Mara Bar seeks retrospective permission for front decking at 58 Shore
Mara Bar at 58 Shore in Leith is seeking retrospective planning permission for front decking used for outdoor tables and chairs. The proposal would retain a small street-facing seating area on one of Edinburgh’s most prominent waterfront streets.
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A Leith waterfront pub is seeking planning permission to keep decking outside its front door for customer seating.
The application concerns Mara Bar at 58 Shore, Edinburgh EH6 6RA, on The Shore in Leith. The proposal is retrospective, meaning the decking has already been put in place and the planning application is seeking permission for it to remain.
The change is modest in scale, but it is visible. Outdoor seating, timber decking and boundary details can alter how a narrow, busy street feels for pedestrians, nearby businesses and neighbours — especially in a conservation area and on a well-used route through the waterfront.
What is proposed
The application is for decking at the front of the public house to provide space for external tables and chairs.
The proposal is described as front decking for a pub terrace, with timber seating and rope balustrading. In practical terms, it would retain a compact outdoor customer area immediately outside Mara Bar.
The application falls under full planning permission and is currently marked as awaiting assessment by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Because the application is retrospective, the question for the planning process is not whether the decking can be built in future, but whether it should be allowed to remain as part of the pub’s frontage.
Where it is
The site is 58 Shore, Edinburgh EH6 6RA, occupied by Mara Bar.
The Shore is one of Leith’s best-known streets, running beside the Water of Leith and lined with restaurants, bars, cafés and historic buildings. It is a high-footfall area used by residents, visitors, workers and people moving between the waterfront, Constitution Street, Commercial Street and the wider Leith area.
The property sits within the Leith Conservation Area. That does not prevent outdoor seating or alterations, but it means the appearance of changes to buildings and street frontages is likely to be an important consideration.
Why it matters
For customers and the business, the decking supports outdoor seating at a pub in a popular hospitality area. Outdoor tables and chairs can help venues make better use of their frontage and can add activity to the street, particularly during warmer months and busy evenings.
For neighbours and pedestrians, the main issues are likely to be more practical: how much space the decking takes up, how it looks in the street, whether it affects movement along the frontage, and how outdoor use sits with nearby homes and businesses.
The Shore already has a strong evening and weekend economy. Even small changes to seating, enclosure or customer space can matter because they shape the day-to-day experience of the street. A compact terrace can make a frontage feel lively, but it can also raise questions about clutter, access, noise and the character of a historic waterfront setting.
The planning context
The proposal is a full planning application for “proposed decking out front of public house for external tables / chairs”, made retrospectively.
The planning record identifies the case as a landscaping, gardens and boundaries matter, reflecting the physical nature of the decking and frontage treatment rather than a new building or major redevelopment.
A related planning history has also been noted for the same venue. In 2025, an application for the temporary use of two transparent domes for customer use from October 2025 to March 2026 was granted. The current application is separate and concerns the front decking.
The relevant community council area is Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council.
What happens next
City of Edinburgh Council will assess the application against planning policy and the site context. For a visible frontage in a conservation area, the council is likely to consider the design, materials and effect on the character of the street, alongside any amenity or access issues raised through the process.
Residents, neighbouring businesses and other interested parties can search for the case on the City of Edinburgh Council planning portal using reference 26/02452/FUL.
The application was received on 10 June 2026 and validated on 22 June 2026. Its current status is Awaiting Assessment.
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