Lost Edinburgh: Cowgate Fire site, 2002, now and then

Pictured in 2002, The Gilded Balloon.

By The Newsroom

Published 10th Oct 2012, 16:06 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Before December 2002’s fire, the Gilded Balloon building stood on the Cowgate in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.

While it was lucky that no one was killed in the ferocious blaze, the buildings were completely destroyed as the fire spread quickly.

The Gilded Balloon has now moved to Teviot Row House, and in the years since, the site has occasionally been the temporary home to Fringe venues and bars during August, but there appears to be little movement towards any rebuilding process.

• 2002 photo by Dave Henniker

• 2012 photo by David McLean

To view more images like the one above, visit the Lost Edinburgh Facebook page >>