Organisers have reported that a total of 2,631,154 people passed through Edinburgh’s Christmas in East Princes Street Gardens, representing a significant 4.85% increase in footfall on 2018. Continue reading Organisers hail Edinburgh’s Christmas success
The commodification of our public places
One of the defining issues currently in front of the City of Edinburgh is how we value our public places. Should Princes Street Gardens be an oasis of green-ness and tranquillity, or should it be the city’s performance hub, the Go To place for happening events and Festival activities?
Should civic spaces be open for the unrestricted access of City dwellers and City visitors alike; or should they be a gated venue accessible only to ticket holders and promoters?
How we value public space is how we value the city overall. The Cockburn Association has been increasingly concerned about the commercialisation of our squares, our parks and our streets. We are concerned about the erosion of public investment in public places.
We are concerned that the voice of residents is decreasingly heard. We are concerned that this view is shared by many. Is this right?
As the city prepares numerous strategies and policies including City Plan 2030 (a new Local Development Plan) and a new Tourism Strategy, now is the time to galvanise opinion.
On Wednesday 22 January 2020, we will hold a Public Summit in the Central Hall, West Tollcross, open to all who share our concerns (and those who don’t too).
Save the Date. Further details will be available in early 2020.
Terry Levinthal
Director, The Cockburn Association
Edinburgh Civic Trust
Thousands of revellerschose to Be Together for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, the most spectacular New Year street party in the world last night.
A sold-out crowd of 75,000 gathered in the city centre for a night of celebration. Continue reading Be Together: Thousands see in the New Year at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay
Let’s start from the basis that Underbelly’s events have been a disaster and should be shut down immediately (writes MIKE SMALL).
They soak up public money, refuse to be transparent about their profits, cause environmental damage to public parks, and shut down and blight open spaces held in the common good. Continue reading ‘Re-imagining’ Hogmanay in Edinburgh
Tuesday 17th December, 7 – 7.30pm
Granton Primary School, Boswall Parkway
Underbelly has revealed details of the Torchlight Procession
Continue reading Details revealed for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay opening event
Winter Windows is back!
This special creative project conceived by Underbelly in 2014 as part of Edinburgh’s Christmas encourages Edinburgh’s young and budding artists to showcase their talents to residents and visitors outside of the classroom and in our streets and community hubs. Continue reading A Festive Welcome: Winter Windows is back!
The rising popularity of Edinburgh’s Christmas has been welcomed by the city council’s ‘Capital Coalition’ leaders – despite public disquiet over the over-commercialisation of the city centre.
Footfall figures for the first 9 days (first Saturday to second Sunday) are 522,000 – that’s 13% up on the same period last year.
These figures build on the biggest ever opening weekend for the Capital’s festive markets which saw a third more people enjoy the first Saturday of the event than in 2018. Continue reading Record-breaking first week for Edinburgh’s Christmas
From unsighly hoardings and dodgy scaffolding to disrespectful tratment of memorial benches and lax planning enforcement, the council has come in for a lot of criticism over Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2019 preparations.
This is the council’s response: Continue reading Bah humbug! Council responds to Christmas criticism
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has announced the complete banging Hogmanay in the Gardens line-up for the 2019 festival. Joining superstar international DJ Mark Ronson are global anthemic hitmakers, Rudimental DJ and Glasgow’s collective soundsystem, Mungo’s Hi Fi. Continue reading Rudimental DJ and Mungo’s Hi Fi complete Hogmanay line up
