Owners of the bars have written a letter to the chief executive of SP Energy Networks about the problems with power cuts, which they say they have suffered during the festive periods since 2021.
The letter, which has been copied to City of Edinburgh Council’s chief executive Paul Lawrence and local MSP Angus Robertson, says there is “deep concern” about the problem.
It reads: “While we appreciate SP Energy Networks’ apologies and the assurance that network condition reviews are underway, the recurring nature of these outages indicates systemic vulnerabilities that require urgent and permanent solutions.
“The current approach of reactive repairs is insufficient to safeguard businesses and customers in this critical hospitality district.”
The businesses said they were counting the cost of multiple power failures that have driven party-goers from the area.
It said “the longstanding issue remained unresolved”.
Some venues have reported experiencing power cuts multiple times a day during the festive season, “putting Christmas trade in the dark”.
In one December weekend alone, Grassmarket businesses lost the whole of Friday night’s service and the entire Saturday lunch service, meaning thousands of pounds in lost revenue across a number of venues.
“Meanwhile, business costs remain. Staff must still be paid in case power returns, food is wasted, and bookings are lost,” the letter’s authors said.