Festival bonus

We read about the massive economic benefits of the festivals in Edinburgh in August.

Apart from the Londonbased entertainment companies, the short-term leasing people, the venue owners, such as Edinburgh University, and the bar-owners, it is really unclear what the financial benefit is to the capital’s longsuffering council taxpayer.

It is clear that Edinburgh City Council rakes in a massive amounts from leasing of everything from street vendor positions to poster sites blotting out the amenity of our parks, but what about those who live here all the year round?

We face more mess, garbage tossed in the streets, bus journeys that take twice as long, and a squeeze on the services the council taxpayer pays for. So here’s a suggestion. All of Edinburgh’s council taxpayers should hereby get a Festival Rebate, a significant proportion of their council tax bill reimbursed for every August. Let’s all share in the Festival City success. For the many, not the few. I will spend my rebate on going to more Festival and Fringe shows.

KENNY KEMP