Christmas festival lights up the capital in opening week ahead of ice-rink unveiling
More than 92,000 people have flocked to the opening week of Edinburgh’s Christmas festival.
Organisers revealed the figure ahead of the return of the city’s famous ice rink in its new location on George Street, four days later than planned.
They blamed supply chain issues and logistical challenges for the hold-up with the unveiling of the Lidl on Ice attraction.
However, drone footage has revealed how the ice rink, which has been brought to Edinburgh from Belgium, looks from the sky in its new home.
The ice rink, which was controversially ousted from St Andrew Square following protests from businesses about its impact on its historic garden, has made a comeback after a three-year absence.
Underbelly, which produces Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hog ma nay festival son behalf of the city council, hailed the openingweekend of events as“a huge success.”
The Christmas event alone has previously been valued at nearly £119 million to the economy.
The Christmas festival, which runs until 4 January, has expanded into a new site in west Princes street gardens this year as part of plans to spread its benefits across the city centre and ensure it is a sc ovid-safe as possible.
The attractions in the west gardens include Santa Land, Santa’s Grotto and a Christmas tree maze, while the ferris wheel and the “star flyer” ride have returned to their traditional sites beside the Scott Monument. The Lidl on Ice attraction was given the go-ahead by the city council despite protests from heritage campaigners about its possible impact on the surrounding landscape and neighbouring businesses.
A spokesman for Underbelly said: “There was a slight delay with the transportation of the ice rink from Friday as you say, in line with general supply chain and logistics challenges occurring across the board.”
Around 80 st all sandbars will be run by for 12 hours a day in the two historic gardens, George Street and on The Mound precinct during the festival.
Underbelly directors Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood said: “Our opening weekend was a huge success and it’s been great to see everyone spreading the Christmas cheer – at long last! We’re so excited to unveil our spectacular new ice rink on George Street - it’s set to become an icon for the city and for scotland of how to celebrate winter.”
Roddy Smith, chief executive of city centre business group Essential Edinburgh, said: “After such a difficult period for our businesses, everyone is hopingfor a bumper festive period .”
Underbelly, one of the biggest producers at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, has had a contract to run the city’s Christmas and Hogmanay festivals since 2017. A new tender is expected to be issued within the next few months for the winter festivals from 2022-23 on. Underbelly, who will lodge formal plans with the city council today, said the changes for this year’s Christmas festival were designed to focus on creating a “safe environment” for visitors and had also taken on board “feedback” from previous years.