The burning Edinburgh issue that should be put to a referendum – Helen Martin

A referendum would help Edinburgh resolve the ongoing ‘war’ over the Christmas market, writes Helen Martin.

Underbelly's Christmas Market has been a source of controversy (Picture: Ian Georgeson)

MENTION a referendum now and we either think of the UK’s Brexit or Scotland’s independence. But local referendums are a good means of councils finding out what communities aim for or what local residents want from their own city.

It illustrates respect for citizens, reduces hostility and leaves the council blameless.

The last Edinburgh ref in 2005 was about whether the council should introduce congestion charging – almost 75 per cent voted No. It’s unlikely the council would take that back to a public vote again. However, the timing was very wrong.

But with the never-ending conflict over Underbelly, its Christmas market, outrage over the damage to Princes Street Gardens, its lack of planning permission, officials delegated to handle it leaving councillors in the dark, and the disturbed and sleepless lives of city centre residents throughout the festive period, a referendum over repeating it for the next two years or ripping up the contract, would go down very well. That certainly is something the public should have a right to vote on. Otherwise this Capital “war” has a couple of years to go.

Nowadays, with carbon neutrality as a goal, people would be more likely to accept a congestion charge. For the same reason, they’d probably vote No to a repeat of Underbelly’s giant, disturbing, noisy, carbon-emitting city centre take-over.