IT is so welcoming to read what I’ve been thinking for so long, but never articulated. (George Kerevan: Why the state of our capital’s main shopping street is a man-made mess, Oct 18). Haven’t we all at one time or another despaired at the demise of Princes Street, and as the main thoroughfare in our capital city, this isn’t just a whinge from a “concerned local”. What do the boarded-up shop fronts say? But possibly worse is the question, how has it come to this?
Christmas markets have long been argued over, from content quality to the state of the grass, habitat and surrounds come the end of the “season”. And just how long has it taken to consider, consult and agree on a much-needed facelift for Princes Street Gardens? It’s understandable: you can’t please all the folks all the time. Look at the stooshie surrounding the upgrading of National Galleries when the trees were cut down. Kind of forgotten now, so does that mean we are shallow, fickle and easy pleased or are the approved and implemented changes sufficiently eco-friendly to be acceptable aesthetically? Now that would be good planning. In turn though, the city high heid yins do end up shooting themselves in the foot more often or not.
READ MORE: Neglect and disregard of Edinburgh's Princes Street is an absolute disgrace
What were they thinking when they barricaded off the garden railings, and built up higher, in an attempt to ensure us non-paying public couldn’t witness the performances at the bandstand? I ask as a former “performer”, unpaid I must point out. The 1950s children’s summer holiday morning shows saw a very young, gallus girl dress up, climb the front steps and do her “turn”. Just wondering if those were freebies, or if we had to pay an entrance fee?
But back to now, and we’ve had recent examples, during the Edinburgh Festival with the fireworks concert. I’ve paid up and sat on a seat, or lounged on the grass having a picnic, or stood on the pavement, gratefully held up by the railings as my energy dipped. The powers-that-be have realised over the years that more and more money could be extracted from the public, and that’s understandable since income generation has to be a requirement. But to have come to this rundown look is inexcusable.
READ MORE: Ground broken on new £14m train station in Scottish Highlands
There was talk of the shop side becoming pedestrianised with a predominant cafe pavement culture. OK, given our weather heating, arty tartan rugs and coverings seem a must, as well as the inevitable ability to rush indoors at some later stage, possibly as you turn blue? But as George Kerevan pointed out, what of the upper levels? They can’t all be cafes, boutique hotels, can they?
Even before my wee turn on the stage in the gardens, Edinburgh had examples of prime areas being multi-functional, residential to commercial. Think right back to early times. But think now of regeneration of the capital city centre that would be fit for the nation, those of us who live here, as well as those who visit. Think income generated not just from us but yes, that dreaded concept “tourist tax” in Edinburgh. What happens when visitors go beyond Edinburgh? Does current tourist spend across Scotland support the local infrastructure? Would there be “tourist taxes” in different areas at different rates? Come on, Edinburgh and Scotland. It’s more than tat for tourists, but it has to be planned, planned better than what ever has brought Princes Street to this.
Selma Rahman
Edinburgh
IF Boris Johnson really believes that nuclear power is “green” then he can find a place in his own country to store the waste and not even dream that there is a place in Scotland where he can bury it.
By the way, he needn’t think that he can claim our renewable energy to offset against carbon emissions in England either. I expect that delegates at COP26 will soon see him as the charlatan that he is.
Ni Holmes
St Andrews
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