The West End Coorie which takes place at the end of the month is a new Festival of Edinburgh’s West End. The six day long event will bring together residents, businesses and visitors inviting them all to ‘coorie in’ together as the festive season approaches.
The very first West End Coorie week runs from Monday 21 – Sunday 27 November 2022 in Edinburgh’s West End.
The aim is to get locals connecting with businesses, and each other, as Christmas approaches. ‘Coorie’ is a Scots word meaning ‘to snuggle and nestle’.
The West End is well known for independent shops, funky cafés, bars and restaurants and top-end beauty salons. Local businesses are making special offers for residents during Coorie week.
Residents (and visitors wanting to be honorary Westenders) will wear special identifying stickers to recognise and meet each other. Over two dozen businesses have signed up so far, including Teuchters, the RIAS Bookshop, House of Hearing and Rae Macintosh music.
The event was initiated by the Edinburgh West End Facebook group with its 2,300 members who live in the area, with the support of local business owners Michael Apter owner of Paper Tiger in Stafford St and Anna Lagerqvist-Christopherson of The Green Room, on William St.
There will be events during the week, including a special outdoor visit by Portobello favourites the Shunpike Social Club streetband on 26 November, as well as at West End regular spots including Whigham’s Jazz Club, The Scottish Arts Club, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, the Fox & Faun, and the Ghillie Dhu.
Coorie organiser Mark McKergow said: “There are more and more residents moving into the West End every month. We want to help them maker lasting connections with the fantastic range of businesses here, and with each other, during the Coorie.”
Paper Tiger’s Michael Apter, a West End business owner for more than 20 years, said: ”The West End is fighting back after the pandemic. We are right behind the desire for a more connected community of both residents and businesses, and together we’re making the West End an even better place.”
The Coorie includes both the shopping areas around William Street and Stafford Street to the east and also West Maitland Street and Haymarket Terrace to the west. Organisers hope to build the Coorie into an annual event.
This photo below was taken for a feature in our paper all about the West End businesses.
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