Who owns the witchery in edinburgh

He is currently restoring another part of the historic building and he can be seen each day, adding many of the personal touches that make the Witchery so unique. Please be aware that we are currently experiencing some issues with our online table booking system. We hope to have this resolved soon, but in the meantime, if you would like to reserve a table, please email info thewitchery. The protocols were all in place from the meet and greet, to the hand sanitiser and temperature control — but the hotel itself was as familiar with its baroque-style glamour and just as immaculate.

His vast experience has certainly stood him in good stead during the last year. I kept saying we will just have to wait and see. I knew we could pay the salaries for a month or a couple of months, but that was all. Fellow restaurateurs were also calling, none of us knew what to do.

I was actually in tears watching it. I could hardly believe it. It was such a relief and I will forever be grateful to him for that. I think the whole industry feels the same way.

It was slightly surreal because I live in a really picturesque little village and the weather was lovely which made it hard to believe that there was a virus ravaging the world. I had to make the decision on my own without consulting any of my team members as they were furloughed.

Our lease was up and I only had a short window to decide if I was going to terminate it or not. I made the hard decision to close it. So it was the right decision to make but it was still very hard. I knew that it would result in 50 redundancies and that was the toughest thing because a lot of the team had been there since we opened 22 years ago. I almost wanted them to be angry with me because it actually made it harder because they all were so nice. Luckily because we made the decision early, when hospitality did reopen in the summer, they all managed to get jobs.

It was the right decision as history has shown. I remember walking up the driveway and seeing the house. I know I was five because I was very proudly wearing my first school uniform. The house and the peacocks made quite an impression on the five year old and perhaps it was then that James developed a quiet resolve to own it one day.

I did have a dream, I always dreamt of owning Prestonfield. His father may also have been surprised when James decided to go into hospitality because at school he had also been shy. But he always loved drama and theatre design and he brought his flair and his love of theatre to all his venues which are unique, flamboyant and opulent.

I worked seven days a week for the best part of 20 years — and when you do that you want to enjoy the space you work in. Owner Charles Stevenson knew James because the two were associates when they joined with 18 other Edinburgh businessmen to establish the Edinburgh Restaurateurs Association, for the opening of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

He had seen my work for the BHA. A painting of Mary Queen of Scots hangs there and the distant view is of the romantic ruins of Craigmillar Castle. Housed in a collection of 16th-century buildings, Witchery by the Castle has become a much-loved Edinburgh institution since I established it in Our guests are drawn to the rich baroque surroundings of the original oak-panelled Witchery, as well as the elegant candle-lit elegant charm of the Secret Garden restaurant.

Our nine theatrical suites are each lavishly decorated and offer a mix of romance, opulence and magic. Witchery by the Castle, housed in a collection of 16th-century buildings, just a short walk from Edinburgh Castle. Since then he has grown the number of staff into the hundreds, and there are few people in Edinburgh who have not either been to or heard of his hotel and restaurants.

He closed one of his restaurants, the Tower above the National Museum of Scotland earlier in the year, citing the pandemic as the main reason. When the lockdown rules eased Prestonfieled and The Witchery both reopened and James is determined to retain the remaining employees. Email address:. Sign in Join.

Sign in. Log into your account.