El Paso in Edinburgh: The Remarkable Story of Morningside's Hidden Wild West Street
El Paso in Edinburgh: The Remarkable Story of Morningside's Hidden Wild West Street
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An Extraordinary Vision
The street was created during 1995 and 1996 by businessman Michael Faulkner, a passionate enthusiast of the American Southwest and the son of Brian Faulkner, the last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
Following time spent working on a ranch in North America, Faulkner developed a deep appreciation for the architecture and atmosphere of the Old West. After suffering a serious back injury in a horse-riding accident, he returned to Edinburgh, bringing with him a vision unlike anything the city had ever seen.
He established a furniture business called Pine Country, specialising in handcrafted rustic furniture inspired by the American Southwest. As the business expanded, he opened a second showroom named The Great American Indoors, selling authentic Santa Fe-style furniture and home furnishings.
Rather than relying on traditional advertising, Faulkner decided to create something that customers would never forget.
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Building a Frontier Town
To bring his idea to life, Faulkner employed a team of specialist design engineers who had recently completed work on Disneyland Paris. Using professional theme-park construction techniques, the designers transformed an ordinary service lane into a remarkably convincing frontier town.
Existing garages, workshops and former cinema storage buildings disappeared beneath carefully constructed timber façades. Every detail was designed to create the illusion of an authentic nineteenth-century Western settlement.
Professional scenic painters aged the timber using specialist finishes, while hand-crafted signs advertised fictional businesses. The result was not simply a decorated alleyway but a fully immersive environment that encouraged visitors to wander through what felt like a genuine ghost town.
A Street Full of Character
Although relatively small, the street contained an impressive collection of Western landmarks.
A Cantina formed the focal point of the entrance, complete with adobe-style walls inspired by Mexican frontier architecture.
Nearby stood a Jail, featuring barred windows and mock prison details.
Visitors could also explore buildings representing a General Store, Blacksmith's Shop, and other classic frontier businesses, each carefully painted and weathered to resemble decades of exposure to the harsh desert climate.
Originally, the attraction also included a railway station and ticket office, reinforcing the illusion that visitors had stepped into a bustling frontier settlement. While these elements have since disappeared, many of the original structures remain remarkably intact.
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A Victim of Changing Retail
During the mid-1990s, the concept proved extremely successful. The unusual surroundings attracted customers from across Scotland, giving Pine Country a unique identity that distinguished it from traditional furniture retailers.
However, everything changed in 1999.
The arrival of IKEA's first Edinburgh store dramatically altered the furniture market. Competing against a multinational retailer offering huge choice and aggressive pricing proved impossible for many independent businesses.
Despite the originality of its concept, Pine Country was unable to survive the increased competition. Michael Faulkner's business entered bankruptcy, and both showrooms closed.
With the furniture gone, the remarkable Wild West street was left behind.
A Ghost Town That Refused to Disappear
Unlike many temporary promotional projects, the elaborate wooden façades were never demolished.
Over the years the painted signs have faded, timber has weathered naturally, and many decorative details have aged gracefully. Ironically, this gradual decline has made the street appear even more authentic, giving it the appearance of a genuine abandoned frontier settlement.
Behind the timber façades, everyday life quietly continues. The buildings now conceal working garages, workshops and artists' studios, while one of the most surprising features is hidden behind the Cantina itself.
The large double doors are not an entrance to a saloon at all—they serve as the permanent emergency fire exit for Morningside Library, an unexpected reminder that this cinematic-looking street remains part of modern Edinburgh.
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A Hidden Edinburgh Attraction
Today, the Wild West street has become one of Edinburgh's best-kept secrets.
It regularly features on photography websites, urban exploration blogs and social media, with many visitors discovering it by chance while walking through Morningside. Its unusual history and remarkable preservation have earned it a reputation as one of the city's most curious hidden attractions.
Photographers are particularly drawn to its beautifully weathered timber, hand-painted signs and authentic frontier atmosphere. Every façade tells part of the story of an ambitious marketing idea that far outlived the business it was created to promote.
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A Remarkable Legacy
Few advertising campaigns survive for more than a few months. Even fewer become permanent landmarks.
The Wild West street of Morningside is a rare example of commercial imagination becoming part of Edinburgh's urban landscape. What began as an innovative showroom designed to sell Santa Fe-style furniture has evolved into a fascinating piece of local history, preserving a unique chapter in the city's architectural story.
More than thirty years after it was built, "El Paso" continues to surprise those who discover it. Hidden behind ordinary streets in suburban Edinburgh, this forgotten frontier town stands as a testament to creative vision, craftsmanship and the enduring appeal of the American West – right in the heart of Scotland.
By Daren Frankish
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