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Big freeze can't cool city's Hogmanay party spirit

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Published Date: 31 December 2008
By LAURA CUMMINGS
TENS of thousands of revellers flocked to the capital's spectacular Hogmanay street party to welcome the start of the Homecoming Year.
Around 100,000 people - an increase of 5000 on last year - joined in the festivities despite sub-zero temperatures, and took part in the world's biggest ever recorded rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

More fireworks than ever before lit up the skies above the Capital with a series of mini-displays in the run up to the midnight finale.

Lothian and Borders Police said there were no major incidents with seven arrests made on the night - four for disorder and three for breach of the peace.

There were also five reported crimes- three assaults and two thefts.

There were no major medical incidents.

A massive clean-up operation got underway at 3am which involved 45 council staff and 20 vehicles removing 20-30 tonnes of rubbish by mid-morning.

Edinburgh's festivals and events champion, councillor Steve Cardownie, said: "Once again Edinburgh has shown how to bring in the New Year with a fantastic shindig. Without question our street party is one of the best ways in the world to bring in the New Year and this year's event cements Edinburgh's status as the home of Hogmanay."

Two women were treated for burns after indoor pyrotechnics started a fire inside a packed nightclub.

Hundreds of party-goers had just seen in the New Year when the blaze broke out in the Luna nightclub in Picardy Place.

Firefighters were forced to evacuate the club after the fire started in the ground floor of the three storey building at around 12.10am.

A spokeswoman for the fire brigade said two women had suffered minor burns and were treated by ambulance staff at the scene.

We'd love to see your Hogmanay pictures - click here send them in. Jpeg attachments only, please.

Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 01 January 2009 2:50 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Hogmanay
 
1

brandy al,

embra 01/01/2009 12:22:19
More fun and a lot of damn noise,its time this rubbish was done away with,and let people walk along the streets as we did years ago.
2

Buttress,

01/01/2009 12:31:29
Totally agree. Why should people have to pay be in a city centre? Commercial nonsense. Not, Cardownie, a fantastic shindig - a commercial venture with nothing to do with tdradition. Nothing even Scottish about it. Even the renition of Auld Lang Syne had to be made into a silly farce of a 'record breaker', instead of something which used to be about people relating to other people. You've sold out. What next - sponsorship by a burger chain?

3

Tairua,

Braids 01/01/2009 12:58:18
I cannot agree with your comment -"More fireworks than ever before lit up the skies". I can see all seven hills from my house and this year there were no displays at Corstorphine Hill, Blackford Hill or Arther Seat with reduced displays at the Braid Hills and Craigmillar Hill. The display at the Castle and Calton Hill looked impressive, but overall a much reduced fireworks display overall compared with previous years.
4

The Leith Cowboy BAM BAM,

Bruxelles 01/01/2009 13:02:11
Rotterdam was more impressive. Oh yes it was. and the local paper there managed more than an out of focus mobile phone picture in their story.
5

BobW,

Embra 01/01/2009 14:09:46
#3 is quite right. I went up Blackford Hill again as it is free and away from the tourists. It was a pathetic and embarrasing display this year. There were no fireworks from the seven hills, just the castle and Carlton Hill. Is this just to impress the tourists? Shame on the Edinburgh organisers who should be sacked for such a mistake. Fortuneately there were some pepole on the hill with sparklers so we had a diy display.The Council seem to forget who pays their wages. The Council Tax payers deserve better. Forget about the tourists and focus on yout employers next year council workers, if you can hold your heads up, and are still employed.
6

Brian from Accounts,

01/01/2009 14:34:24
Making people pay to go into the city is a very Edinburgh thing to do, very "you'll have had your tea".

Folks, if you want fireworks and Glasvegas just go to Alan Mcgee's myspace page and buy a packet of sparklers.

Fireworks were well crubbish this year, looked not unlike a packet of sparklers.
7

GJS,

01/01/2009 15:25:58
I must have got the wrong website. This reads more like a comment page on grumpyolddsod.com
8

BobW,

Embra 01/01/2009 15:37:16
#7. We are just expressing our opinions, a strange concept for some people. Edinburgh's fireworks last night were pitiful and pathetic. What is your problem with us making comments? Were you one of the fireworks organisers perhaps?
9

BobW,

Embra 01/01/2009 15:42:25
And, Steve Cardownie, you clearly do not know what a "fantastic shindig" really is. Hang your head in shame, it was appalling.
10

Jock E,

Edinburgh 01/01/2009 16:02:34
Our families and friends have viewed the Corstorphine Hill fireworks for years and this year we got nothing.

Thank you EDC for spoiling our New Year.

Also, why should residents pay the same as tourists to visit our city centre at Hogmanay? It's a disgrace. We refuresed to pay and didn't visit.

Shame on EDC.
11

Brian from Accounts,

01/01/2009 16:33:26
Anyone hear Cllr Cardownie on the radio news yesterday, trying to hype up the rip-off?

He sounds even more of a teat than he looks.
12

BobW,

Embra 01/01/2009 17:30:59
Now it all makes sense. Numpty Cardownie lives in Bellevue Terrace. He has no interest in the council tax payers on the outskirts of Edinburgh. They will just have to come into the centre of town to see his private personal fireworks on Carlton Hill and the castle. Oh, he works as a private hire car operator as well. What a "shindig".
13

Gee-man,

US(Edinburgh Expat) 01/01/2009 18:15:30
This closing off the streets really seams to irk people. No wonder. Why can't you just do shows/gigs in venues/areas which require a pass & leave Princes Street open to everyone. The fireworks on the seven hills was always good. Keep it simple!
14

Think Tank,

01/01/2009 19:07:08
#2

Buttress. Do you at least accept that the events of last night will have done more for the Edinburgh economy than ANYTHING you stand for on when posting on this site.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay is a simply brilliant piece of business and marketing. It's a massive global advert. It puts a city of 400,000 people on the global stage. The fact that people across the world know about Edinburgh's New Year, but haven't got a clue what happens in say Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds etc., is a MASSIVE achievement which we should be proud of.

And yes. It's enjoyed by over a hundred thousand people who aren't miserable gits.

15

BobW,

Embra 01/01/2009 19:14:29
And yes.Most are not council tax payers from Edinburgh. Drunk teenagers and tourists pretending to be happy in an artificial jolly setting is not a good advert.

We are better known for cancelling the party because it is a bit cold and now cancelling fireworks because we are too mean.
16

Basement Bob,

Portobello 01/01/2009 19:21:20
The EDC (Edinburgh District Council) has been replaced by the CEC (City of Edinburgh Council). There will be no tram wires as there are no traction poles like the turn of century trams. The trams will just run on rails in the ground. The Edinburgh Christmas & Hogmanay festivities bring hundreds of thousands of tourists in to Edinburgh. All spending money, taking taxis & drinking in our pubs.
17

Think Tank,

01/01/2009 19:38:11
I'm embarrassed for you BobW.

It takes a really, really, really miserable person to post that people out on New Years Eve are "pretending to be happy in an artificial jolly"

Yes Bob, you're right and a hundred thousand people were brainwashed into "having a good time". God forbid.

Sorry for not being dour.

And it raises millions for the local economy, creates jobs all year round and gives a sense of civic pride for anyone who isn't a miserable git. Like you.
18

Brian from Accounts,

01/01/2009 19:55:39
#20

PR gush.
19

Buttress,

01/01/2009 20:43:17
MR Septic Tank - it ranked about a second on telly news. Pitiful. Hardly something the world looks to now, is it?

I note though you are in your usual follow me around the site and make offensive remarks mode as usual. Really quite sad, with this little obession, aren't you dear?

And it's spread to others now - oh dear, 'git'. How sophisticated.

Basement Bob - you are joking though? The trams will run with overhead wires - attached to buildings and in some places to poles. Not pretty.



20

BobW,

Toon 01/01/2009 20:54:31
#20. Septic tank. Don't be embarrased for me, son. I had a great time up Blackford Hill last night. Be embarrased for the City, with the sad display it put on. And for yourself, being offensive is not a nice trait for a human being.

There is no civic pride in being second rate and cheap. What jobs are you taking about? Pete Irving and his mob? Theme park Edinburgh is fake and shabby. give New Year back to the residents.
21

Buttress,

01/01/2009 20:58:31
Mr Tank is only here to be offensive. Knows not a lot, though.

;-)
22

Away Up In Gorgie ,

01/01/2009 21:58:33
Think tank! gis a break ffs, i can only assume that you and your chums had a great shindig up the toon last night?

I decided to avoid the toon again this year, as i feel it is no longer an event for its citizens. Your grand predictions of economic benefit seem as though they have came from the cooncil themselves. As opposed to giving us some positive yet exaggerated "facts" why dont you put your belief into real terms and explain in detail the exact economic benefits that are brought through a commercialised edinburgh hogmany.

The festival puts Edinburgh on the international stage, and it always has done. Surely its not too much to ask that edinburgh citizens are allowed to go to thier city centre on hogmany and celebrate as they did for many years, until such time as the coouncil decided "this could make money".

As a cooncil tax payer i feel short changed and disgusted, that i am some how a party pooper, because i refuse to be bent over by the council and pay to enter my own city centre. Because i refuse to accept that this "party" is anything other than a cynical money making scheme, aimed soley at tourists.


The street party was started by the citizens of edinburgh, i feel that should be remebered.
23

Julian.,

edinburgh 01/01/2009 22:58:08
BobW,

And what exactly is your evidence that these people were pretending to be happy and merry? Do you have some sort of special gift which tells you these things?

And how do we know you were not pretending to be happy up Blakcford Hill? In fact, if you were up there, how would you even have a chance of telling the levels of happiness of those people celebrating 3 miles away. I was there, and most folk I met seemed to be having a great time.
24

Buttress,

01/01/2009 23:07:49
Septic is an uncritical supporter of everything the cooncil does.

But he's basically a troll. Not worth taking seriously. Bit of an obsessive though, aren't you Septic?

But he doesn't like folk arguing back. Gets nasty. Has a basic repertoire of posts he recycles.
25

Buttress,

01/01/2009 23:17:12
I've pointed Mr Tank back to this story from the others he's getting upset with me about. So easily wound up is Mr Tank, do be nice to him or he will take umbrage. He loves to defend the cooncil, no doubt he'll be along in a moment to tell you what a great night it was and those who think that paying to get into a public place is bad are wrong.
26

Brian from Accounts,

01/01/2009 23:45:43
#29

You don't need to defend yourself so vigorously. PR posters on EEN site are easy to spot.

27

Brian from Accounts,

01/01/2009 23:50:05
#27

Do you have a degree in behavioural psychology? Can you provide empirical evidence to the contrary? If not, can you give ten reasons why people should be charged money to stand in a city's main thoroughfare to listen to Carl Barat singing Vera Lynn songs?
28

Buttress,

01/01/2009 23:50:07
Oh, I'm not defending myself - it's just Mr Tank gets so upset if people disagree with him, I wonder just why? Pals with some of the Cooncillors eh Septic? Sorry, I mean Mr Tank. He just loves to defend everything they do.

He goes quiet if several people disagree with him though. He does have a bit of an obsession with me. ;-)

29

Buttress,

01/01/2009 23:57:42
The fireworks in London were free. Travel on the tube was free. Even Kew Gardens were open today - free.


30

Brian from Accounts,

02/01/2009 00:02:06
NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS

Literally millions of pounds were injected into the city's economy last night when people were charged nightclub prices to stand in a street and watch fireworks.

"This kind of thing puts Edinburgh on the world stage" said Davie McBarchart (26), a reveller from Limekilns.

"They have nothing like this in Limekilns, or even Dunfermline. I like the modern music and I'm wearing six pairs of socks and I haven't been sick yet, but I'm sure many will. Allegedly."

PC Lara Ding-Ding got a smacker on the cheek from Bernie Hairshirt, an unemployed entomologist from Barbados, respendent in a C U Jimmy hat and jolly Hogmanay grin.

PC Ding Ding said "It was a breach of decorum, but I let it pass. If he'd flattened my puppies with his palms, I would have had no option but to tase the git."
31

Think Tank,

02/01/2009 00:04:41
It's hard not to post after you Buttress. You're here refreshing the page at publishing time to spout your nonsense as the first or second poster on a story. It takes some arrogance to think this means I'm "following you".

Away Up In Gorgie- I was working last night, and in nothing directly to do with Hogmanay celebrations. The street party puts Edinburgh on the global map. Pictures and stories are seen across the planet, alongside Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Berlin, London and New York. It would cost hundreds of millions of pounds to get that kind of advertising for a city our size.

Your lack of understanding of how Hogmanay generates money for the local economy is staggering and a touch arrogant. Simply thousands of jobs are supported in as diverse fields as pubs/bars/restaurants to taxi firms, shops, b&bs etc. etc. Especially at this time, Hogmanay will save dozens of local firms from going out of business and save jobs. It has a massive effect on a diverse range of things, including the ability to get cheap flights from Edinburgh airport to major holiday destinations in the months and years ahead (and supporting airport jobs).

I think if it were a free-for-all in the city centre, you would be here complaining at the cost of fireworks, policing, the mobile hospital, clean-up etc. It would also be hard to keep people out of areas where there could be damage to property. At £10/head it's not an unreasonable cost to see in the new year in style and it contributes £1m to fund the event.
32

Think Tank,

02/01/2009 00:08:59
#33

The fireworks in Edinburgh were free. The nightbuses were free. Our heritage sites have free open days on public holidays through the year.

33

Brian from Accounts,

02/01/2009 00:12:25
#35

At £10 a head it's a rip off, matey.

Cities all over the world have new year celebrations that get pictures and stories of them firing along all synapses of the global brainopticon. They don't charge £10 entry fee though.

Pete Irvine is a good guy, but at his age he should be doing a show on Radio Scotland and tending to vegetables in his allotment. Getting people to sing a mispronounced Auld Lang Sine is for the tweet tweets.

Edinburgh's shindig is a rip-off, pal. For the citizens and for the tourists.

Your voluble but unconvincing comeback suggests - saliently - that you've got vested interests.
34

Buttress,

02/01/2009 00:14:47
But yes Septic - you do follow me! And clearly get wound up!

And now you are fantasing about my life! Dear dear! Get help Septic.

Right - well, of course you couldn't be wrong, could you? There was b all on TV about Edinburgh was there? A few seconds footage was all. And amazingly, many folk here think it isn't what they want in their city. They are allowed to you know, have a different opinion from you. They don't see it as 'style'.

Cheap flights? So - you don't care for the environment either! Well, well.
35

Buttress,

02/01/2009 00:17:22
"Your voluble but unconvincing comeback suggests - saliently - that you've got vested interests."

But Septic loves anything and everything the cooncil does - of course he has vested interests.
36

Buttress,

02/01/2009 00:20:51
There were no charges in London Septic - none at all. All of it free. And London has heritage open days, But you don't like heritage Septic - you think we should bulldoze historic buildings. Build 'iconic' ie tall. And you like Quatermile, which anyone with much knowledge of heritage thinks was a disgrace and is another load of glass lumps.
37

Think Tank,

02/01/2009 00:43:58
London spend a fortune on their policing, but essentially (as someone who has been there for new year) you're standing along the Thames (several rows back unless you camp out from afternoon) and watching a firework show. You can do this in thousands of fantastic locations in Edinburgh for free- that's why its designed as the Seven Hills Firework display.

The street party isn't the same as the fireworks.

I get the impression that you guys haven't actually experienced the street party and so are making lots of assumptions. And also that you don't travel much. It's quite a small-minded "little Scotlander" attitude you portray.

I've been fortunate enough to see in New Year celebrations in Sydney and New York amongst other places. The coverage on American TV is quite significant- they love showing Scotland and we light up during prime time America on new years eve. The Australians also love covering the quirky things on New Years Day news reviews- I remember even seeing pictures from the Loony Dook when there.
38

Buttress,

02/01/2009 00:49:50
Ah - of course! Septic knows it all, no-one else has been outside of Embra!

I think you'll find, Septic, that in other countries they are not these days terribly interested in Edinburgh - there are far bigger fireworks displays elsewhere. It's no longer much of a Scottish celebration, commercialisation has seen to that. If they show anything it's a brief glimpse of a piper.

Street party? Exciting? Really?
39

Brian from Accounts,

02/01/2009 01:20:13


"Your lack of understanding of how Hogmanay generates money for the local economy is staggering and a touch arrogant"

Edinburgh is going down the stank. Funny, but when the economy was going well at various points during the 20th Century, there was no Richard Branson street party. You can belt up on that one. You can take your foot out of your fat gob right now.


"I get the impression that you guys haven't actually experienced the street party and so are making lots of assumptions. And also that you don't travel much. It's quite a small-minded "little Scotlander" attitude you portray."

I think your impressions are your own. And they're limited, like your CEC document style argumentation and your offbeat (and obviously invented) assessment of U.S. broadcast media.

Think Tank - you work for the council.
40

Brian from Accounts,

02/01/2009 01:34:17

I get the impression that Septic bought a chest freezer and an ipod in the sales, went home to his garage, plugged the freezer in and stood it on its edge, then downloaded a Texas song off i-tunes, then went into the freezer (-2 celsius setting), switched on the ipod, and charged himself a £10 civic pride Tariff for the hell of it.

Don't try this at home kids. Or when on a junket to Australia either.
41

Julian.,

edinburgh 02/01/2009 04:26:01
#31 Brian from accounts,

No, don't have a degree in behaviour psychology but I just think the burden of proof on someone saying that people who appear to be having a having a good time are actually not should be on that person.

Why should it be up to me to prove that smiling cheering people are actually having a good time?

As for 10 reasons to pay £10 for a street party ticket, that's a bit of a tall order. One good reason should suffice: Why should people not going to the street party subsidise those that do? If they didn't charge for it that would just mean more council tax or reduced public expenditure for everyone else next year.
42

Buttress,

02/01/2009 10:40:39
Septic gets terribly upset when accused of working for trhe council, but his vitriolic attacks on anyone who dares to be critical speak volumes.
43

Corona,

edinburgh 02/01/2009 10:41:46
Can't believe some of these comments. I used to go up when there was no charge and the public disorder was unbelievable. Shop windows smashed and loads of trouble makers out looking for a fight. It was a knife edge atmosphere with lots of people crushed ( me included) when fights broke out. I have been twice now to the Concert in the Gardens in recent years , which obviously you have to pay more for but the difference on Princes Street in unbelievable. Much better atmosphere, much more space, more entertainment on the big stages. The tourists we spoke to from all over loved it. £10 ? Not too much to pay for a bit more safety and a lot more entertainment.
44

Buttress,

02/01/2009 10:42:31
45 - the point is - why should people be denied the right to be in a public place? If the council wants to organise events OK - but not on a public highway.

And maybe those making all the cash from the supposed influx of vistitors spending could be asked to cough up a little more.
45

Away Up In Gorgie ,

02/01/2009 11:31:38
#35 Is that your retort? come on now ffs have a word, a child could have scribbled that at nursery. I now know that you have a vested interest in the cooncil, as your reply has little substance, mostly its made up of positve sound bites proclaiming the massive economic benefit yet offering no hard facts.

Your constant reference to international recognition through the party really does make you look stupid, to suggest that people will only become aware of edinburgh because they seen the street party on telly truly baffles me.

I have already explained that we are given a platform on the international stage through the Festival and other events. Being the capital of scotland would surely put us on the international stage, should anyone care to check.

Your reference to the economic benefit and the beneficiaries is simplistic in the extreme. The sectors that you mention would get economic benefit even if the party was free, seeing as the very reason for new year is to celebrate, and the afore mentioned sectors cater to that.

The street party went ahead and was fine for many years until the cooncil decided it was an earner. Your rosy view of the event comes for one who has a vested interest in the event.

I have been to both the un-official and the organised street party, the un-official, was in my opinion better as it was the residents of this city celebrating, not some pre organised concert in the centre of the city soley to attract tourists.

I am not arrogant, to suggest that iam again highlights your vested interest in this very pretentious show called Edinburghs Hogmany, the joke being, it has absolutly nothing to do with edinburgh now.
46

scotman,

edinburgh 02/01/2009 11:48:10
We don't want fireworks on Blackford hill it is a nature reserve.
47

Buttress,

02/01/2009 11:56:37
It will be interesting to see if Septic responds. It's odd that his posting after me always attacks my posts, he rarely does it to others, when challenged usually vanishes for while... ;-)

But yes - it's always simplistic, just not worth taking himn seriously and wasting much time over him. he gets so bilious at times that his posts get removed. He likes to blame me, but the reality is I don't sit with the editorial button.

He does seem to be an apologist for the council, and his support of any and every new development and terrified knee jerks against anyone who is critical of its development policies, speaks volumes.

www.eh8.org.uk seems to cause him a great deal of anguish...

I agree that Hogmanay, like so much else, is moving a once fine city into a clone of so many other places. Sadly, those in charge think this is a good thing, and fail to heed the voices of dissent. But when it's gone it's gone. They pull down historic plces to build hotels for tourists, failing to realise that tourists want to see history.

2009 - year of 'Homecoming'. What will they be coming home to?

48

Brian from Accounts,

02/01/2009 14:26:13
I think Septic might actually be a councillor.

He's got the same thicko's grasp of English, and uses council style meaningless phrases about civic pride and marketing.

And it wouldn't be the first time a politician has posted here.

Councillor Septic - why are you championing the new year celebrations here? Is that not Cardownie's job?
49

Brian from Accounts,

02/01/2009 14:37:27



---notice also how Cllr Septic thinks ordinary folks can't afford a plane ticket and that makes him well travelled.

Been on a junket to an English speaking country eh septic? Sorry pal but no medals for that.

By the way, Septic - politicians shouldn't call people "git" - it's not a vote winner, you big fat smelly goat.
50

Buttress,

02/01/2009 15:05:28
Or even an ex-councillor hoping to make a comeback?

Some of those around ;-)

51

Julian.,

edinburgh 02/01/2009 16:40:43
#48,

Bit of a mountain out of a molehill. It's hardly a great breach of freedom and liberty to deny those who don't pay £10 access to 1 street in a city of a thousand streets for 4 hours.

It's hardly a unique example of this as well. What are you going to complain about next? Being forbidden access to a road because there's a state visit, or because there's a street protest and you're not one of the protestors?
52

Buttress,

02/01/2009 16:46:13
Well if it's so unimportant, why bother to post?
53

GlobalScot,

California 02/01/2009 17:04:34
It makes me sad to read so many negative and cynical comments from some Edinburgh residents who, even if they don't want to pay to attend the event, can still get views of the fireworks and see local TV coverage. Those of us whose hearts are in Edinburgh but live abroad can't even tune into a local radio station on the internet since the 2006 ban on them broadcasting outside the UK. Even the few webcams get choked and inaccessible at that time. When it's 4 pm with us on Hogmanay and the bells ring in Edinburgh, we always toast friends and family back "hame".

#17, Think Tank - I agree it is a great piece of marketing for a wonderful city, but it doesn't get as "global" as you think. The organizers need to think of ways to get wider real-time TV and Internet coverage for the loyal Edinburgh fans around the globe. As is often the case, Scottish/British "marketing" is way too domestic in its scope.

Happy New Year, Edinburgh! - and stop being so cynical.
54

Buttress,

02/01/2009 18:38:44
Why would it get 'global'? It's not very much to do with local tradition these days, just another (and quite small scale in global terms) celebration, and I think you are living very much in the past!
55

Think Tank,

04/01/2009 19:44:18
#49 Away up in Gorgie- this statement says it all for me:

"Being the capital of scotland would surely put us on the international stage, should anyone care to check."

There are loads of capital cities you've never heard of that probably think they're the bees-knees "should anyone care to check". That's not the point of marketing a city. Edinburgh punches above it's weight because of the success of its festivals programmes, including Hogmanay.

And for anyone who thinks talk of "marketing" is somehow dirty or immoral, just grow up. Tourism is a HUGE part of Edinburgh's economy, and if you can't see how this positively impacts on your life as an Edinburgh resident then there is simply no point in discussing further.

I still don't quite get the rather conflicting and hypocritical argument put forward by the "anti" posters here. It's make your mind up time.

Do you want a street party?
Are you suggesting you want to limit it to Edinburgh residents and ban tourists?
Do you think it fair that the costs of a street party are met by those on it, or by those who ignore it (through council tax)?

It's rather quaint that there's a poster who thinks we could just let a street party occur (for local people obviously) and incur no costs!

Because of course in 2009 you can just ignore the policing, security and health requirements of a gathering of thousands of people. The naivety is painful to read.

As has been pointed out, previous unregulated street parties resorted to vandalism, destruction of property and injury.

And before Buttress churps up again (predictable as ever)- the thing you see from London on the TV- it's a firework show. Not a street party. Glad you see the difference now.

Oh, and you've left unanswered questions here:

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/This-is-the-way-forward.4834042.jp?CommentPage=1&CommentPageLength=1000#3589833

Just the usual unanswered request for a bit of factual backing to your posts.

56

Jingsitsme,

EDINBURGH 06/01/2009 12:18:07
I for one wished I had gone into town in the cold rather than opting to watch TV.

Jackie Byrd needs to be put out to grass and as for the singing of Leon - that was cringing to watch. The lad can't sing!! He crucified Auld Lang Syne

Give me the town the cold the atmosphere and the entertainment that does what it says on the packet anyday.

57

BobW,

Toon 06/01/2009 12:44:35
Septic. Old Git here. I went to the Tron many years afo. The only problems we had were having to kiss policemen. It was free and Scottish. Cancelling the seven hills foreworks was dissappointing. There were a lot of children up the hill waiting for the fireworks. Their parents had chosen not to take them into town for obvious reasons.

#50. Who doesn't want fireworks on Blackford Hill? Who is "we". It is not a nature reserve, it is a dogs' toilet.

 

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