For as long as many students can remember, Teviot Row House has been hidden by scaffolding. The student union building—the oldest in the world—has been closed for renovations since September 2023, its first full closure since 1970.
For students who joined in the last two years, even mere sights of the building have been absent from open days, tours, and university life in Bristo Square.
In recent weeks, though, scaffolding has been removed from the building. New accessible ramped entrances, coming from Bristo Square and Charles Street Lane, are now visible too.
Though renovations were necessary to make the building comply with regulations, accessibility seems to have been a priority for EUSA in the remodelling of the building.
According to the EUSA website, Teviot House was 0 per cent wheelchair accessible before, with the building expected to be 90 per cent traversable by wheelchair once renovations are finished.
The EUSA website also details the improved toilets and fire safety changes which will be implemented.
In terms of eco-friendly changes, new insulation improvements and thicker windows have been added, with Teviot also shifting to LED light bulbs.
On 15 September, the Student Association released a video showing off interior progress and mentioning some new exciting changes coming. Although the interior is still a work in progress, the video showcased some very exciting progress.
The debate hall, for instance, has been renovated, with new stained-glass brought in. When finished, the hall will seat 250 people, and groups such as the Debate Society, political party societies, and the new Edinburgh Union will undoubtedly look to host events there.
Teviot House’s renovated bars, and especially the reintroduction of weekly deals on nachos and pizzas, will bring another much-appreciated facet to the campus.
The Student Union building is set to reopen in the Spring of 2026.
Image by Dom Croot
