Edinburgh Crime: Local businesses from Capital's city centre have complained to council and police on rise in anti social behaviour and crime in area

Local businesses on the Royal Mile have addressed a council committee complaining about the rise of anti social behaviour, drugs, violence and vandalism.

Representing the new Tron Area Business Group, Mr Galab Singh addressed the City of Edinburgh Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee on Monday claiming that businesses in the Royal Mile area were “tired, frustrated and sick to our back teeth” of the “lack of care, interest, consideration, support and help” from both the council and the police.

Mr Singh spoke to the committee on Monday morning, saying: “Police Scotland actually admitted they had, I quote, “dropped the ball”, in this area in a recent online news article.

"Is such a trajectory acceptable to this committee and the leadership of the council?

Edinburgh Crime: Local businesses from Capital's city centre have complained to council and police on rise in anti social behaviour and crime in area

“We wish to share with the committee some experiences of the daily realities of work and business life in this historic old town and World Heritage Centre and we hope this will be a wake up call to the City Council and an urgent call to action.”

He went on to list several acts of violence, vandalism and anti social behaviour that had taken place in the area, including when staff “witnessed a woman take their trousers down and defecate in public view on the pavement.

"A very recent fight in Hunter Square continued down Blair Street that had one of the men attacked with a broken bottle and viciously stabbed and slashed with that several times. The assailant then had a heart attacked.

"Methadone recipients have been seen to trade their medicine mouth to mouth.

“Retail shops, not just around Hunter Square but up and down the Royal Mile, experience theft and attempted theft daily by criminals and others who regularly engage in anti-social behaviour. Many of these individuals already have exclusion orders.”

Mr Singh added that the group believed “the presence of a methadone dispensary on Scotland’s main visitor street has greatly contributes to the social decline, criminality, and anti-social behaviour in this area.”

He accused both the council and police of not taking appropriate action in the face of this behaviour, and has requested that local councillors and police representatives meet with the Tron Area Business Group in order to find a solution.

Edinburgh City Council has been contacted for comment.

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