Coronavirus is set to hit Edinburgh’s economy harder than other cities – Ian Murray

The inevitable cancellation of the Edinburgh Festival because of the coronavirus outbreak is the latest blow for the city – and the damage may be long-lasting, warns Ian Murray
The Grassmarket, usually bustling, is deserted as Edinburgh residents heed the guidance to stay at home (Picture: Scot Louden)The Grassmarket, usually bustling, is deserted as Edinburgh residents heed the guidance to stay at home (Picture: Scot Louden)
The Grassmarket, usually bustling, is deserted as Edinburgh residents heed the guidance to stay at home (Picture: Scot Louden)

I don’t think there has been a period in recent history where there has been so much uncertainty and anxiety.

We are all religiously abiding by the latest instructions from Government to stay at home and only leave when unavoidable.

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The rising death toll in Scotland, the UK and worldwide is a daily reminder that this is as serious as it can get.

Over the last week my inbox and phone has never been so busy. That is an indication of the fears that people in Edinburgh have for their loved ones, jobs, livelihoods and the future.

Despite the continuing scandal that there isn’t enough testing or adequate supplies of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for our frontline health workers, the Scottish and UK Governments are – for the first time in years – working together effectively and coming up with solutions to the crisis.

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Edinburgh's August festivals, including the Fringe and the Tattoo, pull the plug

The announcements made by the Chancellor in terms of partially protecting the income of employees and the self-employed will go some way towards relieving a lot of the anxiety of how people will pay their bills and provide for their households.

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But there are still some who fall outside these schemes or slip through the cracks. Small businesses which are just on the wrong side of the cut-off for assistance, or the employee who took a new job before the crisis hit and now has no income protection, or the workers of unscrupulous employers who insist they should be risking their own health and that of their colleagues to work when it is not a necessary activity. I am sending information on dozens of these issues every day to government departments to see if they can respond and help those who have been left outside the current support.

A huge blow

The impact of this crisis will be felt long after we return to some sort of normality. The local economy won’t just recover overnight. The damage may be long-lasting.

It is gutting that the Edinburgh Festivals must be cancelled in August. It is the correct decision given the timescales required to organise such an event and it may even allow space to address some of the concerns of local residents about the scale, size and concentration in the city centre. But, still, it’s a huge blow for the local economy.

Not only will the coronavirus hit local businesses very hard in the coming months, but the festival cash cow in the summer is also now gone. I used to run pubs before I became an MP and the business that came from the summer festivals was critical to the sustainability of my business – so it’s not just the arts sector that will be affected. Without the festivals this year I fear the impact of Covid-19 could be much more pronounced on Edinburgh.

Applause for NHS was emotional

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Amid the gloom, the one positive I see every day is that we are coming closer together as a community. The national applause for our NHS last week was wonderful. It was as emotional as it was necessary. Let’s add the police and fire officers, shop workers, warehouse staff, drivers, social care teams, and all on the frontline who are keeping us safe, healthy and comfortable in our hour of need.

I have been thinking a lot about the aftermath of this crisis and hope that when it subsides we will all be a little bit more community-focused, a bit more appreciative of our NHS, thankful for our key workers, and indebted to those who keep us fed, watered, and entertained. I also hope we will be a little more cautious about where we spend our money and who we give our business to. Some businesses will deserve every single penny. Others which have treated their staff unfairly during this crisis, less so.

Please stay safe and look after each other.

Ian Murray is the Labour MP for Edinburgh South

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