Instagram video compares Livingston in the sunshine with Southern California

Edward DeRuiter, posting as ed_in_burgh, has put a video on Instagram and TikTok lauding the new town for its shopping experience.

Standing outside The Centre in Livingston, he tells his audience: "Guys, I'm really freaked out right now - because this is Scotland and if you asked me where the hell I was, I would say Southern California."

As the video tracks past some of the food outlets, he continues: "There's a mass market pancake restaurant, next to a Mexican place, next to an Asian chain. How American is that? If I didn't know better I'd swear that brown building was a Target [American discount store]."

Going inside the centre, his commentary continues: "Ok, this is bizarre - an outdoor shopping mall, except it's covered because, you know, Scotland." He points through the roof: "That's the sun."

Edward DeRuiter compared Livingston to Southern California | Google / Instagram

Then he continues: "I've been in Scotland two and a half years and this is the first American-sized shopping mall I've been in. They do exist here, just not in Edinburgh - you've got to go half an hour outside the city."

With the camera sweeping around the centre, he adds: "This place just goes on and on and on."

He pretends to weep and says: "I feel I'm home."

Then he goes on: "Actually, this place might be better than an American shopping mall because they've got a big-ass Greggs with tables and everything. It's like Dunkin Donuts if they did savoury food. It is one of the finest inventions of human civilisation.

"So all this time I've been homesick for southern California. Turns out what I've been missing is just sunshine and commerce."

One person reacted to Ed’s video by commenting: “I genuinely feel this might be the best tourist review Livingston has ever gotten.”