Custom Lane and Brown’s of Leith featured in the Guardian
A thoughtful piece by Ailsa Sheldon, published today in the Guardian, reflects on Leith as a cultural hub shaped by food, making and reuse.
The article situates our projects, Custom Lane and Brown’s of Leith within a wider neighbourhood story, where former industrial buildings are adapted through careful use, with everyday rhythm — eating, working, gathering — becoming part of a longer material and social continuum. It’s encouraging to see Leith framed not as a trend, but as a place of authenticity, where architecture, craft and hospitality continue to evolve through shared authorship and long-term occupation.
Conceived by GRAS in 2016, Custom Lane is a collaborative platform for design and making in Scotland. Set within part of a 19th-century Custom House in Leith, it brings together designers, architects and makers in a shared working environment shaped by exchange and long-term use. Alongside studios, Custom Lane includes a cafe, roastery, gallery and event spaces that host an in-house programme of exhibitions, talks and public activity, complemented by partner-led projects. Together, these spaces support design practice across disciplines, encouraging dialogue between production, research and public engagement.
Opened in November, Brown’s of Leith sits within the former George Brown & Sons Engineering Works on the Shore. For over 130 years the building was home to engineers and metalworkers and remains deeply rooted in Leith’s industrial history. Brown’s of Leith brings together independent food and drink partners alongside shared spaces, with future phases accommodating artists, architects and creative practitioners. As part of the wider Custom Lane ecosystem, it contributes to a growing network of making, hospitality and cultural exchange shaped by care and continuity.