Anti-terror barriers to be installed for festive season
● Edinburgh to ramp up security amid influx of visitors for winter celebrations
New anti-terror barriers are set to be installed in Edinburgh city centre for up to seven weeks over the festive season due to the vast numbers of visitors expected to flood in for its Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations.
Several sites around the New Town are expected to see the introduction of similar measures to those introduced around the Old Town in August.
Talks have already been held between event producers Underbelly, which is in charge of the city’s Hogmanay celebrations for the first time, police chiefs and city council officials. Security was beefed up in Edinburgh in the summer in the wake of the terror attacks in London and Manchester with a barrier system “designed to prevent hostile attacks on key or busy crowded locations” introduced at Johnston Terrace. The Mound, St Giles’ Street and the Royal Mile.
Several significant changes are being made to expand Edinburgh’s Christmas event, which has already seen ticket sales grow by almost 50 per cent in the past three years.
Part of George Street will be closed off to traffic in the run-up to Christmas for a “frozen museum”, while
General Register House, at the junction of North Bridge and Princes Street, will be turned into a giant advent calendar after dark.
Other major attractions, including an open-air ice rink, the Star Flyer ride and festive markets will be returning to St Andrew Square, The Mound and a site next to the Scott Monument on Princes Street.
Organisers say safety and security will be treated “extremely seriously” due to the scale and popularity of the city’s winter events.
Nearly four million people were thought to have visited key sites across the city centre during last year’s winter festivals – up almost 25 per cent on the numbers going to the same events five years ago.
Underbelly director Charlie Wood said: “It is important to emphasis that the threat level is the same as it was this time last year. Security concerns are not new. But they are there and we take them extremely seriously.
“There are ongoing meetings with the police and the council to review all of our security arrangements. They are taken very seriously.
“The exact procedures for this year are still being discussed. Certain sites will require hostile vehicle mitigation measures.
“There is no new threat and no new intelligence specific to Edinburgh, but as the city is a big Christmas destination it is being talked about in detail.
“Security is our first and foremost concern. Decisions are being made, but if the threat level changes then those plans may change. Everything is constantly under review.
“I thought the arrangements worked well in the Old Town in the summer. Our experience in Edinburgh and elsewhere in the UK is that people have reacted well to barriers and are reassured by them.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “At this time the policing plan for Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay is being developed and officers are already working with the event organisers and the council to ensure that a safe and secure event is delivered this year.
“The policing plan for any major event is dynamic and dependent on the security picture at that time. The public can be assured that an appropriate policing plan will be in place and suitable messaging will be issued to inform the public of any changes from last year’s plan.”
A council spokesman said: “Any measures that will be put in place will be as a result of recommendations on the most appropriate measures to the event organiser, along with our own input.”
It is a strange phenomenon that there exists an enduring belief that terrorism is something that does not happen in Scotland. The latest bomb attack on London is not seen by them as too close for comfort; instead, it’s explained away as an unfortunate consequence of one of the largest cities in the world being a prime target. And although London is in Britain, it’s a different place entirely, like no other on this island, we’re told.
This attitude chooses to turn a blind eye to at least two startling pieces of evidence which suggest that, believe it or not, terrorists know Scotland exists, and they even know where to find it.
Ten years ago, a major catastrophe was narrowly avoided when a Jeep carrying two terrorists rammed the main entrance to Glasgow Airport, bursting into flames but fortunately causing limited damage in an area where multiple casualties could have been suffered.
Then over the past few days, it has emerged that one of the London underground bomber suspects, Yahyah Farroukh, had visited the Isle of Bute relatively recently. It was also reported that family members from Scotland – possibly from Edinburgh or Aberdeen – visited Farroukh at his home in England. Without wanting to cause alarm, it is sometimes necessary to spell out that terrorism could happen at any time, at any place. That could be right here in Scotland.
As recently as July, we had grumblings about the erection of anti-terror barriers on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. They were obstructive, apparently – which rather misses the point. And they were ugly. Admittedly, their bright yellow colour left a lot to be desired, but they offered protection from vehicle attack to thousands during the Edinburgh festival.
Now more security barriers are to be installed around Edinburgh city centre during the festive period, when large crowds gather for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
It is a sad state of affairs that, at such a joyful time of year, the priority has to be protecting the public from a terror attack.
However, the objective is to create circumstances where people feel more comfortable and less at risk. The barriers cannot eliminate risk or threat, but if they contribute to a stronger sense of security, then they are welcome additions to the landscape this Christmas. But preferably not in bright yellow.