City declares war on shopfront pavement clutter
Plus: Tour de France looks to be heading for Edinburgh
Council ready to seize displays from souvenir shops, florists and grocers
Shops who ignore warnings will have their goods confiscated and face fines of up to £1000 in a major crackdown on pavement clutter in the Capital.
The city council is set to launch a 12-month enforcement programme following complaints about some shopfront displays making narrow pavements impossible to pass, especially for people in wheelchairs or pushing buggies.
The problem is said to have grown worse since enforcement of the rules on street selling was relaxed during the pandemic.
The local authority has lined up a shipping container to store the goods it expects to seize from anyone who ignores warnings from its officials.
Where’s the problem? The so-called ‘tartan tat’ shops on the Royal Mile are one of the main sources of complaints, but a report prepared for councillors says there are problems across the Capital. It identifies grocers and florists with displays on narrow streets as the main issue outside the city centre.
What will the council do? The local authority is set to appoint two officials who will warn shops where they believe there is an issue. Those which ignore the warning will see their goods removed after seven days. Seized goods which are put on display on pavements a second time will be confiscated and not returned. Fines of up to £1000 are also possible for repeat offenders.
The council says: The report prepared for councillors states: “There is an argument that the display of goods for sale can add to a street’s vibrancy and encourage dwell time within our retail areas, encouraging economic activity within the city. However, failing to effectively manage or enforce the display of goods for sale on the adopted footway will lead to further infringements, a consolidation of poor practice by retailers and the continued reduction in safe footway space for vulnerable users.”
What do the rules say? The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 states ‘a person who displays goods for sale by placing them in, or hanging them over, a footway or footpath commits an offence’. There are exceptions to the rule, but shops generally need a license which sets out the limits of what is permissable.
Three-metre rule: The council is gathering data to identify a list of the busiest pedestrian streets in the city where it will enforce clear space of at least three metres.
What happens next? The council’s transport and environment committee is expected to approve the crackdown at a meeting on Thursday.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
LE TOUR’S COMING: Edinburgh is being lined up to host the Grand Depart of the men’s Tour de France in 2027, according to reports by the BBC and The Times. That would see the Capital host the first day of racing. Talks are said to be at an advanced stage. The world’s most famous cycling race was last hosted in Britain in 2014 when the Grand Depart was held in Leeds, attracting 3.5m spectators and generating an estimated £102m for the Yorkshire economy. Nothing has yet been confirmed about the potential cost of repairing potholes on any route around the Capital…
THIS ISN’T JUST A DOG BAN… it’s an M&S dog ban. The chain’s Stockbridge store has caused a kerfuffle by announcing it can no longer welcome our four-legged friends. The move is reported to have been prompted by customer complaints.
CAT STATUE: The Capital looks set to get another statue of an animal before getting a second of a non-Royal woman. Hugo the cat was a familiar sight in the city’s West End before being knocked down by a car two years ago. Plans for a life-size bronze statue on top of a wall in William Street have been submitted to the city council after a fund-raising appeal. It is hoped the statue will help attract more visitors to the West End. Edinburgh famously has a number of statues of animals - including Greyfriars Bobby, Wojtek the Bear and Bum the Dog - but only one of a named, non-Royal woman. Community arts activist Helen Crummy is commemorated outside Craigmillar Library.
CLEANER CRAIGMILLAR: Former city council leader Donald Anderson has been appointed to chair the board of Create, a community enterprise in Craigmillar. Create runs the Castlebrae Business Centre, where 50 companies are based employing more than 280 people, and now aims to play a more active role in improving the neighbourhood. Work is already underway on a new project to improve the appearance of the local town centre in partnership with Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust.
CLEANER ROAD SIGNS: A businessman has started cleaning road signs across East Lothian after finding many were so dirty his son couldn’t easily read them during his driving lessons. Steven Girdwood, who runs Dunbar-based Girdwood Exterior Cleaning Ltd, decided to take matters into his own hands by cleaning them himself as he drove around the county.
FERRY ‘CROSS THE WORLD: The Australian Government has ordered a ferry docked in Leith for the last three months to return home. The newly-built Spirit of Tasmania IV has been berthed in the Capital due to problems with dock infrastructure at the Tasmanian city of Devonport. The ferry - the subject of a national political row in Australia - has been instructed to return to the island after the breakdown of negotiations to lease out the ferry.
SEXTORTION WARNING: Police are investigating several reports of indecent images being shared online following a warning to parents at an Edinburgh primary school. Gilmerton Primary has contacted parents to warn them someone has been impersonating a pupil on Snapchat. An eight-year-old girl is reportedly among those targeted in what has been described as attempted sextortion.
HEDGE ROW: A home owner in Prestonfield has been ordered to cut the full length of a hedge between them and their neighbour to a maximum height of 2.6m. The order from the city council follows a five year row over the hedge between the neighbours which has involved the police and a formal appeal to the Scottish Government.
PICTURE OF THE WEEK
THE BUSINESS
Edinburgh’s annual business awards break records
Hundreds of Edinburgh businesses, policymakers, and third-sector organisations came together to celebrate “pioneering progress” at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Annual Business Awards.
The awards, announced at a black-tie event at the EICC, attracted a record-breaking level of almost 200 entries across 15 different categories.
Keynote speaker Andy Hadden told the audience about the development of his £60 million Lost Shore Surf Resort on the western outskirts of the city at Ratho, which opened several months ago. It is expected to welcome more than 160,000 visitors a year, create more than 130 jobs, and contribute £11 million to the local economy annually.
He said that as the world’s first inland surf resort, Lost Shore would offer not only world-class sport but quality accommodation and places to eat and drink and defined “pioneering” as “pushing the boundaries of even the most mundane tasks” and, in the case of Lost Shore, taking an unconventional idea and making it work. He told the audience that the project has secured tens of millions of pounds in investment.
Guests were welcomed by Chamber President, Pamela Smyth of Forth Ports, who said that for the Chamber, “pioneering progress” means “championing the efforts of businesses, of all sizes and sectors, which drive forward change, deliver innovation, create positive economic growth, and enhance Edinburgh’s reputation as an outstanding place to live, work, study, and visit.”
She highlighted the Chamber’s Call to Action - a business-led initiative which aims to unite stakeholders across the city behind a common narrative and ambition for Edinburgh and the City Region, and to share that story on a global stage. “Through this initiative, we aim to position Edinburgh as a leading UK city showcasing its unique strengths and leveraging these to drive good economic growth.”
Winners: Rising Star of the Year - sponsored by Edinburgh Airport - Martijn Zengerink - The Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa; Director of the Year - sponsored by Wright, Johnston, Mackenzie - Nathalie Agnew - Muckle Media; Lifetime Achievement Award - Ewan Aitken – Cyrenians; Responsible Business of the Year - sponsored by The City of Edinburgh - Edinburgh Food Social; Developing the Young Workforce Award - sponsored by DYW – RoslinCT; Service Excellence Award - sponsored by Stagecoach - Holiday Inn; Inspiring Partnership - sponsored by The Balmoral - Fazenda and Cyrenians; Employer of the Year - sponsored by Clockwise - Muckle Media; Excellence in Digital Marketing - sponsored by Cameron - City of Edinburgh Council Experience the Beauty Campaign; Innovation in Business Award - sponsored by Forth Ports - Heriot-Watt University; High Growth Business of the Year - sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland – RoslinCT; International Business of the Year - sponsored by Edinburgh Gin - Ogilvie Ross; Net Zero Champion of the Year - Harley Haddow - Edinburgh Airport; Small Business of the Year - sponsored by Rathbones – PekoeTea; Mid-Sized Business of the Year - sponsored by Henderson Loggie – YOURGB; Large Business of the Year - sponsored by LNER - Lothian Buses.
CONFIDENCE UP: Business confidence in Scotland rose 11 points during February to 53% – a six-month high – according to the latest Business Barometer from Bank of Scotland.
POWERING ON: Power Systems Consultants (PSC) has opened a new office in Edinburgh to better serve the increasing number of clients and opportunities in Scotland’s energy sector, in particular supporting projects related to energy infrastructure, renewables and transmission networks, with specialised capabilities in high voltage cabling, power networks and strategic advisory.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
GARDENER POET: With a CV that includes sculptor, poet, printmaker, gardener and provocateur, from his home at the foot of the Pentlands Ian Hamilton Finlay established himself as one of the greats of 20th century Scottish art. To celebrate the centenary of his birth, the Gallery of Modern Art is hosting a new, free display of his work. Occupying the ground floor rooms of Modern Two, the display includes sculptures, prints and a room-size installation. From Saturday until 26 May.
LOU LOU: Stand-up comedian and star of Taskmaster Lou Sanders is back on the road with an inflatable sofa, games, a talent show and plenty of jokes. Lou Sanders: No Kissing in the Bingo Hall is at the Queen’s Hall on Saturday at 8pm.
ROYAL WARHOL: A screenprint of the late Queen Elizabeth II is one of the star exhibits at a new display of Royal portraits at the King’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography runs until 7 September.
QUICK BITES
FISH FOOD: Fish and chip specialist Mother Hubbard’s is opening seven days a week, from noon till 10pm, at a new venue at Ocean Terminal. New dishes will include Fiery fish and chips, Grilled Fish and Salad and a Fiery Fish Wrap.
CAFÉ SALE: The lease for a popular cafe is up for sale. The owners of the Knockout Kitchen at 27 Parkgrove Street in Clermiston, off the busy Queensferry Road, have recently refurbished the premises.