Duncanson & Edwards is a pawnbroker that I note especially for its musical instruments. I know…read morethat it's a famous saying that every musician pawns at least one instrument during their musical career, but there must be some impressive musician in this area down on their luck to put together this collection and these are great instruments. Whatever instrument you are looking for, there's a good chance you'll find it here because there is a fabulous range encompassing a good variety of quality and classes of instruments. It does also sell other items, but in my mind it's just an unglorified music shop, because that's what it does best.

Well-lit area... Several cash points near the mile…read more.. Mind panhandling...

Having been a member of the Capital Credit Union since it was literally one man and his dog up the…read moreRoyal Mile I think ,(25-30 years) it has been the one secure financial base for many of my transactions. I use it as a back -up for my main bank account but as I have become older it has in many ways been the mainstay of my financial future. My only concern is that it does not become too big and loses the personal touch, I have always had 100% customer satisfaction and I am not that easy to please. Long may it last.

If you are a working man or woman great. If not you cannot benefit from one of their foremost…read morefacilities and that is the Capital union Visa Debit card. I had been a good member of the union for about 18 months,i saved and even had a small loan with them. However,i got shot of my own bank (LIoyds TSB)for the amount of charges they were levying against me so i called into the Hamilton place branch of the union to upgrade my account which would have included a debit card to be told "Sorry,we cannot give you a card as you are not in paid employment. Now,let me make my situation clear here. First of all,i wasn't some deadbeat on the dole,i am a genuinely disabled person who has his own house and i was getting about £220 per week clear from the DSS,my mortgage was paid for and i am rates exempt with no bad debts but still they refused me a poxy debit card because i wasn't in "paid employment". Well,suffice to say i am no longer a member of that Credit Union,in fact i now bank with a non-status bank who have given me a good Mastercard Debit card so up yours capital,here is one customer who is getting on all right without you and,as far as loans are concerned i joined another Edinburgh Credit union who cater for my loans request just nicely. They're gain and your loss.

Great customer service. Linda at the till is a breath of fresh air and makes a very boring…read moreexperience that little bit better. Staff seem friendly and nice, crap parking ; )

Highly recommended if you need a lone and turned down else where... 5 stars, together with…read morefriendly, curtious staff always...

This tiny currency cabin built into the Princes Mall is clearly very strategically, and cleverly…read moreplaced, for people getting off airport buses and the like, and for reeling in wandering tourists in general. That bit of the street is always packed and it takes a hundred years to get anywhere or cross the road (whinge, grumble, complain). Anyway, obviously, No.1 Currency isn't just for tourists needing a quick and convenient Sterling hand out, it's for locals getting away on their holidays too. I'm always completely disorganised and massively last minute about everything, so for me this place is great for a speedy Euros pick up, not that you get many of them to the pound these days. Wow, I hadn't realised I was in such a grumbling mood before I started writing this. I'm not great at researching and going round places checking lots of different exchange rates, but apparently word on the street is that No.1 Currency, Marks & Spencer, and American Express have the most competitive exchange rates in the city centre, so if you're actually organised about your holidays, unlike me, it's probably worth going round these three and seeing what rates they're offering.

If you're in a desperate hurry for Euros, Roubles or any of the other worthless forms of Monopoly…read moremoney that passes for currency in foreign lands, then No1 currency will probably suffice. Typical of all money changing outlets in tourist cities however, you will likely find yourself heavily ripped off, and receive an exchange rate significantly lower than the one advertised on the boards. Given that we hardly get any Euros for our money these days anyway, a visit here will usually result in an afternoon spent mumbling ill informed euro-sceptic political opinions, and hastily re-budgeting for the upcoming trip that's now going to cost twice as much as originally planned. If you have the time, go to the Post Office instead. You'll be waiting in a queue for 6 hours, but you'll get a better deal.

Do you have a current account with two standing orders or two direct debits, and you interested in…read moreswitching to an ethical bank that will reward you £100 for the switch, plus it will pay £25 a charity of your choice? Then go ahead!! The switching process was very smooth and I was being kept up to date. (tip: go for the standard account, not the plus, unless you want to switch your salary too or something) My only concern was that you can only set up online banking by talking to an actual Co-op employee on the phone, and you have to tell them the password you want to use... Which seems ... insecure to me! Other than that, the branch staff were always helpful when I asked for assistance, transactions, etc. Their desktop online banking is out of date, but the iOS app is easy to use and modern enough.

From the outside, this place really is about as depressing and tacky as they come. People taking…read moretheir beloved possessions in to flog them for a fraction of what they're worth, only so someone else can buy them before the original owner gets a chance to save up and buy them back. However... if you're a student and your microwave breaks, or you're a DVD junkie who never has any money (like my flatmate), then Cash Converters may well become your new best friend. This flatmate of mine came home the other day clutching 14 DVDs he'd just bought for a grand total of £20. Equally, when another friend of mine had a party but didn't want to risk her expensive music system getting trashed, she picked one up here for less than £40. They also offer those dodgy-as-hell payday loan advances (with about 1,000,000% apr) and also that Cash For Gold scheme that you can't turn on the tv without seeing these days, but I would only ever come here to grab a bargain. I wouldn't come here for financial advice or assistance...!

I find it hard to trust places like Cash Converters. The tacky interior and dodgy looking good just…read moreplain put me off. Nonetheless, the staff are cheery enough and are often willing to test the gear out for you. I've spotted the occasional bargain mixing deck and other Hi-Fi related gear. I'm sure most of it's all legitimate but if they only mopped their appearance up I'm convinced it would be a more appealing business.

There are lots of banks and branches out there, but still, there are some that are more attentive…read moreand personal than others. This branch - not far from Princess street - is hidden away from the crowds, because of the Tramline being built. Nevertheless, the personnel are keeping up their spirits and are still as helpful as ever. The branch has a spacious environment and if it needs be, it offers privacy using closed off cubicles.

This is my local bank that I regularly visit on my lunch break. I couldn't praise them highly…read moreenough as they are always super keen to please and helpful. I have both a current account and credit card with them and if I ever have an questions or issues with them then I pop in and everything is sorted out extremely last by a friendly member of staff.

The No1 Currency Exchange on the Royal Mile was the first, and as it turned out, and only currency…read moreexchange I went to on my Scotland heritage travel trip in July 2019. I stopped by to get some of the local currency in my first 24 hours in Scotland and before heading out to get my rental car. The exchange rate was good and the worker friendly. For the rest of my trip, I went with ATM withdrawals as the fee my bank charged me was small and they ran the conversions. Going through the in-person exchange was a confidence builder, especially at the beginning of the trip. I was asked questions about how I wanted the currency and what exchange rate I wanted. It helped me pay attention to what the different bills and coinage were. While I did not use another currency exchange place on my trip, it was helpful to have the in-person exchange in my repertoire to know I could do it again if I needed to.

I went here to exchange my currency for the local pound sterling, and the service was very…read moreefficient and straightforward. There was no fee required, and I was in and out in a matter of minutes. Would recommend this location specifically because the area is very picturesque and near a number of interesting attractions, so you can exchange your currency and have a nice walk by the shops/monuments.

This has been my favourite bank building in Edinburgh! I mean, it's massive if you look at it from…read morethe outside and even inside! This used to be a Lloyd's TSB branch before it had to split and now have TSB in Scotland and Lloyds in England and Wales. You will find at least one person available for information in dedicated desks, advisors for personal appointments , up to three personal banking cashiers and one business one, self service deposit points (same day). At the moment their 5-5-5 current account is great: interest , reward, switch incentive! Friendly and helpful staff! Definitely recommended!