John McIntyre Conference Centre (JMCC) - The Pollock Estate
A conference village in the city, located in the vibrant Southside of Edinburgh and nestled on the edge of Holyrood Park - a city space unlike any other with dramatic hills and crags shaping Edinburgh’s iconic skyline.
The purpose-built John McIntyre Conference Centre is our exclusive venue for BRS 2025. With two onsite four-star hotels, campus accommodation and extensive landscaped gardens, the Pollock estate offers a residential conference village environment within Edinburgh. It is easily accessible on foot or by public transport from the city centre whilst also boasting electric car charging points and parking.
The AHP and Osteoporosis Session on Wednesday afternoon will be held here followed by one of the sponsored satellite sessions. The ECR Networking Event will take place in the bar of the JMCC that evening. Then the two main conference days on Thursday and Friday will also be entirely held at the JMCC. The exhibition and posters will be located within this conference venue.
Address: JMCC - Pollock Estate, 18 Holyrood Park Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5AY
For a detailed location map click HERE
The Roslin Institute
The Image Workshop and Large Animal Workshop will be held at The Roslin Institute on Wednesday 25 June from 14:00 to 17:00. These specialised workshops are limited to 20 people attending at each and you can reserve your place when registering online for the whole meeting. We will be prioritising places at these workshops for those delegates who are also attending the full BRS 2025 meeting.
There is no charge for either workshop and we will be providing a return coach transfer from the JMCC at the Pollock Estate, departing approx 13:00 and returning by 18:00.
The Roslin Institute aims to achieve sustainable agriculture, control diseases and enhance health through pioneering animal bioscience. It was established in 1993 as a wholly owned but independent institute of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Its antecedents, however, go back to 1919 and are closely linked to animal genetics research at the University of Edinburgh. Dolly, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell and the world's most famous sheep, was born 5 July 1996 at the Roslin Institute.
Address: Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG
The Pollock Estate is located to the south west side of the city, at the foot of Edinburgh's iconic extinct volcano, Arthur's Seat. The entrance is off Holyrood Park Road, which can be accessed via the A7.
By Car
Parking at Pollock Halls is extremely limited. To request a parking permit, please get in touch with accom.reception@ed.ac.uk.
During arrival periods, parking is for drop-off only. You cannot park your vehicle on site once you have unloaded, and should instead move it to on-street parking nearby as soon as possible.
Park & Ride facilities
There is free parking at Sheriffhall Park & Ride, just off the A7. Fast and frequent buses (services 33, X33, and 51 - see above) connect this site to Pollock Halls - the journey time is around 15-20 minutes.
City of Edinburgh Council parking
City of Edinburgh Council control parking on the streets surrounding Pollock Halls. Some streets are require a residents' permit at all hours. Some streets are controlled by a residents' priority permit system at certain hours (timed to prevent use by commuters). There are a limited number of pay-and-display bays on surrounding streets.
From June 2024, a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will be enforced by the Council. This covers much of the University’s Central Area. Whilst Pollock Halls is outwith the LEZ, it is very close to the boundary. Driving a non-compliant vehicle into the LEZ will result in a penalty charge notice.
By Train
Most train services to Edinburgh end at Edinburgh Waverley train station. This station is at the East end of Princes Street right in the city centre, just 1.5 miles from the Pollock Estate and JMCC.
Are Edinburgh and Edinburgh Waverley the same station? Yes, Edinburgh Waverley has a handful of nicknames, including simply “Edinburgh train station” or “Waverley train station”. The only other train station near Edinburgh city center is Haymarket railway station, roughly one mile west of Edinburgh Waverley.
Regular services operate between Edinburgh and Glasgow (1hr 15mins), London Kings Cross (4hrs 40mins), Newcastle (1hr 30mins), Birmingham New Street (4hrs 15mins), Leeds (3hrs), Manchester Picadilly (3hrs 15 mins) and many other cities. This is the link to the ScotRail website where you can find more information.
The South Bridge bus stop for the no.14, 51, 30 and 33 public buses is a 5 minute walk away from Waverley Station – the bus journey to the Pollock Estate will take about 20 minutes. Or if you prefer it is a 32 minute walk from the Station to the JMCC.
By Air
If you are planning on flying to Edinburgh we would recommend that you book your flight as soon as possible to ensure you get the best available fare. For information about routes and destinations served by Edinburgh International Airport please click HERE
There are many flights to Edinburgh from other cities in the UK, including:
There are taxi ranks at Edinburgh International Airport and a comprehensive bus service to the city centre. Detailed information about transport links from Edinburgh Airport can be found HERE
The Airlink Buses current price is £5.50 single and £8.00 for an open return and the journey takes about 30 minutes. When you get to Waverly Station in the city centre you can then take the No.30 or No.33 bus to Holyrood Park Road. The taxi journey from Waverly Station to Pollock Estate will take about 5-10 minutes and costs between £9-12.
At the airport can get a taxi from the airport's taxi rank, which is located in the East Terminus, a short walk from arrivals. To find the taxi rank, exit via the plaza with the large "Edinburgh" sign and follow the signs for taxis.
The journey from the airport to the city centre takes approximately 30 minutes depending on the time of day, rush hour can be longer than this; you should expect to pay about £25 depending on the company and type of vehicle.
The journey from the airport to the Pollock Estate will take you a southerly route around the city and will take about 40 minutes and cost approx £65.
Uber is available in Edinburgh or there are black cabs which can be hailed.
By Bus
Should you wish to travel by bus you will find that Megabus and National Express run frequent services to Edinburgh Bus Station which is just north of Waverley Train Station
There is a Sainsbury's Local 0.6 miles from the JMCC which is open from 07:00-23:00 everyday. A small independant shop called The Refillery is half a mile away and is open from 10:00-19:00 everyday.
There is a Boots Pharmacy 0.5 miles away which is open from 08:45-17:45 every day.
You can find more information about Edinburgh HERE
Should you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact the BRS events team and we would be delighted to help you.
