Edinburgh streets loved by Gen Z named among best in UK for independent shopping

The stretch of road made up of Deanhaugh Street and Raeburn Place in Stockbridge, just a short walk from Edinburgh city centre, has been crowned the 7th best place find independent shops that appeal most to Gen Z shoppers - and is the only Scottish area to make the list.

The research was conducted in October by American Express and retail experts GlobalData, who compiled the rankings based on factors like the number of independent stores serving Gen Z interests and the total count of independent shops on offer.

The street’s aesthetic qualities and vibrancy, which took into account vacancy rates, number of visitors and overall “economic health” of the street, were also considered.

The area is home to an impressive array of charity shops which are a favourite Gen Z haunt, as well independent bookshops like the popular Rare Birds Book Shop, the only one in Scotland dedicated entirely to women's writing .

There’s also a delightful selection of independent cafés and Instagram-friendly bakeries including The Pastry Section, and the beloved Lannan Bakery which lives close by.

The top spot in the whole of the UK went to Brighton's North Laine, which stretches along Trafalgar Street, Sydney Street, Kensington Gardens.

Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross and Broadway Market in East London also made the list, the latter a favourite among Hackney’s hip millennials and Gen Zs for its independent boutiques and eateries, and weekend food stalls.

High streets in Sheffield, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds and Birmingham were also highlighted for their Gen Z appeal.

The new research also revealed the top retail sectors being boosted by Gen Z shoppers, using a nationally representative sample of 2,300 UK consumers over the age of 18 and a boosted sample of Gen Z consumers.

GlobalData compared how their shopping habits differed from the general population and calculated how their interest in different sectors were boosting spend.

The sector boost calculation shows the extent to which market sizes are increased from Gen Z shopping differently to the total population.

The results showed Gen Z’s obsession with all things retro boosted the vintage camera shop sector by 58 per cent, while vintage clothing stores (39 per cent) and record shops (23 per cent) also received a major boost from young shoppers.