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Robert Smail’s Printing Works

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Scottish Borders

Robert Smail’s Printing Works

Planning your visit

Getting here

Robert Smail’s Printing Works is on High Street (A72) in Innerleithen.

Address Robert Smail’s Printing Works High Street Innerleithen Scottish Borders EH44 6HA

Access to the printing works is by guided tours only and booked via Eventbrite.

Borders Buses 62/X62 from Edinburgh/Galashiels stop in the town.

If you are coming from the west (via Peebles), we are on the right-hand side of the street, almost directly opposite the Bank of Scotland.

Contact information

Telephone: 01896 830206

Email address: smails@nts.org.uk

Get directions

Provided by Google Maps

Opening times

Printing works Access to the printing works is by guided tours (90 mins) only. Please note that spaces are limited. Pre-booking is advised.: Current period 1 Nov–28 Feb 2025, closed
Gift shop: Current period 1 Nov–28 Feb 2025, closed

Entry prices

Printing Works

Adult: £10.00
Family: £30.00
One adult family: £20.00
Concession: £8.00
Child: £5.00
Young Scot: £1.00

Book tickets

Members go free

At all Trust places, admission is free for members.

Join us today

Planning your visit

Access to the printing works is by guided tours only and booked via Eventbrite.

One-day workshops in 2024

We will be running new one-day workshops in bookbinding, upcycling, green cleaning and caring for textiles – in addition to our very popular letterpress printing ones.

Check our web page, or our Facebook and Instagram pages, for more details.

Dogs (except assistance dogs) are not permitted at Smail’s.

For more information about planning your visit, please see our frequently asked questions.

Facilities & access

Unfortunately, our Caseroom is not suitable for wheelchair users as it can only be accessed by a set of stairs.

We regret we do not have a public toilet.

We have an ongoing programme of accessible content development. We have created a detailed Accessibility Guide for Robert Smail’s Printing Works to assist with your visit.

We’d love you to visit the Euan’s Guide website to review the accessibility of Trust places and tell us (and others) what’s good and where we need to do better.

3G/4G coverage

Bike facilities

We have a bike rack for 5 bikes in our private courtyard – please ask our staff for directions.

Buggy access

With the exception of the Caseroom on the first floor, all areas of Smail’s are accessible for buggies.

Electric vehicle charging point

There is a ChargePlace Scotland charging station for electric vehicles at:

3 Hall Street
Innerleithen
EH44 6QT
(by the side of No1 Peebles Road Cafe)

It is about 500m from Robert Smail’s Printing Works.

Guided tour

Visits to Robert Smail’s Printing Works include a guided tour in three sections as well as a hands-on element. In the Office you’ll find out about the generations of the Smail family and see some of our fantastic archive. In the Caseroom you’ll be put to work by the compositor – can you pass the first year of your apprenticeship?! And in the Machine Room you’ll see some of our original presses in action.

Large print

A large-print version of the guidebook is available.

Pay & Display

There is limited on-street parking in front of the printing works and there is a Pay & Display car park (not NTS) at the other side of the village.

Shop

Smail’s has a fantastic gift shop, selling an exclusive range of letterpress stationery produced on the premises, alongside quality and quirky items from across Scotland.

New for 2024!
Our shop has turned back the clock to when it was the Stationers for Robert Smail’s Printing Works. You’ll find a wonderful range of beautiful and useful items hand-made by artisans. We focus on the local, sustainable, meaningful and unusual.
We are continually adding to our range, so please check our Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest arrivals.

Wheelchair access

With the exception of the Caseroom on the first floor, all areas of Smail’s are accessible for wheelchair users.

Wi-Fi