NEIGHBOUR FROM HELL
Living next door to the Botanics is a pleasure and a curse
IIt’s a mixed blessing to live right next to a national institution. For instance, I’ve always been jealous of those lucky people who have flats in those high-rise blocks that overlook Lord’s cricket ground. Watching live test matches from your own abode and for free is the stuff that dreams are made of.
On the other hand, I’m not sure that I’d fancy living cheek by jowl with either Murrayfield or Hampden Park. The crowds may not be a permanent feature of the streets around these stadiums but most neighbours must live in dread of Six Nations matches and cup finals.
However, massive crowds have been a feature of these areas for ever and those who choose to live there must have known what they were getting into.
That’s not the case for me and my neighbours. We are privileged to live next to the ‘Botanics’, or the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to give that wonderful place its Sunday name. For most of the time we’ve lived here we’ve been regular users of its paths and walkways and admirers of its exquisite flora. A particular pleasure has been to introduce the place to friends and relatives.
That said, most of the time we are hardly aware of its existence. That, I’m sorry to say, is no longer the case. Over the years there’s been a definite shift in emphasis from those who administer the gardens. I’m not talking here about those involved in the incredible botanical works that goes on there – the ground-breaking (sometimes literally) academic research.
The change to which I’m referring has been about making money. As far as I can tell RBGE, and regular visitors can correct me here, has three cafes, a restaurant and two function suites as well as a shop and plant-sale area. All well-patronised and causing disturbance to nobody.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case with the latest wheeze planned for a four-week period up to and including Christmas. That’s when we’re to be treated to a sound and light show that will take place every evening from 23 November to 30 December. In previous years such an event was held a month earlier but the powers that be have commissioned a new team to ‘entertain’ us and they’ve persuaded the RBGE high heid yins that the closer to Christmas they hold the thing the better for all concerned.
It is, however, most certainly not better for the Botanics’ neighbours. We accepted, with hardly a murmur, the previous ‘son et lumieres’. These caused immense parking problems, especially around the East Gate, which is where most people live but at least we were warned by the Garden authorities well in advance.
But a month-long extravaganza over Christmas is a different matter. Both the East and the West Gates are to be used so we are looking forward to significant traffic congestion and finding it wellnigh impossible to park at a time of year when most of us have friends and relatives visiting. Most infuriating has been the cavalier approach of the Botanics marketing and PR departments to the concerns of their neighbours.
In spite of their claims to the contrary the latter were not informed, far less consulted, about the plans. The first I knew about it was a report in the local paper – the Inverleith Society, of which most residents are members, knew nothing.
In subsequent discussions with residents - instigated by the latter - and with local councillors the Garden authorities have agreed to urge people not to park near the East Gate. I shall believe that when I see it!
Why is it that RBGE now seems to be constantly looking to raise money, so much so that it’s taking on the aspects of a theme park, rather than an academic institution? Is it because government support for its botanical research has dried up? If so, why has this happened? Ministers should tell us.
The larger question of course is when increased tourist numbers are causing concern – viz the swamping of Princes Street by the Christmas fair and the huge influx at this year’s Festival – how can adding to the crowds but simply moving them into residential areas be any solution.