10 Years, 10 Clients | The Witchery & Prestonfield House

As The PC Agency continues to celebrate its 10th anniversary, we are looking back at the client relationships that have shaped our journey along the way.

Following our spotlight on Pure Grenada last week, our countdown moves from five years down to four as we celebrate our long-standing, highly creative partnership with two of Edinburgh’s most iconic hospitality institutions: The Witchery and Prestonfield House.

Each client in this series has played a vital role in our agency story. Together, we have celebrated groundbreaking activations, navigated global industry shifts, and built deep, lasting partnerships that continue to push boundaries.

Four Years Together

Spearheaded by visionary hotelier James Thomson, The Witchery and Prestonfield House embody the pinnacle of Scottish luxury, historic charm and dramatic flair.

Perched at the gates of Edinburgh Castle, The Witchery by the Castle is an internationally acclaimed dining destination and boutique retreat. Now in its fifth decade, its legendary oak-panelled dining rooms, rich baroque suites and award-winning culinary offerings have solidified its status as a renowned Edinburgh institution.

Just minutes away at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, Prestonfield House offers 20 acres of secluded gardens and country estate grandeur right in the heart of the city. Housed within a 17th-century historic building, the 5-star hotel features 23 unique antique-filled bedrooms and romantic suites, alongside the decadent Rhubarb Restaurant. In 2025, Prestonfield House cemented its place among the world's elite luxury properties by joining the prestigious Relais & Châteaux collection.

The Impact: Growing Together

Our partnership with James Thomson and his team spans four remarkable years of high-impact PR, influencer strategy, and media activations across the UK and US markets. Over this time, we have worked together to elevate the profile of both properties across leading luxury, travel and lifestyle titles globally.

Through our media relations strategy, we have consistently driven high-value coverage by positioning both properties at the forefront of Scottish luxury hospitality. In 2025 alone, we secured 56 high-profile press visits, welcoming journalists from Condé Nast Traveller, The Week, British Travel Journal, and Mayfair Times. We have also built strong momentum across the Atlantic, hosting top US media writing for National Geographic, TIME, Travel + Leisure, Forbes, Wallpaper, Food & Wine, and Town & Country. Major milestones highlighted include Prestonfield joining Relais & Châteaux, James Thomson receiving the AA Lifetime Achievement Award, and The Witchery being named the World’s Most Romantic Hotel.

We have also orchestrated high-impact brand activations that drive extraordinary reach across global platforms. In 2025, our focus centred on elevating The Witchery Shop, combining editorial placements with high-engagement creator events. We successfully pitched its curated luxury products into prestigious Christmas gift guides, securing inclusions in Forbes and Condé Nast Traveler. To amplify this momentum locally, we hosted an exclusive Edinburgh showcase bringing together ten carefully selected content creators. The event yielded 24 pieces of social content and a dedicated YouTube feature, generating a combined reach of over 69.7 million while providing both properties with a rich bank of marketing assets.

Building on this success in 2026, we expanded our experiential strategy with an immersive Traitors-themed activation hosted at Prestonfield House. Capitalising on the popularity of the television franchise, the event brought the drama of the show to the estate's historic 17th-century setting. We secured two former cast members alongside 16 top-tier influencers and leading journalists from major outlets including The Independent, BBC Scotland, and The Scotsman. Guests enjoyed a theatrical, fully tailored country house experience that showcased the property's dramatic aesthetic, delivering a combined reach of over 1.8 million and cementing Prestonfield House as one of Scotland's most dynamic luxury event destinations.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2026 and 2027, our relationship continues to evolve as we help launch an exciting new chapter of wellness at Prestonfield House this summer. We will highlight the estate's evolution as it seamlessly pairs historic charm with state-of-the-art restoration, introducing a new Technogym fitness suite, a cold plunge pool, guided walks around Arthur’s Seat, and estate bikes for guests to explore the grounds. Combined with physical restoration and exquisite dining at Rhubarb, Prestonfield is set to become the ultimate countryside wellness sanctuary just minutes from the city centre.

Paul Charles, Founder & CEO, The PC Agency, ‘Working alongside James Thomson and the teams at The Witchery and Prestonfield House over the past four years has given us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in their extraordinary atmosphere, heritage and genuine Scottish hospitality. From launching Prestonfield into Relais & Châteaux to driving global headlines, unveiling new wellness offerings, and creating standout events, we are immensely proud of what we have achieved together and look forward to reaching even greater heights in the years ahead.’

Next week, our 10th anniversary countdown continues as we move down to three years, celebrating another exceptional partner who has worked alongside us to build The PC Agency.