Call to scrap Hogmanay party tickets

THE popularity of Edinburgh's world-famous Hogmanay celebrations has slumped to the extent that organisers should consider scrapping ticketing and barriers, the capital's festival tsar claimed last night.

Steve Cardownie, who also serves as the city's deputy council leader, said the street party had become a victim of its own success with revellers being lured to "copycat" celebrations elsewhere.

The event peaked in 1997 when 300,000 people crammed into the city centre – raising safety fears and prompting a cordon and a strict ticket-only policy. Then 180,000 celebrated the millennium in Princes Street but the number of revellers has dropped further with just 100,000 this year opting for the £5 or £20 tickets.

Mr Cardownie said: "At one time, the street party was the only one of its kind in the UK, but it has now been replicated in cities like Newcastle, Liverpool and Glasgow so people aren't coming to Edinburgh in the vast numbers they did in previous years.

"That means we might not need the enclosed spaces and the expense of stewarding which could also allow us to get rid of charging people for tickets."

Mr Cardownie, who is responsible for Edinburgh's festivals and events, suggested it was time to look further afield for ideas on how to improve the street party. He added: "People do come back year after year for what is the most fantastic, vibrant and unique throng of mixed cultures celebrating with each other.

"However, we are looking at ways of attracting as many people as possible and attracting big names. We will need to take soundings and advice on this because a lot of big-name bands have become so expensive and we are facing a certain amount of competition from other cities."

Poor weather – which has seen the street party cancelled twice in four years – is also thought to have played a role in the event's declining popularity. However, while forecasters predicted rainy conditions tonight – with temperatures ranging from 2C to 8C – they only expect slight winds.

Meanwhile, Malcolm Chisholm, Labour's culture spokesman at Holyrood, warned the street party may need to be scaled down or even scrapped following a funding shake-up by the Scottish Government.

Mr Chisholm said the Cities Growth Fund set up by the last Labour-Liberal Democrat administration contributed £23 million to the city over the past three years. But this money now goes into the council's general fund which, Mr Chisholm said, means conflicting priorities over what it should be spent on.

He added: "The Cities Growth Fund has been a huge driver of success not just in Edinburgh but across the entire country. Hogmanay celebrations in Glasgow and Aberdeen could also be under threat."

But Mr Cardownie, an SNP councillor, disputed the claims.

He said: "We have received sufficient assurances from the Scottish Government that the funds will be available to ensure Edinburgh's winter festivals continue to offer world-renowned celebrations."

DRUG WARNING
HOGMANAY revellers were last night warned to protect their drinks following a rise in drug-assisted rapes and assaults.

Reports of drink-spiking in Scotland have shot up by 20 per cent since the smoking ban was introduced in March 2006, with people leaving their glasses unattended to have a cigarette.

Graham Rhodes, of the Roofie Foundation, said the charity had received reports of 580 drug-linked rapes this year UK-wide.

Experts say drug-rape victims are typically professional women aged 30 to 50. They believe one of the reasons these groups are targeted is because going out may be out of their usual routine.

The date-rape drug rohypnol, a banned tranquilliser, is easily available on the internet. Other substances widely used include the so-called party drugs GHB and GHL, which can have potentially deadly consequences for epileptics and diabetics.