// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Relief as Edinburgh's Princes Street reopens seven weeks after fire
At its height about 50 firefighters were involved in tackling the blaze
Edinburgh's Princes Street is set to fully reopen on Saturday, seven weeks after it was shut by a major fire in a former department store.
Businesses in the east of the city say they have taken a hit during the usually-lucrative festival season, as disruption to public transport has hit footfall.
Bus routes have been diverted and tram services have only been operating in the west of the city while work to make the building safe took place.
Edinburgh council leader Jane Meagher said she was delighted the thoroughfare was reopening but acknowledged it had been a difficult chapter for the city.
The Scottish government previously committed £5m to the recovery effort, allowing some businesses to offset lost revenue.
The fire happened on 9 July, with Princes Street's reopening coming two days before the last day of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Monday.
Alistair Brown said his business had been affected by the partial closure of Princes Street
Alistair Brown – founder of Bellfield Brewery, which runs Nobles on Constitution Street – said regular tram services meant the prospect of new customers every seven minutes.
Despite being optimistic about the return of the trams, Brown said it was too early to assess the full financial damage to his business.