Don’t let too much alcohol ruin your festival experience
We’re now into the second week of the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe and, as expected it’s been an incredibly busy time for policing teams as we conduct Operation Summer City to keep the public safe while they enjoy the sights, sounds and attractions that enrich the Capital this month.
I am delighted to report that, so far, there have been no significant incidents associated with the Festival, or the increase in public footfall within much of the city centre, and the overall atmosphere has been incredibly positive. Nevertheless, we will not be complacent and will continue to ensure that we have appropriate resources in place to engage with the public, offer reassurance and respond to any incidents that may arise.
My advice to anyone visiting our city centre while the Festival events are taking place is to always be mindful of your surroundings and never leave personal possessions unattended. If you witness anything suspicious or that gives you cause for concern, please either speak to one of the officers out on patrol, or contact us via 101, so we can respond accordingly.
Please also remember if you are heading out for the evening or enjoying the extended licensing hours of our night-time economy to plan your journey in advance, know how you’re getting to and from your destination and looking out for everyone within your group. Please drink responsibly and know your limits. For the past few years, we have been running the Think Twice initiative in collaboration with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. This means that officers may impose restrictions on anyone involved in a crime where alcohol played a factor, and these restrictions could prohibit you from entering a licensed venue within the city centre until your court case has concluded. Don’t let your evening, or your Festival experience be ruined because of drinking too much.
We also know that a large proportion of those joining us within Edinburgh over the course of this month are from countries outside the UK and I’d like to remind all international visitors that we drive on the left-hand side of the road and to ensure you take this into consideration while behind the wheel or crossing roads as a pedestrian.
Of course, it’s not just Festival activities keeping policing teams within the city-centre busy throughout August. We also continue to deal with the typical issues that affect the area on a daily basis, such as retail crime and in particular, shoplifting. Since the launch of the Retail Crime Taskforce earlier this year, local officers have been working closely with Taskforce colleagues and other key partners, such as Essential Edinburgh, Edinburgh City Council and city centre retailers to tackle shoplifting and bring those responsible to justice.
We’ve seen significant numbers of arrests made, which highlights our commitment to tackling this issue and should send a clear message that Edinburgh is no easy target for retail crime.
Chief Inspector Brian Manchester is Local Area Commander, South East Edinburgh
► A full range of personal safety and crime prevention advice is available on the Police Scotland website at www.scotland.police.uk and social media channels – Police Scotland Edinburgh Policing Division on Facebook and @PSOSEdinburgh on X.