Edinburgh's Hogmanay - your views online

Stewart Robertson

This could be very interesting. Shall the council now look for local support, the local support and communities which have been excluded for years? Oh, the poor council shall lose some of their beloved tourists, the only people that really matter in the City of Edinburgh, which has become nothing more than a cheap tourist trap full of tat for the budget airlines to fly to, It’s just Prague with shortbread and tartan. The council have wrecked our city.

Jason Hamilton

Good riddance. It's been a golden egg for some businesses in the city. For the rest of us and the tourists it's an exercise of "how can we charge these mugs maximum price for trinkets and old tat." while paying to walk on streets that are normally free 364 days of the year. It used to be great fun up the Old Town and High Street, mixing together, sharing drinks and shaking everybody's hands.

Ally Preston

Why should the Scottish Government pay for it when they don't pay for events in other cities around the country? If the council want it, then they should pay, like everywhere else.

Alex Monaghan

Money best spent elsewhere. Good news!

William Dyer

I’m chairman of our local Gala Day. We have to organise events and rely on donations so we can give the kids a day of entertainment free of charge and try and have other events like Santa’s Grotto etc. Why should huge money-costing events come out the public purse when local community events don't receive any or very little public funding?

Kyle Danko

How did we used to have a free event that wasn't full of tat shops selling crap from China and overpriced food before?

Johnny Beskow

If most of the money it raises heads south, then really, what benefit is it to the city? Homegrown organisation is surely better than outsourcing it.

Graeme Robertson

Get it back to a lower key affair rather than this annual megamess the council have allowed it to become. And spread any events throughout the city.

Graeme McLachlan

Don't worry. The SNP Government will find the money later in the year and give it the financial support it requires.

Robert Mcneill

I was in Edinburgh this morning and walked along Princes Street. This Government is definitely doing its best to destroy the capital. It’s sad seeing so many shops closed. What must tourists from all over the world think? She hates Edinburgh and what it stands for – if she had her way she would have the Parliament in Glasgow.

Lisa McTernan

Good, we get our city back and private companies don’t make huge profits that don’t benefit the city. Sounds good to me.

Gus Gus

I don’t understand why the government would be paying for this when there are 30,000 people there paying £30 per ticket. So where does this money go?

Ralph MacGillivray

Currently the council spends £2 million per year diverting traffic to fill the city centre with coaches for those attending the Tattoo. By simply ceasing this practice, which is of no benefit to Edinburgh council tax payers, they will then have their funding. Not difficult is it?

Gus Stewart

Possibly not a bad thing. Try to get a sponsor for fireworks and let local business have a say in what they would like to do on a non-subsidised basis.

Ricky Stewart

Good. I think getting rid of Underbelly and keeping it local is something the vast majority of Edinburgh residents would agree on.

Paul Kierley

Weird that the Hogmanay festival doesn't make any money and needs council funding. This doesn't make any sense.

Ian Pettigrew

She can't even fund a traditional Scottish festival. What next, Burns night cancelled, St Andrew’s day just another day?

Nancy Morrison

Don’t worry, the daft council will give them the money. But how about all the hotels subsidise the event? After all, they benefit from this.

Jim Taylor

Time to bin it. Or let those who profit from it fully fund it without any subsidy. But no closure of the city centre.

Patrick Hogg

The only real fear is that we'll never regain the right to be in our Princes Street and surrounds at New Year without having to pay!

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