Edinburgh winter festivals: Poll on cancelling them seems like a good idea to me – Helen Martin

Recently, I haven’t been impressed by some actions of Edinburgh City Council. But a public poll on whether to cancel our city’s winter festivals seems very democratic.

Edinburgh's Christmas Market is not to Helen Martin's taste (Picture: Shutterstock)

Should we vote to cancel them or not? One thing we know for sure is that hospitality and tourism companies and workers will be desperate to have them return as soon as it’s possible with control of the pandemic.

When the 2.6 million visitors turned up for Christmas and almost 200,000 for Hogmanay, they brought a barrel of money quoted as being worth about £150 million to the economy.

Perhaps I’m being cynical in thinking the council wants this poll to be held because they are sure it will get a thumbs up. Complaints can then be ignored, flushed down the loo, and it can continue to expand in future.

But many of the public will vote to cancel, or at least shrink it down. It is certainly not pleasant, but very offensive and tacky to have a fairground geared up with its lighting, generators and squeals surrounding the cultural and historical Scott Monument.

Millions are stamping around Princes Street Gardens with food stalls and the foreign Christmas market (rather than a Scottish market earning dosh), ruining the East Gardens for at least six months.

It would be interesting to hear where every penny of that £150 million went to and precisely where it came from. Do the public have a financial benefit from this, even a few pennies? Does it help fund our services? Or does it go to council projects or tourist companies?

The mass gatherings and street parties are not something those still worried about the pandemic would welcome throughout Christmas and Hogmanay.

And the live music concerts in the Gardens were horrendous too. To ensure that only ticket payers could see it, all the hideous railing walls were built on Princes Street to block off the gardens altogether.

Fireworks are not welcome to many people from around the city who have livestock, horses, or pets. Even humans who have experienced any aspect of bombing can’t cope with massive, noisy displays.

And locals living within the city centre suffer from noise, late-night crowded events, generators roaring in their streets, litter and much more.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a local Christmas and Hogmanay for local people? Why shouldn’t Edinburgh and Scottish firms be involved in running the market in selected centre streets and setting up their stalls.

Laser lighting would be much better, safer and less disturbing than fireworks and what on earth do ferris wheels and fairground spinners have to do with Christmas?

Just as has been suggested with the summer festivals, why not leave the centre’s historical culture looking wonderful and spread locally produced winter events around the city.

And wouldn’t all that attract a lower level of tourists coming from elsewhere to experience our celebrations and festive goods sales, rather than international commercialism they’d find anywhere?

Why not have festive gatherings in hotels, special nights in restaurants and several live music events in theatres?

And to share your view with the council, find the poll at https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/winterfestivals/