Irvine Welsh: I've made Edinburgh cool

Trainspotting novelist Irvine Welsh has claimed his books have given the world a different perspective of Edinburgh.
Irvine WelshIrvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh

The writer, who was originally brought up in Leith but now lives in Chicago, said he has been accused of giving the city a bad reputation in the past, but following the success of Trainspotting, people have seen the “kind of cool” side of the Capital.

He said: “Edinburgh was regarded as a bit stuffy and a bit artsy and poncey with the festival.

“I think it has given it a kind of hip, kind of cool, cache in a lot of ways that the city didn’t have before.”