We had to go through to Edinburgh today and had planned to go shopping afterwards. Edinburgh is not a car friendly city and after battling through the traffic to get to our original destination I decided to give Ocean Terminal a try rather than try and park in the city centre only to find myself battling through the chaos in Leith caused by a portion of the road being cordoned off to build the new tram lines.

Leith is an area which used to have a terrible reputation but has undergone massive redevelopment in recent years. Part of that development has been the massive Ocean Termional shopping centre offering 70 shops and leisure facilities under one roof.

The centre is situated beside the Leith waterfront and boasts fabulous views of the Royal Yaught Brittania and over the Forth to Fife which can be enjoyed from some of the eating spots inside the centre.

The 70 shops include many high street chains including Marks and Spencers, a huge Debenhams, The Body Shop and Lush. It is slightly more upscale than many shopping centres with none of the shops selling cheap tat around. Theres nothing particualrly exciting there to be honest.

While you are there you can also catch a film at the Vue cinema with plenty of showings during the day or visit a skatepark and kids play area. Theres plenty of eating places such as O'briens and Marks and Spencers simply food. You can also visit the acclaimed tourist attraction Brittania for an extra charge.

I've got to say visiting Ocean Terminal left me feeling underwhelmed. It is pretty bland, set over 3 floors of white boring corriders. While it has tried to incorporate a nautical feel to the decor using port hole type windows and wooden floors in some parts it really hasnt worked. It has a really souless feel, much the same as any other large shopping centre to be honest.

I wont be visiting again. Princes street is only a few miles away and offers much better choice and character but if you like having all the major chains under one roof with free parking then you might like Ocean Terminal.