Amazon headquarters coming to Scotland

Friday, January 14, 2011 - 10:47 by Simon Crisp

Residents of Edinburgh will soon find that there is a new firm operating in their city, as online retail giant Amazon has announced that it will be creating its first Scottish HQ and creating over 100 jobs in the process.

Amazon is allegedly going to share a building in Edinburgh with US software firm Microsoft, housed within walls which used to contain the central office for the postal service.

The fact that Amazon is setting up shop in Edinburgh is obviously good news for the city's economy, but there is even more positive information for Scottish consumers in general, as a distribution centre operated by the firm is apparently on the cards.

If the centre opens it will cover an area of one million feet square and will be a source of significant employment for locals. It will also mean that those who want to enjoy safe shopping online in Scotland will be able to take delivery of their goods quicker than ever before.

Amazon executives have allegedly earmarked locations in Fife or West Lothian as ideal for the depot, although ongoing talks with Alex Salmond, the first minister of the Scottish parliament, have yet to conclude and more news is expected before the end of the week.

According to a source quoted in the Scotsman newspaper, the terms of the deals being struck by Amazon are virtually guaranteed to go through and any agreement will be ratified within the coming weeks.

By adding a new distribution centre, Amazon would more than triple the amount of floor space which it has dedicated to safe shopping online in Scotland.

A spokesperson for Edinburgh city council expressed his pleasure at the news that an international firm such as Amazon was considering a significant investment in the local economy.