Leader comment: And relax...the Edinburgh festivals are almost over

Just a few more days to go folks.

For those who have spent the last three weeks holed-up in the shed stubbornly avoiding all things festival, it is almost safe to come out.

By early next week, the temporary buildings and pop-up bars, fairground attractions and stilt walkers will all be gone, and we can get back to the normal Auld Reekie pastimes of complaining about the trams and potholes.

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Personally, I love the festival and everything about it. It is without doubt the best time of year in Edinburgh and if it was up to me it would last all summer. Thankfully perhaps, it is not up to me and I recognise I may be in the minority among Capital residents.

This year the debate on over-tourism has been a constant theme in the background, even being blamed for hitting Tattoo ticket sales. There is talk of moving festival events out of the jam-packed city centre and of a much bigger effort to reach over-looked communities. Lots of positive noise but the proof will be in the actions which follow.

What is clear is that festival chiefs have a major PR job on their hands to reconnect with the public. Everyone in Edinburgh should take pride in our festivals, not feel they are events staged by outsiders purely for the benefit of visitors. And part of that has to be demonstrating the enormous benefits which we all enjoy. Roll on 2020.

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