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Edinburgh in the 1990s: A look back at what life was like growing up in Edinburgh in the 90s

Kevin Quinn
·6-min read
Opened in 1980 as Scotland’s first indoor soft play area, it was a cool place for kids and a favourite venue for birthday parties in the 1990s. Before shutting in 2008, it welcomed one million children through its Grove Street doors. (Photo: Comp)
Opened in 1980 as Scotland’s first indoor soft play area, it was a cool place for kids and a favourite venue for birthday parties in the 1990s. Before shutting in 2008, it welcomed one million children through its Grove Street doors. (Photo: Comp)

We’ve taken a look back at what life was like growing up in Edinburgh in the 1990s, a time before we were all glued to our mobile phones, and the internet took over our lives.

A simpler time, with more children and teenagers out and about meeting each other in the city’s pubs, clubs, cafe and other meeting spots, we also take a look at the fashions of the time and things that were such an important part of life in Edinburgh during that decade which we have almost forgotten about now.

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Most Edinburgh kids in the 1990s were dragged through this discount multi-level rabbit warren department store in South Bridge by their mum on a Saturday afternoon. Known affectionately as
Situated off the bottom of Leith Walk, Leith Waterworld opened in 1992 and was a must visit attraction for Edinburgh's kids in the 90s thanks to its flumes, wave machine and a fast river run. It sadly closed its doors for good in January 2012. (Photo: Esme Allen)
Situated off the bottom of Leith Walk, Leith Waterworld opened in 1992 and was a must visit attraction for Edinburgh's kids in the 90s thanks to its flumes, wave machine and a fast river run. It sadly closed its doors for good in January 2012. (Photo: Esme Allen)
One of the main forms of entertainment for children growing up in Edinburgh in the 1990s was undoubtedly a trip to the cinema, with the Odeon cinema on South Clerk Street seen as the best in the city for many years. (Photo: BILL HENRY)
One of the main forms of entertainment for children growing up in Edinburgh in the 1990s was undoubtedly a trip to the cinema, with the Odeon cinema on South Clerk Street seen as the best in the city for many years. (Photo: BILL HENRY)
Good old
Wimpy had two restaurants on Princes Street in the 1990s, including this one that opened at the corner of Castle Street and Princes Street in Edinburgh, May 1984. The other was at the east end, in what is now the Apple store. Most Edinburgh kids attended birthday parties upstairs at both, as well as trips there with friends as a teenager in the 90s on a Saturday afternoon. (Photo: Stan Warburton)
Situated then on the edge of the city, the Gyle Shopping Centre at the South Gyle opened in 1993 and was a must-visit for groups of teens looking for something to do and feeling like they were cool kids at 'the mall' like characters from popular American teen shows of the time such as 'Saved By the Bell'. When it opened it really did feel like a little piece of America and so futuristic. The centre is more than a bit tired now, however multi-million pound plans were recently revealed to transform this shopping mall. The opening in 1993 is pictured above. Photo by Ian Rutherford.
Meadowbank Thistle were Edinburgh's third major football team in the 1990s before changing their name to Livingston and moving to the West Lothian town in 1995. Originally known as Ferranti Thistle from 1943 to 1974, the club enjoyed success in the 80s and 90s including a couple of impressive cup runs and playing in Scotland's second top flight. However, the part-times struggled and infamously attracted record low Scottish league crowds of around 100 at the large stadium when fans protested about plans to move to Livingston.Meadowbank Thistle Football Club are pictured at their home of Meadowbank Stadium in August 1994. (Photo: Crauford Tait)
Savacentre supermarket at Cameron Toll, pictured in 1993, was a very popular destination for Edinburgh shoppers in the 1990s, and was seen as quite an exciting place to shop thanks to it being in a - at the time - futuristic mall and its iconic glass exterior. (Photo: Bill Henry)
Savacentre supermarket at Cameron Toll, pictured in 1993, was a very popular destination for Edinburgh shoppers in the 1990s, and was seen as quite an exciting place to shop thanks to it being in a - at the time - futuristic mall and its iconic glass exterior. (Photo: Bill Henry)
Before the organised and multi-million pound Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations were introduced in the late 90s, Edinburgers brought in the bells at the Tron, off the High Street at Hunter Square. Teenagers pictured having a knees-up at the Tron Kirk in Edinburgh on Hogmanay 1990. (Photo: Joe Steele)
Before the organised and multi-million pound Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations were introduced in the late 90s, Edinburgers brought in the bells at the Tron, off the High Street at Hunter Square. Teenagers pictured having a knees-up at the Tron Kirk in Edinburgh on Hogmanay 1990. (Photo: Joe Steele)
William Blaikie heads the queue outside Jenners, the Edinburgh department store, hoping to get a Thunderbirds Rescue Pack, one of the must-have toys for Christmas 1992, in the days before expensive games consoles, ipads and other electrical items were what kids were after from Santa. (Photo: Crauford Tait)
William Blaikie heads the queue outside Jenners, the Edinburgh department store, hoping to get a Thunderbirds Rescue Pack, one of the must-have toys for Christmas 1992, in the days before expensive games consoles, ipads and other electrical items were what kids were after from Santa. (Photo: Crauford Tait)
Unlike today when Edinburgh kids only tend to care about the big English and foreign football teams and star players, Capital kids all had their favourite Scottish football team, with what seemed like every kid walking the streets at the time in a Scottish football club's top on, at a time when football strips became a must-have item and clubs started to release new strips more often. It's hard to imagine now, but you couldn't leave your house in Edinburgh in the 90s without seeing a kid in a Hearts or Hibs top. Pictured above is Hibs' Pat McGinlay shielding the ball from opponent Ally Mauchlen during a Hibs v Hearts Edinburgh Derby football match on New Year's Day 1993, which finished 0-0.
John Menzies' Princes Street branch was a popular haunt for teenagers in the 1990s, heading downstairs to check out the latest computer games or buying their favourite magazine on the ground floor. The store, which closed in 1998 was also the location for the famous intro scene in the hit film Trainspotting, based on Edinburgh author Irvine Welsh's landmark book of the same name. (Photo: ALAN LEDGERWOOD)
This nightclub on Lothian Road was almost a right of passage for Edinburgh teens when they could finally legally enter its hallowed doors and hit the large dancefloor. The venue changed its name to Revolution in the late 90s after a major renovation, before later being transformed into the Picture House gig venue and is now a Weatherspoons pub.
This nightclub on Lothian Road was almost a right of passage for Edinburgh teens when they could finally legally enter its hallowed doors and hit the large dancefloor. The venue changed its name to Revolution in the late 90s after a major renovation, before later being transformed into the Picture House gig venue and is now a Weatherspoons pub.
The flumes at The Royal Commonwealth Pool (the Commie) were a must visit location for teens in the 90s. Pictured are The River Rapids, Vortex and Twister water slides, with another, The Stingray, billed as 'the fastest flume in Europe' - with the narrow tube shooting you down to pool level in a matter of seconds and left boys having to make sure their shorts didn't come down due to the force of the water!