James Thomson OBE DL MI
Scotland's best-known hotelier-restaurateur
James Thomson is one of Scotland’s best-known independent restaurateurs and hoteliers.
James was born and educated in Edinburgh, attending George Heriot's School. A school often compared to Hogwarts! It was in Heriot’s magical 17th-century surroundings that James saw and fell in love with the historic Old Town of Edinburgh and developed his passion for history, art and drama.
Despite his parents’ initial misgivings, James found himself a Saturday job helping in a restaurant kitchen at the age of 12. After this he went on to study hospitality, the first step in getting to where he is today.
Whilst studying hospitality, James opened an outside catering business at the young age of 17. During this period, he catered for one of his friends’ 18th birthday celebrations.
Upon completion of his course, he acquired a series of run-down 16th Century tenement buildings on Castlehill in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. In 1979, on Halloween, he launched his first restaurant: The Witchery by the Castle, with just three staff, he was only 20 years old and became Scotland's youngest licensee.
The Witchery has become an integral part of the social hospitality scene in Edinburgh and is credited with revitalising the City’s neglected Old Town. As well as this James' trademark opulent and atmospheric design style, alongside great food, wine, and service, has garnered many awards and accolades for over 5 decades.
By 1989, The Witchery had acquired a worldwide profile that could no longer keep up with customer demand. So, James created a second restaurant: The Secret Garden, on an adjacent derelict school playground. Shortly after, he created 5 magical suites to complement his restaurants. The Witchery having celebrated its 45th anniversary on Halloween 2024, has become one of Scotland's most established and celebrated restaurants with rooms and was awarded AA Best Restaurant with Rooms in Scotland 23/24.
10 years later, in 1999 James opened Edinburgh's first rooftop restaurant, The Tower Restaurant. Housed within the contemporary lines of the modern Museum of Scotland, he stamped his quintessential lavish style on the restaurant, and it quickly gained a worldwide reputation for great food and service. Described as “The hottest table in town” it garnered a raft of awards and accolades and became one of Edinburgh’s best-loved restaurants.
The Tower sadly closed its doors for the final time in March 2020, in the wave of the Coronavirus pandemic after 22 years of trading and is still much missed.
At school, James’s father doubted his son’s ambition when he got a report card describing his son as a “dreamer”. James tried to pacify his father by explaining that one in four dreams do come true and in 2003 this happened.
At the age of 5, James fell in love with Prestonfield House whilst visiting with his parents. The historic house, Peacocks, Highland Cattle, and parklands had left quite an impression on him, and he developed a quiet resolve to own it one day. Several years later whilst studying at college, he worked at Prestonfield as a teenage waiter and in 2003, he returned as the owner.
Prestonfield was built by Sir William Bruce, King’s architect after his completion of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 1687, as the private residence for the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. It remained within his family until 1958 when it was passed on to close friends and became a hotel. In 2003 James was approached as the family wished to retire and leave the house in safe hands with someone who could look after it and return it to its former glory. Prestonfield has never been on the open market and James became the third owner of the house in 337 years.
James embarked on a detailed multi-million-pound refurbishment of the historic interiors and buildings; his aspiration was to create a bold alternative to bland uniform hotels. After extensive renovation, he relaunched Prestonfield and soon gained “AA Five Red Stars” and was awarded “AA Hotel of the Year for Scotland” which was described as “Scotland’s most sumptuous hotel”.
Within the hotel, he opened Rhubarb, his most opulent restaurant to date.
James is a founding patron of Springboard UK which helps disadvantaged and unemployed people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life to fall in love with hospitality, leisure and tourism, and gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed to flourish in a lifetime career within these industries. Springboard works with and for these industries to advocate, support and celebrate fantastic hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses and address any skill shortages.
For over 40 years he has supported students at Edinburgh College (formally Telford College), sponsoring student exchange trips for students and lecturers to Lyon and providing the James Thomson Award for Customer Excellence to hospitality students for over 20 years.
James also actively encourages young people who are not achieving their full potential through his work with The Prince’s Trust Scotland which helps those facing the biggest barriers to gain success in education, work and business. He has been a member of the Prince’s Trust Scottish Advisory Board for over 20 years and founded the annual fundraising “Lunch with an Old Bag”. Now in its fifteenth year at Prestonfield it has raised over £6 million pounds to help change the lives of young people in Scotland. He has also donated over £1 million pounds collected from the “One Pound on a Bill Donation” at both The Witchery and Prestonfield.
Achievements
Governor at George Heriot’s School Charitable Trust from 2006 until 2022.
Awarded an OBE for Services to Hospitality and Tourism in Scotland in 2005.
Commissioned as a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh in 2018.
Awarded Master Innholder and Fellow of Institute of Hospitality 2024.
Fellowship of the MasterChef's of Great Britain in 2022
‘UK Independent Restaurateur of the Year’ at the Catey Awards in 2009.
“Silver Thistle Award” from VisitScotland for Services to Tourism and Hospitality in 2004.
“Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Hospitality Industry Trust in 2002.
Honorary Doctorate of the University from Edinburgh Napier University in 2006.
Installed as a ‘Chevalier, La Commanderie de Montmartre’ and ‘Defender of the Auld Alliance’ in 2011.
Installed as a ‘Chevalier du Tastevin, Confrerie de Chevaliers du Tastevin, Clos du Vougeot, Burgundy in 2001.
James supports the following charities:
Castlebrae School
Prestonfield Primary School
Liberton Secondary
Heriots Rugby Club
Princes Trust Scotland committee member for 20 years
Creator of Lunch with an Old Bag, now in its 15th year raising over £6 million and changing lives of 6000 lives in Scotland. Over £1 million raised to date from 'One pound on a bill' for Prince's Trust Scotland collected at The Witchery and Prestonfield
Sisters of Mercy, Sister Aelred, St Catherine's Convent, Edinburgh's Feeding the Homeless
Leuchie House, North Berwick Respite holidays for people severe autoimmune disease as MS, MND and stroke patients
Spartans Football Academy
Bill McLaren Foundation
Sportsman's Charity and Ex-trustee
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity
Crohn's & Colitis UK
CHAS
Alzheimer Scotland
Founding trustee and supporter of Prostate Scotland
Ex-trustee of Springboard Charity
Sight Savers Charity
Redpath Albion AFC Youth Football team sponsorship
CCLASP
Hospitality Industry Trust and climbed Kilimanjaro to raise funds
One City Trust
Edinburgh College /Telford College, Annual James Thomson Award for Hospitality Customer Service Award for 22 years and student and lecturer placement programme
House of Lords Student Colleges Gold Award
St Columba's Outward Bound Centre, Staffin, Skye
Future Chef
UK Hospitality Scotland Committee formerly British Hospitality Association and BHRCA for over 40 years
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
And many more!
