Edinburgh: The Clearances
This is STILL the plan. It was never shelved. Merely adapted. Rather than demolish Grassmarket (Old Town/Central Edinburgh), a policy of Clearance - removal of the local populace - was inflicted by successive councils with the full backing of successive administrations. Rather than just drag us out by force they operate an openly clear POLICY of making life as uncomfortable and intolerable as possible for anyone who lives here and refuses to leave.
Unopposed hotel construction.
Unopposed new pubs (half the street is already pubs).
Unopposed premises conversion.
Permitting pubs to get away with excessive licensing conditions ( i.e. beer gardens outfitted with unrestricted external entertainment media open 'til 22:00 in the heart of multiple residential tenements 7dpw/365pa).
Granting STL (Short Term Let [AirBnB et al]) Planning Permissions against residents' wishes.
Granting STL Licenses where Planning has been opposed and banned in specific instances (if Planning are FORCED to ban an existing STL - and dear God they do their absolute best to not do so - then Licensing simply let them instead, regardless of resident objections).
Zero street cleaning in resident areas.
Zero policing in resident areas. - "Well obviously we prioritise Licensed premises and the Night-time Economy." Actual quote from a cop who was asked why they don't respond to resident phone calls for help, when they have a whole vanload turn up ASAP if a bouncer at a pub chips a fingernail.
Zero enforcement of practically every civil statute there is; Noise abatement, internal construction, private capital co-opting/abusing public space, breaches of licences, fucking ad nauseum...
I ..I don't even know WHERE to start with the Fringe/Festival abuses. The sheer amount of liberties they get away with at the expense of those of us who LIVE here. How they're allowed to run wild over every right we have, with not only no sanction, but actual empowerment by both the Council and ScotGov. And The Castle. The Castle gets a free ride to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants.
I have never wanted to live anywhere but Edinburgh. When I crossed back over that border and was driven past the Welcome to Scotland sign those many years ago, I said simply one word: Home. Long past a decade in Old Town has shown me one very evident thing. Edinburgh is the most CORRUPT city I have ever lived in; and I spent 26 years in London.
Every single local and national politician - Council/Holyrood - has wholly done their level best do do NOTHING that would in ANY WAY restrict unfettered capitalism at the expense of Old Town residents' most basic conditions and amenities. Every single one I have written to over the past decade has lied, cheated and prevaricated whilst self-aggrandizing to the maximum they can. Where it has been too hard to wriggle out of something they have simply not replied at all.
In July and August it is impossible to contact them. They do not wish to be available to the avalanche of complaints and begging for help from the people who live in Old Town. Who they purport to represent. Who they gleefully betray at every single turn.
