Beltane Fire Society say council's park levy threatens vibrancy of Edinburgh's cultural scene

The Beltane Fire Society said the levy threatened the vibrancy of the city’s cultural scene and would diminish the Capital’s thriving arts community.

And it claimed the decision to include Calton Hill among the areas covered by the levy amounted to a “targeted attack” on the Beltane Fire Festival because it was the only event which took place there which would be required to pay the new charge.

This year's Beltane Fire Festival will take place on Wednesday, April 30. | Getty Images

This year’s Beltane Fire Festival will take place at Calton Hill on Wednesday, April 30, with gates opening at 7.30pm and the celebrations starting at sunset, round 9.22pm.

The city council introduced the levy as a surcharge on large commercial events in Edinburgh’s most prominent publicly-owned green spaces, channelling the money into park improvements.

The levy involves a sliding scale of charges from £3 per ticket where an event has a capacity of over 20,000 and tickets are £50 or over; £2 per ticket where the capacity is 20,000 and tickets are between £10 and £49; £2 per ticket for events with a capacity of over 5,000 and tickets are £50 or over; £1 per ticket where capacity is over 5,000 and tickets are £10 to £49; £1 per ticket for events with capacity between 500 and 5,000 and tickets over £50; 50p per ticket where the capacity os between 500 and 5,000 but ticket prices are £10-£49; and n charge for events with a capacity of under 500 or a ticket price of £9 or below. Community or charity events with “no commerciality” also face no levy.

It applies to Princes Street Gardens, including the Ross Bandstand; Meadows and Bruntsfield Links; Calton Hill; Inverleith Park; Leith Links; Saughton Park; and Lauriston Castle grounds.

In a statement, the fire festival organisers said: “Beltane Fire Society expresses its deep disappointment with the recently proposed ticket levy and its implications for the city’s ability to hold safe cultural and community-based events in Edinburgh.

“This levy, while presented alongside a minor reduction in some fees, ultimately burdens grassroots organisations like ours with a significant financial strain.

“The Society has long supported efforts to preserve and enhance the cultural heritage of Edinburgh, yet the imposition of increased costs, alongside a lack of transparency and effective planning, threatens the vibrancy of the city’s cultural scene.

“The inclusion of Calton Hill into the Premier Parks Events Levy Project represents a targeted attack on our festival, because no other event on Calton Hill will meet the eligibility for the levy.

“The Beltane Fire Society was not consulted on the ticket levy during the public spaces consultation process, which further undermines trust between the council and event organisers.

“With skyrocketing event sector costs increasing beyond inflation, already strained budgets, and the continued mismanagement of council budgets park resources, we fear this levy will only serve to diminish Edinburgh’s thriving arts community, undermining our shared commitment to fostering cultural expression and public participation.

“This is a blow to both the city's heritage and the sense of belonging that events like Beltane create.”

The council said income generated from the levy would be held in a separate account for each premier park and the money raised would be used to fund improvements in the specific park where the event took place, working alongside key local stakeholders and park users.

Culture and communities convener Val Walker said: “As a Council it is our duty and responsibility to manage our parks and greenspaces, protecting and preserving them for the future.

“The fee charged for hosting commercial events on all of our premier park sites, including at Calton Hill is ring-fenced for site improvements in the area.

“These funds are administered by the council and spending priorities are identified by engaging with The Calton Hill Conservation Trust and other local stakeholders including the Collective Gallery and the Beltane Society themselves as a key user of the site.

“These improvements are designed to ensure all visitors to the park can enjoy it for years to come.”