Edinburgh Dungeon chiefs shocked at 'outrageous' plans from counterparts to allow free entry to people with same name as serial killers

But they have come up with a better offer up here in the Capital...

Bosses at a top Edinburgh tourist attraction have turned the tables on their counterparts around the globe in a patriotic twist after they offered free entry to anyone sharing a name with a serial killer.

Edinburgh Dungeon chiefs were shocked when they learned that other attractions in their group in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, York, Berlin and Blackpool, had staged the stunt to draw-in visitors after suffering a lockdown slump.

The London Dungeon was accused of bad taste after making the offer to anyone people with such names as Rose West or Harold Shipman, two of the UK’s most prolific murderers.

Edinburgh Dungeon chiefs shocked at 'outrageous' plans from counterparts to allow free entry to people with same name as serial killers

The attraction introduced the new rule to mark their reopening with social distancing measures in place.

They claim to be honouring the plight of Britons who have to live with sharing an unfortunate honour – being the namesake of a famous fictional or factual killer.

Shipman and West help make up the list of names which qualify visitors for free entry while others who can get in free include people called Sweeney Todd or even Ted Bundy.

There are also dungeons located in Hamburg and Warwick Castle and the controversial policy meant all of the branches were set to offer customers with serial killer names free entry between until August 31.

A London Dungeon spokesperson said: “If your name really is Nellie Lovett, Sweeney Todd, or even Ted Bundy then The London Dungeon is opening their doors and inviting you to explore London’s horrible history with your fellow namesake murderers.

“Lockdown has been tough for everyone, and it can’t have helped ease the misery when introducing yourself on a Zoom call as Rose West.

“Now we are delighted to welcome all our guests back to see London’s dark past, and we hope they have a truly horrible time”

But bosses at the Market Street Dungeons in the Capital were stunned at the move as Edinburgh and the Lothians have been the scene of a string of serial slayings by monsters Angus Sinclair, the World’s End pub killer who died behind bars last year, child murderer Robert Black who snatched a schoolgirl from Portobello Prom, and Peter Tobin, who claimed the lives of at least three young women including schoolgirl Vicky Hamilton.

After labelling the serial killer plan “outrageous”, they are are offering free entry to anyone named William, after Sir William Wallace.

A spokesperson said: “We don’t know what they are doing down south, offering free entry to those named after serial killers – outrageous.

“We at The Edinburgh Dungeon would never do something so ridiculous. To show them how it’s done, up until August 31 we’re going to offer free entry to those named William – after Wallace of course – a true Scottish hero.

Not everyone saw the ‘funny’ side of the London Dungeon offer and one critic tweeted: “It’s a bit early for jokes about the Wests and Shipman.”

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