Tourists: spend your money in Glasgow instead.

by Feòrag

Edinburgh City Council appear to be going to extremes to prevent anyone celebrating Beltaine this year. The Fire Festival has been cancelled and now the Council plans to seal off Calton Hill to prevent people having their own celebration. The official reason is that the dry weather means it could be a fire risk, but the drought has already broken, and it has been pouring down all day in Edinburgh.

City licensing convener Dougie Kerr, who is also the local councillor for the Calton Hill area, said he was concerned about the problem and would be looking into what might need to be done to stop unofficial celebrations.

We'll be looking at measures to ensure nothing takes place there this year. I've no problem with closing it off in the interests of public safety, he said.

Which will also annoy the regular users of this well-known cruising ground. The local council elections will be held on 1st May this year. Calton Hill fire fear on Beltane night - Edinburgh Evening News, 21st April 2003.