One eyewitness described the flames coming from the four storey Eastgate Backpackers Hostel as "horrendous".

BBC: Highlands & Islands

Police Scotland said the alarm was raised just after 05:00 at the hostel in the Eastgate area of the city.

BBC: Highlands & Islands

Eastgate Street, between Nettleton Street and Bruton Way, is already closed to traffic between 22:00 GMT and 05:00 on Friday and Saturday.

BBC: Gloucester street closure scheme extension to be trialled

The 51 people who were evacuated, many of them still in their night clothes, were given shelter inside the nearby Eastgate Shopping Centre.

BBC: Highlands & Islands

The Victoria Gate development, formerly known as Eastgate Quarters, is to include a flagship John Lewis store, restaurants and an 800-space car park.

BBC: Leeds Victoria Gate images released by Hammerson

Gartcosh United's Adam Bain fell ill during his side's home match against Drumchapel FP at the Eastgate ground in North Lanarkshire on Saturday.

BBC: Tributes to tragic Gartcosh United footballer Adam Bain

But as a blogger on Eastgate.com noted recently, that equates brevity with debased taste, and sees patience for long stories as a mark of high culture.

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The George Street facade of the site is earmarked for redevelopment in a separate scheme that would "complement the adjacent Eastgate development" which is destined to include a new John Lewis store.

BBC: Leeds Kirkgate Market destined for ?12m revamp