It’s time for a rethink about Edinburgh’s priorities – Angus Robertson

It might be August but Edinburgh definitely doesn’t feel like it normally does at this time of the year.

Alexander McCall Smith is helping spearhead a major rethink about Edinburgh's future

That comes as a relief for those who feel the city has increasingly become over-run at festival time but is scant consolation to the 18,000 people in the hospitality and tourism sector who are already fearing for their jobs because of the coronavirus downturn.

Surely nobody can object to Edinburgh folk rediscovering our own city and supporting local businesses.

That is the object of a new campaign ForeverEdinburgh which is aimed at rallying the support of residents to offset the impact of lost income from the festivals and the massive reduction in international and domestic visitors.

Meanwhile, pressure continues to grow for re-imagining a new future for Edinburgh. In recent days best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith (pictured) and influential commentator Magnus Linklater have joined Edinburgh International Festival Director Fergus Linehan in calling for a major rethink. More than 1800 people have taken part in a city-wide consultation on the draft Choices for City Plan for Edinburgh 2030.

Rebalancing priorities for Edinburgh is key to an optimal future for city residents, our economy and global reputation as a cultural capital. It won’t be easy, not everyone will be pleased, but it needs to happen.