Edinburgh Castle to become student accommodation and will double as exclusive holiday lets
There has been a furious reaction to news that Edinburgh Castle has been sold – and will be converted into top of the range student accommodation.
The city council says the sale will do much to change the capital’s old-fashioned image but heritage groups say the sale of the castle is an act of barbarism
Glen Morangie, marketing director of Historic Environment Edinburgh, confirmed: “The decision was a no brainer. The building has been lying idle for over a year and it’s beginning to show it’s age.
“The city council has ambitious plans for the city centre so we have decided that now is the time to think outside the box and jump on the bandwagon. Make no mistake, this plan is a win, win.
“The building, which will be renamed Hogmanay Heights, will be converted into as many student flats as we can legally get away with – and as a major plus we have negotiated a deal with the city council to take over Princes Street Gardens.
“The gardens will be coverted into a huge drying space – which we’ll call The Back Green – to enable students to dry their laundry. This is to compensate for the lack of space in the flats – to be honest you won’t be able to swing a cat in them, but students don’t really care about that sort of thing. Laundry, I mean.”
Essential Edinburgh also has plans for Hogmanay Heights during the summer and winter breaks.
Mr Morangie continued: “We’ll send the students packing at end of term, give the flats a quick spruce up and let them out – at exhorbitant rates – to tourists. Visitors to Edinburgh are used to being ripped off so they’ll lap it up – it’s all part of the unique Edinburgh experience!”
Rupert Morningside-Merchiston, a ‘change champion’ consultant for City of Edinburgh Council, said: “There are exciting times ahead in the capital. After a year of pandemic misery this is just the tonic that the citizens of Edinburgh want and need – not that we’ve asked them, of course.
“Rest assured, the city centre will be transformed. The boring old fuddy-duddy stuff will be gone for ever – the trees, the flowers and the statues will be replaced with line after line of crisp clean laundry blowing in the breeze. Auld Reekie no more: and Edinburgh – sponsored by Persil – will lead the way once again.”
The Esplanade will become a massive bicycle shed, which causes a major problem for the organisers of Edinburgh’s world famous Tattoo.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s Pipe Major Ruaridh Bannockburn said: “Of course we’ll miss Edinburgh Castle but times are changing, everyone’s cutting back and shows of miltary might ain’t what they used to be.
“Oddly enough, our very first Tattoo was a small event staged at the Ross Bandstand back in 1949, and it seems that we must now go back to our roots and stage a drastically scaled down Tattoo once again.
“With Underbelly’s permission we will be performing ‘Twa’ Pipers Ana’, Ana’ in a phonebox near the Ross Bandstand this August. Buy your tickets now, but remember to bring your own seat – the prices Underbelly charge are eye-watering!”
Archie Brunstane-Bingham, chairman of the Old Town Preservation Society, was unavailable for comment. It’s understood he’s moved to Glasgow.
Following extensive lobbying by Essential Edinburgh, The City of Edinburgh Council is supporting the hospitality sector to help make the most of outdoor space safely in the city centre when lockdown restrictions ease in April.
Measures include waiving permit fees for tables and chairs, suspending kerbside parking to make room for additional outside seating until the end of the summer season, and closing two blocks of George Street for events.
Under the current roadmap for relaxing Covid measures in Scotland hospitality businesses will be able to operate within restricted hours from 26 April. Outdoor hospitality, with alcohol, will be permitted until 10pm, while food but can be served indoors, without alcohol, until an 8pm closing time.
From this date, outdoor socialising rules will also be relaxed so that a maximum of six adults from three households can meet up.
To help hospitality businesses recover more quickly, the Council has agreed that fees will be waived for outdoor area occupation permits until at least 30 September 2021.
This measure will apply across the city meaning all Edinburgh hospitality businesses are eligible, provided they apply for and obtain the relevant road occupation permit. Where appropriate, kerbside parking charges will also be suspended to accommodate outdoor area occupation permits.
In addition, the Council has been working very closely with Essential Edinburgh to help create more space for businesses to operate outdoors in the George Street / BID area, with proposals to close sections of George Street and reconfigure kerbside space, with kerbside parking suspended.
The proposals would see the sections from Charlotte Square to Castle Street and Castle Street to Frederick Street closed in their entirety (excepting disabled and emergency access, counter-terrorism measures, loading and cycle lanes) similar to past ‘event’ arrangements on the street such as the Edinburgh International Book Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) and the associated liaison with local businesses, Essential Edinburgh and the George Street Association, among other stakeholders, would be required to facilitate this event setting. If there is an appetite for these closures to go ahead, it’s anticipated they could be delivered within six to eight weeks of an initial TTRO application.
Council Leader Adam McVey said:“It’s been an incredibly tough year for the hospitality sector so we’ve been listening carefully to what businesses need and doing whatever we can to help them recover as safely and sustainably as possible as things start to ease up restrictions-wise.
“We’ve been working really closely with Essential Edinburgh and other businesses and organisations to develop these proposals to help traders make the most of outdoor space and safely cater to as many people as possible over the brighter spring and summer months.
“It’s very important we strike the right balance, to make sure we’re not inadvertently making life more difficult for others. That’s why it’ll be key for Essential Edinburgh and other organisations to get the buy-in of affected businesses in the plans and discussions. That will ensure that interventions get as wide as possible support and benefit as many traders as possible.
“Throughout this crisis we’ve been doing as much as we can to support businesses in the city centre and right across the city so that we can help Edinburgh build back better. This work with the hospitality sector is the latest strand of that work and we’ll continue to work with all sectors to protect jobs and aid their recovery.”
Depute Council Leader Cammy Day said:“After such a long time staying at home, people will be champing at the bit to get out into the warmer weather and meet up safely with their friends and family again as restrictions start to relax later this month.
“Last summer we waived tables and chairs permit fees to help restaurants and bars make the most of outdoor space so we want to give the sector the same lift this time round too.
“Attracting more people to these outdoor hospitality areas will also boost footfall for surrounding retail businesses as they reopen their doors. People will look forward to planning a trip into town or to their local high street for a bite to eat and a browse round the shops, giving a much longed-for lift to our local traders.”
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh said:“We welcome the support that the Council are giving the city’s hospitality businesses both in the provision of outdoor space and the waiving of costs.
“It is imperative that we maximise the space available to allow hospitality to operate effectively as we adapt to the changing roadmap regulations.
“The Council has listened to the business community and is acting quickly, for which we are very appreciative.”
Supporting business and retaining jobs is a key priority for the Council as the pandemic continues. So far, the Council has administered more than £181.4 million in grants to over 19,000 businesses.
Scotland’s phased and careful approach to easing lockdown restrictions while continuing to suppress Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been outlined by the First Minister.
The updated Strategic Framework sets out the six tools the Scottish Government will use to restore, on a phased basis, greater normality to our everyday lives.
The immediate priority will continue to be the phased return of education, building on the return of some pupils to school yesterday.
On the basis that progress in suppressing the virus and vaccinating key groups remains on track restrictions would be eased in the following order:
the next phase of school returns with the rest of the primary school years, P4 to P7, and more senior phase secondary pupils back in the classroom for part of their learning and the limit on outdoor mixing between households increasing to four people from a maximum of two households
the stay at home restriction to be lifted and any final school returns to take place. Communal worship to restart in limited numbers mindful of the timing of major religious festivals. This phase would also see the re-opening of retail, starting with an extension of the definition of essential retail and the removal of restrictions on click-and collect
return to a levels approach with all of Scotland moving to at least level 3, with some possible adjustments. This could mean that from the last week of April that we would expect to see phased but significant re-opening of the economy, including non-essential retail, hospitality and services like gyms and hairdressers
There is likely to be a gap of at least three weeks between each easing of restrictions to assess the impact of changes, and to check that it is safe to proceed further using the six conditions for safe easing set out by the World Health Organisation.
As the vaccination programme progresses, a return to more variable levels of restrictions, which can vary by location, is likely when it is safe to do so.
Ongoing financial support is set out in the Framework and will continue to be available to businesses as we emerge from lockdown. This includes the ongoing commitment to fund the Strategic Framework Business Fund and to provide Level 4 payments for an additional month once businesses are moved down a level. These proposals are contingent on receipt of additional consequentials from the UK Government.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told Parliament: “I know how hard current restrictions are after 11 long months of this pandemic, however they are working and we can now see our way out of them.
“We are in a far better position now than at the start of January and these measures are initial steps on a slow, but hopefully steady, route back to much greater normality.
“Our intent remains to suppress the virus to the lowest possible level and keep it there, while we strive to return to a more normal life for as many people as possible.
“At the moment, and for a bit longer, we need to rely very heavily on restrictions to suppress the virus. This is essential when the virus is so transmissible, and when case numbers are still quite high.
“In time though – once the vast majority of the adult population has received at least one dose of the vaccine – we hope that vaccination will become our main tool for suppressing the virus.
“The Strategic Framework is deliberately cautious at this stage but in the coming weeks, if the data allows and positive trends continue, we will seek to accelerate the easing of restrictions.”
CAMRA: First Minister must make sure tier system is fair and extend financial support to save our pubs as lockdown is lifted
A spokesperson for CAMRA said: “Whilst there is now light at the end of the tunnel for pubs and breweries, today’s announcement still leaves lots of uncertainty about what re-opening our pubs could look like.
“The beer and pubs industry will need next month’s announcement on a return to the tier system and the plan for re-opening the economy to treat pubs fairly compared to other industries like non-essential retail.
“CAMRA has concerns that a return to any unfair or unevidenced restrictions like alcohol bans, curfews or only being allowed to serve alcohol with a meal as we move back to the different Covid protection levels would mean we aren’t getting a proper or fair re-opening.
“The First Minister mentioned ongoing tapered financial support. This must include enough help to make sure pubs are viable for as long as they are facing restrictions or having to operate at reduced capacity.
“Next week’s Budget at Westminster is also now more vital than ever. Pubs, breweries and the wider supply chain desperately need ongoing financial support beyond the next few weeks.
“The Chancellor must commit to extending furlough for as long as pubs are running at reduced trade, even if that is longer than in England. CAMRA are also campaigning for a reduction in VAT for on-trade alcohol sales as well as food and cutting duty for beer served in pubs to help them compete with supermarkets.”
STUC broadly welcomes cautious approach set out by First Minister in Framework announcement and that future decisions will be driven by data not dates – but STUC remains concerned about precautions required for safe return of more pupils to schools.
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “We welcome that the First Minister has taken a cautious approach towards the easing of lockdown restrictions and that, in contrast to the Prime Minister, the government will be driven by data rather than fixed dates. It is entirely correct that Scotland should not move out of national restrictions till all priority groups are immunised.
“We also welcome the call for employers to continue to allow employees to work from home. Unfortunately a minority of employers still seem to be resistant to this and we will name and shame any employer that does not stick to the Government’s guidance.
“Whilst we understand that giving hope is important, we must also manage expectations and tightly control the transition from restrictions to vaccinations as the key way we suppress this virus. If we rush too fast we risk people’s health and the future economic recovery.
“On schools, we echo the concerns of education unions at the Scottish Government rejection of the use of medical grade face masks, already used in other countries, as short-sighted given the need to guard against aerosol transmission.”
“Essential Edinburgh said: “We welcome @ScotGovFM‘s Strategic Framework announced today. It is imperative businesses can plan effectively, with some certainty for re-opening and the statement allows this.
“The proposed date of 26th April for a potential return to Level 3 is still however two months away.”
City council Leaders have welcomed the Scottish Government’s plans for easing restrictions, though have urged the public to continue following guidance.
The gradual easing of restrictions began on Monday when early learning and childcare and schools reopened for primary one to three, as well as for senior pupils carrying out essential practical work. Further easing will be subject to several conditions being met.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Today’s announcement by the Scottish Government offers hope for better times to come, where some sense of normality is restored and where we can return to some of the activities we have all been missing so much.
“Right now, though, our number one priority is keeping the public safe. The First Minister has made it clear that we must be cautious. While the overall number of cases are falling and the rapid vaccine rollout continues, increased cases in Edinburgh of recent days highlight that our position is still fragile.
“That’s why it’s still so important that we continue to observe the restrictions in place, led by expert public health data, to limit the impact of this virus, which has by no means gone away.
“We’re working hard to deliver services with as little disruption as possible during this time, and this week welcomed the return of some of our pupils to schools across the city. We’ll continue to adapt and respond to guidance as it changes, and I encourage everyone to do the same. We’ve come this far – let’s work together to follow the path out of lockdown safely and sustainably.
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “The Scottish Government’s route map outlined today offers guidance on how we could carefully, steadily reduce restrictions.
“It’s essential that we observe this gradual, phased approach if we are to protect people’s health and safety while working towards the city’s successful recovery from the pandemic.
Responding to today’s announcement by the First Minister, a spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said:“We of course understand the priority given to protecting public health and whatever steps are taken now to prepare the economy for a sustained period of recovery should not distract health professionals from the important job to save lives and protect the NHS.
“But today we hoped we would hear some indicative dates to allow us to begin planning for some form of recovery, but we are no further forward and remain in limbo.
“There does not appear to be a plan, we are unsure what data will be used to make vital decisions about our future and the remit and membership of a task force announced two weeks ago is still to be confirmed. Meanwhile further divergence will see travellers, airlines and jobs move to England. It seems the Scottish Government remains indifferent to Scotland’s impending connectivity crisis.
“If we are going to use New Zealand as a blueprint on suppression then we must also follow their act in support for aviation. Aviation facilitates many things, such as tourism which contributes more than £6 billion to the economy. We cannot afford to throw that away because we failed to invest in protecting our hard-earned direct connectivity.”
The Scottish Licensed Trade Association commented:“Pubs and hospitality businesses, while welcoming the Scottish Government’s “cautious” road map out of lockdown for the sector, are bitterly disappointed that today the First Minister said nothing other than that there will be a “reopening of the economy and society” from April 26th.
“While today’s announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon brings hope for the country, a late spring reopening will sadly be too late for many and for those who do survive there remain serious challenges ahead.”
Paul Waterson, SLTA media spokesman, added: “Brighter days lie ahead – there’s no doubt about that. However, pubs, bars and restaurants have been unable to open since before Christmas – under significant Covid constraints – and large swathes of 2020 were lost to lockdown closures or severely limited trading conditions.
“While it is encouraging that our sector can hopefully reopen from the end of April, we are concerned that a return to the previous tiered system will lead many operators to decide that such restrictive reopening conditions are simply not worth the time, effort and money involved.
“Hospitality is not a ‘one size fits all’ sector given the breadth of premises that operate within it – pubs, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and so on – and depend on events and functions to survive.
“Of course, we welcome today’s news that the Scottish Government is committed to continuing financial support for those firms suffering as a result of the pandemic, and we also welcome the First Minister’s announcement that she is considering support for businesses facing trading restrictions after they are allowed to reopen.
“However, our response to today’s announcement is one of disappointment for the licensed hospitality industry which has been among the hardest hit by trading restrictions throughout the pandemic, an industry that invested an estimated £80 million on becoming Covid compliant.
“For us, it is now a case of waiting to hear what the First Minister puts on the table in her next announcement in three weeks’ time – until then, we will work with her officials to help the Scottish Government make the best decisions for our industry.”
Medical doctor, clinical epidemiologist and public health consultant, Dr Paul Nelson, has developed a pioneering technology that will significantly reduce the risk of exposure to Covid-19 in all ‘economic spaces’ – shops? – across the City of Edinburgh and beyond.
The groundbreaking innovation, supported by early adopters, Essential Edinburgh and a number of independent retailers, is set to roll out across the city next month, affording shop workers and patrons a safer working environment whilst inspiring confidence and supporting the recovery of economic activity.
Dr Paul Nelsonsaid: “We are creating a Movement which is enabling business owners and residents alike, to take back some control and mitigate the effects that the pandemic has had on their livelihoods.
“We’ve witnessed a significant amount of initial interest so far and are delighted to be working with Essential Edinburgh to roll this out across Edinburgh and beyond.
“As we all get on board and as the shopkeepers (and other business owners) become gatekeepers, we all safeguard the economy by identifying symptomatic people. Businesses, harnessing the Dunkirk Spirit, will create a Cordon Sanitaire or Community Screening Programme that is currently lacking and not even possible to be provided in the usual way via public services.”
“Contact tracing is crucial to halt the spread of the virus and currently there is no way of picking up people who have symptoms if they don’t go to their doctor. According to the latest figures from ONS, 70% of cases are not currently referring themselves for testing.”
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive and Director of Essential Edinburghcommented: “Consumer confidence has understandably taken a big hit and businesses are also dealing with the huge impact of lockdown and will be for some time.
Empowering both businesses and consumers, FFZ has the potential to provide an additional level of confidence for both. We’re really looking forward to working with Paul and the team to further support our businesses and local community.”
Ian Murray MP, Labour Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South commented: “I am delighted that this idea, developed by a local resident Dr. Paul Nelson, is coming to fruition.
“I appreciate that many businesses will have suffered and most importantly will continue to suffer for the coming weeks or months as we recover from lockdown and this innovation provides a technological route to augment recovery for businesses across Edinburgh and beyond.”
The simple integrated symptom screening membership service designed to enable businesses and customers to reduce the risk of exposure to people with Covid-19 is completely non-invasive and simple to operate.
Shop owners will take the temperature of patrons on entry into their spaces using a clinically approved, contactless thermometer which will then communicate via Bluetooth to a free Fever Free app downloaded by each user.
The process uses a progressive web app, which means it doesn’t need to be downloaded from the App store and requires only bare minimum personal data.
Once cleared, the person is issued a six hours pass attesting they are fever-free. During this time, the pass ‘holder’ will experience a frictionless outing as they show it to other participating businesses in the area, all while preserving the privacy of all participants
If high temperature is detected, the shopkeeper will encourage the person to go home and the app will prompt them to pass on details to the contact tracing services (if they agree), who will get in touch with the person to be sent a test.
Argyle Place and Roseneath Street area, Edinburgh (EH9) businesses are driving the first Fever Free Zones as the team begin to roll out the technology.
An early adopter of FFZ, Karen Kirkness, owner of Meadowlark Yoga on Argyle Place, added: “We need to keep our spaces open if our economy is to survive, while maintaining the responsibility to do so as safely as possible.
“FFZ empowers us to identify symptoms that help our community to help itself in its efforts to stay healthy, engage with the economy, all while supporting the NHS’s efforts to track and trace.”
Dr Nelson concludes: “It is hoped that the frictionless access to fever-free high streets will inspire confidence and boost economic activity. If fevers are measured at the point-of-access, and if in turn this triggers a consent-initiated contact with NHS Test and Protect, then these measures could dramatically improve NHS Trace and Protect’s ability to eradicate COVID-19.”
UK government guidelines should be followed at all times, such as wearing a face covering and maintaining social distancing guidelines.
There is no better time for the citizens of Edinburgh to pitch in and contribute to a Manifesto for the CityCreating Our Manifesto for the City ⋆ The Citizen Network
Calls for no return to unequal and unjust normalcy following Covid-19 have come from many quarters, some of them quite unexpected, and there’s no doubt that many of the persistent problems of city life will be reassessed by those who govern us, whether that be Westminster, Holyrood or Edinburgh City Chambers.
But let’s not fool ourselves, what’s promised by politicians now may never transpire. Real change will not happen without direct action by citizens; for Edinburgh, Citizen’s Manifesto is the first step.
The need for citizens to hold politicians to account is already evident from reports of ‘stakeholder’ discussions pertaining to post-pandemic Edinburgh.
Consider first what Council leader Adam McVey had to say about the city’s Summer festivals: “By working together we can make sure that when our festivals return, they do so with even more of a focus on our people, place and environment.” So far so good but one is tempted to question the ‘even more’ – there has been scant attention to people place and environment in festival planning in recent years.
In the same Scotsman article note that the city’s residents are absent when our cherished heritage is flagged up as needing not just preservation but enhancement by the festivals. Clearly, this pipe-dream does not extend to those who live in this ‘remarkable backdrop’.
But it’s the reaction of Essential Edinburgh that confirms that not all stakeholders are thinking about anything other than business as usual post Covid-19.
Roddy Smith, the Chief Executive, says “We need to reactivate the city, promote it strongly and widely and seek over the next couple of years to return to our numbers pre the virus.”
The same message can be deduced from the report from the meeting last week of the new tourism ‘oversight group’ for Edinburgh.
The group includes Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG), Edinburgh Airport, Festivals Edinburgh, Visit Scotland, Essential Edinburgh and the Chamber of Commerce – again not one resident has a seat at the table. Adam McVey reported that the group had reaffirmed the aims of Edinburgh’s new Tourism Strategy which was agreed pre-pandemic.
How can this be? Have we learned nothing these last few weeks?
So, the coronavirus will not miraculously change our world for the better. The citizens will have to insist on it, and the Manifesto for the City is an excellent starting place.
Let’s face it, change is difficult – most of us are stuck with at least one foot in the past and are in some way resigned to the way things are. To paraphrase a French philosopher, we are all ‘half accomplices’, demanding radical change while at the same time clinging to what we have become accustomed to.
But the city will change whether we like it or not, and citizens need to rise to the challenge and drive that change – now is the time to articulate our values and our aspirations; now is the time to really get beyond ourselves.
The Homeless Navigator Project is a new Comic Relief and Essential Edinburgh funded service within Cyrenians that seeks to address a visible problem with rough sleeping in Edinburgh. The project aims to offer an alternative opportunity for people who are experiencing homelessness and cannot, for whatever reason, make use of the current support services that exist in Edinburgh. Continue reading Cyrenians launch Homeless Navigator Project
