Living Wage Finalist 2025

We’re delighted to share that Camera Obscura & World of Illusions was shortlisted as a finalist for the Living Wage Scotland 2025 Employee Choice Award. A huge honour, and a fantastic recognition of the care, creativity and hard work our team puts in every single day. 

 

Although we didn’t take home the trophy this time, being chosen as a finalist and nominated by one of our own team members, means the world to us.

 

 

The Employee Choice Award is special because it’s nominated by staff working within accredited Living Wage employers. In our case, the nomination came from Finlay, one of our brilliant retail assistants, who shared his experience of what it’s like to work at Camera Obscura. 

 

In his nomination, Finlay talked about how surprised he was to join the team and immediately earn the real Living Wage, on the same rate as everyone else, no lower “starter” rate just for being new. That simple decision sets the tone for our whole workplace: everyone is valued, and everyone is treated fairly from day one. He also highlighted the positive morale across the team, and how knowing you’re being paid fairly makes it easier to focus on what really matters: giving our visitors an unforgettable, fun-filled experience.

 

We’ve been proudly accredited as a Living Wage employer for many years, and we see fair pay as the starting point – not the end point. All employees receive at least the real Living Wage from their first day with us, and we’ve used that foundation to build a workplace culture centred on dignity, respect and progression. 

 

Some of the ways we support our team include:

• Annual bonus for all staff

• Breakfast club and regular paid team meals

• Dedicated training time and opportunities to grow within roles

 

Finlay’s nomination describes how this isn’t just about money, it’s about seeing friends promoted, students staying on after graduating, and people from all sorts of backgrounds thriving here. Fair pay opens doors and helps our team feel secure, supported and able to plan for the future. 

 

We’ve also been recognised before for our leadership on fair pay in tourism, including a Living Wage Trailblazer Award, but being shortlisted for an employee-led award feels especially meaningful. 

 

 

Our Living Wage commitment is just one part of how we look after our staff. Over the past few years, we’ve been working hard to build wellbeing into the everyday rhythm of life at Camera Obscura.

 

Here are just some of the initiatives Finlay highlighted in his nomination: 

• A cross-department Wellness Committee that meets monthly to share ideas and make small, meaningful changes, from mindfulness corners to shared playlists and recipes.

• Regular staff wellness surveys, which led to the introduction of My Staff Shop, giving discounts on everything from groceries to holidays.

• Access to 24/7 counselling and supervisors trained in mental health first aid.

• Genuine flexibility with shifts, with managers taking time to understand personal circumstances and adjust rotas wherever possible.

• A lively Social Committee running film nights, line dancing and other events that make it easy to build real friendships at work.

 

Finlay also spoke about development opportunities, such as visiting the Patrick Geddes Centre to learn more about our local history and our unique location in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. It’s all part of making Camera Obscura a place where people are not only employed, but encouraged to learn, grow and thrive. 

 

All of this work behind the scenes feeds directly into what our visitors experience on site. When our team feels respected, secure and supported, it shows in the way we welcome guests, tell stories and create memorable moments across our five floors of interactive illusions and the Rooftop Terrace with its breath-taking city views. We believe that a fun, fair and caring workplace is essential to delivering the joyful, mind-boggling, hands-on experience that Camera Obscura is known for.

 

Being named a finalist in the 2025 Living Wage Scotland Employee Choice Award is a wonderful recognition of our team’s ongoing efforts to put people first, both colleagues and visitors. We might not have won this time, but we’re absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted and we’ll keep working hard to make Camera Obscura & World of Illusions an even better place to work and visit.