Princes Mall (formerly Waverly Market and later Waverley Shopping Centre) is a shopping centre in Edinburgh, Scotland.
It is located at the East end of Princes Street in the City Centre, next to Edinburgh Waverley Railway station. Although once home to a number of independent retailers, it now houses mainly high street chain stores, as well as a large food court.
Designed in the early 1980s, it was built primarily underground, with a landscaped plaza at street level, in order to preserve the view from Princes Street across to Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town. It opened as Waverley Market in November 1984, the name referencing the food market that once occupied the site. An official opening by Queen Elizabeth II took place on 25th July 1985.[1]
In the centre's early years the atria were adorned by luxuriant planting and water features, with shoppers descending on escalators from Princes Street through a canopy of trees to the underground plaza..[2]
Major refurbishment in the early 1990s coincided with a change of name to Waverley Shopping Centre. A prominent and popular aspect of the mall introduces at this time was the large water feature which dominated the main atrium and incorporated the 11ft high Herons Dream sculpture.[3] [4] This was removed during refurbishment in the early 2000s when the centre adopted its current name.
The mall suffered a decline in popularity in the early 2000s with 12 of the retail units empty at one stage. Major new lettings to fashion retailers CULT and AB10, coupled with a new escalator entrance from Princes Street have helped to reverse this decline.
Network Rail are currently improving the Waverley steps, installing new stairs, escalators, lifts and a glazed roof, in a bid to improve disabled access to the station. Princes Mall will benefit from much improved entrances here. A temporary entrance to Waverley Station is currently located in the food court whilst work continues.
Edinburgh's main tourist information centre is located within the same development. It is accessed through a separate entrance on top of the mall.[5]