Delivery and telecoms issues blight Waverley - Kevin Buckle

Though I’ve never been a big fan of the Christmas Market it has never personally caused me any grief, but that has changed this year.

Waverley Market is having problems with deliveries and telecoms

The white boxes that appeared a couple of weeks ago and were then removed were just the start of a rather disjointed anti-terrorist plan.

No sooner had the Christmas Market opened than shops in Waverley Market were complaining about deliveries not arriving and drivers saying they had been turned away. Word was there would be no access between 9.30am and 10.30pm so basically the entire time shops would be open.

Later there was a communication from the Christmas Market to say that the police had been incredibly strict with access but it had been agreed that they would have somebody at the gated entrance and allow access to anybody who had a relevant delivery note or contact name.

Waverley Market traders were not overly pleased even so to hear who would be controlling who

could visit their shops. There is also no signage so delivery drivers are turning back without stopping understandably thinking they are blocked from delivering.

What is worrying here is decisions were made that clearly would have serious implications for Waverley Market shops without any consultation. Even now deliveries are regularly not arriving with thousands of pounds worth of stock being delayed at a time when every day counts for items to be on sale.

However that wasn’t the end of it. Within 48 hours of the Christmas Market opening the shops were having problems with their internet connections. Problems went from not being able to play music in a shop to the post office who could not process passports and driving licences.

For Avalanche there were serious consequences almost immediately as we were unable to take credit cards from 2.30pm on the Saturday.

People were very helpful but we did lose a handful of sales to add to those we lost because two deliveries hadn’t come in the day before.

The reason I was told was that there were simply too many people using their phones at the same time at the Christmas Market which given the timing makes perfect sense. The same thing happened the following Saturday at exactly the same time with the only difference being that access returned at 5.30pm.

It goes without saying that all those involved with the Christmas Market including Edinburgh Council should have made sure before opening that their presence would not cause disruption to their temporary neighbours and yet the opposite is the case and even the most obvious problems were not considered and thought through.

Every day is a worry to those in Waverley Market not knowing if important deliveries will arrive and while the regular delivery drivers are doing their best temporary agency drivers can find the city centre difficult at the best of times so the current restrictions will often be a step too far.

More long term there was a glimmer of hope when I read this week that permission was sought to install a 5G mast at the Waverley Market entrance to cover what is undoubtedly a problem area in the city centre. However, that hope was snatched away as it was refused I assume on the basis that only Edinburgh Council are allowed to ruin the look of Waverley Bridge.