Hogmanay experience at risk - John McLellan

Friends from Ibiza and Menorca travelled to Edinburgh to bring in the new year

The chaotic state of civic leadership is undoubtedly a factor, but such a report should go further than just why the plug was pulled this year. It should also look into the value for money and governance of the whole set-up, because many questions remain unanswered about just how event organisers Unique came to be in control.

The reputational damage following another cancellation will be hard to repair, with a message spreading far and wide that Edinburgh is not a reliable place to spend your winter break.

But it didn’t need to be that way, and author Irvine Welsh was right to call out the bizarre message from Unique for people to stay away from the city centre unless they had tickets for an event, even though it was obvious that despite apocalyptic forecasts, it was just going to be an average, if windy, January night.

Did they fear people showing they could have a good time at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay without expensive entertainment and elaborate security?

The problem with a council report is it will be the authority marking its own homework; hard working colleagues did their best under difficult circumstances, and all that elf’n’safety stuff.

If Edinburgh is to retain any claim to be the home of Hogmanay, then surely the message is you can have a great experience even without organised hoopla.