Edinburgh should embrace its status as ‘party city’ claims leader
Boozy stag and hen parties should be embraced by Edinburgh, according to the man who oversees the city centre.
Essential Edinburgh chief executive Roddy Smith welcomed Edinburgh’s status as a “party city” just weeks after a Holyrood bid for legal powers to crackdown on Airbnb and short-term rentals.
“I think one of the interesting things recently has been stag and hen do culture and Christmas party culture,” Mr Smith said. “Edinburgh is the festival city but it’s now becoming a massively popular short-term destination city – our hotels are running at 70, 80, 90 per cent occupancy. You can’t have one without the other. It just needs to be watched, managed and controlled.
“I do not, at the moment, perceive it as a massive problem for the city.”
George Street-based Essential Edinburgh seeks to promote its Business Improvement District between Charlotte Square and the redeveloped St James Centre to visitors. Lothian MSP Andy Wightman has called for council powers to limit short-term rentals in Edinburgh to reduce anti-social behaviour, loss of community and housing displacement.
Mr Smith said: “You’re not going to please all the people all of the time and there has to be that balance struck between economic development, economic viability, dragging people in and ensuring it’s done as safely and securely as possible.”