21 George Iv Bridge
Posted on: June 20, 2025
This property holds a unique and globally recognised place in contemporary literary history
Address: 21 George Iv Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1EN
Proposal: Alterations to restore the premises following a fire, refurbish the interior to return the property to a useable condition, restore the exterior of the building.
Reference No: 25/02531/LBC
Closing date for comments: Fri 20 Jun 2025
Determination date: Tue 15 Jul 2025
Result: Pending
Cockburn Response
The Cockburn Association wishes to express its support for this planning application relating to the restoration and future use of the Elephant House café on George IV Bridge.
This property holds a unique and globally recognised place in contemporary literary history, widely known as one of the formative writing spaces for J.K. Rowling during the early development of the Harry Potter series. As such, it continues to serve as a point of cultural interest and a destination for literary tourism, attracting visitors from around the world.
The Elephant House was among several properties badly damaged in the devastating fire that occurred in August 2021. We welcome efforts to bring this well-known site back into public use, recognising the significant role it plays in both Edinburgh’s living literary heritage and the broader visitor economy.
We support proposals that aim to sensitively restore the premises, ensuring the building’s cultural associations are respected and its contribution to the city’s rich literary landscape is preserved and enhanced.