George Street Revamp to Be Funded by Edinburgh’s New Tourist Tax

After years of discussion, delays, and half-starts, plans to revamp George Street are finally moving forward — with funding set to come from Edinburgh’s new tourist tax.

The council has confirmed that revenue from the visitor levy will help fund major public realm improvements on George Street. These are expected to include wider pavements, better pedestrian space, more seating, improved cycling access, and an overall shift towards a quieter, people-first street.

It’s a project that’s been on and off the table for a long time. Rising costs and competing priorities have repeatedly pushed it back. The introduction of a dedicated tourism fund now appears to be the missing piece needed to get work started.

Council leaders say George Street is one of the flagship projects identified for early investment once the levy goes live, alongside other long-planned city improvements that have struggled to secure funding.

What Is the Tourist Tax?

Edinburgh’s tourist tax (officially known as the Visitor Levy) will apply to overnight stays in the city and is expected to come into force in 2026.

In simple terms, visitors staying in hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, and short-term lets will pay a small additional charge per night. The money collected will be ring-fenced, meaning it must be spent on things that support the city and tourism infrastructure rather than general council budgets.

That includes:

• Public realm upgrades
• Transport and accessibility improvements
• City centre maintenance
• Facilities used heavily by visitors and residents alike

Accommodation providers will collect the levy as part of the booking or bill, then pass it on to the council. Similar schemes already operate in cities across Europe.

Why George Street?

George Street sits right at the heart of the city centre but has long felt like an awkward halfway house, not quite a pedestrian street, not quite a traffic route that really works.

Campaigners and local businesses have argued for years that it should be redesigned to prioritise people over vehicles, make better use of the space between buildings, and support events without constant temporary closures and barriers.

The council says the revamp will help:

• Improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists
• Make the street more flexible for events and outdoor use
• Support nearby shops, bars, and restaurants
• Create a greener, more welcoming city centre

Final designs and timelines haven’t yet been confirmed, but using tourist tax funding suggests the project is now being treated as a long-term investment rather than another stalled concept.

For a street that’s been promised change more times than most, this may finally be the moment when plans turn into reality.