Centre have been carrying out remedial work on the outer fabric of New St Andrew's House over the last few weeks.

Cladding has fallen from the building above the St James Centre

"This required overnight closure of the centre's Elder Street entrance on Sunday night.

"During the course of these works, and having consulted with our contractors, it was decided to close as a temporary measure a small part of the mall to public access.

"This is a precautionary measure to allow the contractors to continue with remedial work without any risk to public safety."

The St James Shopping Centre will remain open to the public from the Princes Street entrance.

The nearest Post Office branches to the St James Shopping Centre are located in Elm Row and Frederick Street.