UNLESS there is a late rush for tickets, Edinburgh's world-famous Hogmanay celebrations are heading for a huge loss for a second year. Is the credit crunch to blame or are there other factors at work?
IT is Edinburgh's biggest night of the year, a spectacular party that has become the envy of cities around the world. The Hogmanay celebrations on Princes Street this year boast a line-up of acts that Unique Events, the company charged with organisin
g the annual shindig, insists is the biggest and best it has ever had.
From a specially created light show in Princes Street Gardens, designed by hit dance act Groove Armada, to traditional ceilidhs, disco classics, a torchlight procession and hundreds of dancing street performers, the four-day programme is certainly attractive to the eye.
Despite this, however, there are concerns that, 15 years after it first started, some of the sparkle has gone out of Edinburgh's Hogmanay.
Two high-profile cancellations due to bad weather have hit its reputation, while it has also been dogged by funding and sponsorship issues, and increasing competition from other cities.
This year, as people feel the pinch of the credit crunch, there have been reports suggesting that fewer than 30,000 of the 100,000 tickets have been sold, a month before the big night.
Fewer than 2500 tickets for the flagship Concert in the Gardens, costing £37.50, are believed to have been taken up and just a handful of tickets for the Glayva Ceilidh in the Gardens, also costing £37.50, have been sold.
Rising ticket prices could have something to do with any slowdown in sales. While the early £5 passes for Princes Street sold out fast – as did enclosure tickets for the Concert in the Gardens – more expensive tickets are not selling so well.
Both the Ceilidh in the Gardens and Boogie Wonderland on The Mound cost £37.50, while the Hoog, the ceilidh party at the Assembly Rooms, costs £52.50.
One source suggested that slow ticket sales could be a sign that customers were being more cautious with their money.
"It may be that people are hanging on until the last minute to see if there are any reductions or deals offered," he said.
Another concern is the growing competition – Edinburgh was the first to put on a party at New Year but, after seeing the international acclaim and tourist money that came with it, the rest of the UK is catching up fast.
While it can't compete with the size of Edinburgh's event, Glasgow has continued to improve its George Square party and again expects 10,000 to turn out for live music and fireworks. Manchester has also entered the fray, staging a spectacular fireworks display.
Ron Hewitt, chief executive of Edinburgh's Chamber of Commerce, admitted that the organisation of the entire event may need to be looked at to keep it fresh.
"The event has suffered from two cancellations in recent years because of weather which, while unavoidable, stick in people's minds," he said. "A key part of weatherproofing the event will be the reconstruction of the Ross Bandstand.
"The council have done very well in growing the city's Hogmanay into the best in the world, but they cannot sit back and expect the golden goose to keep laying.
"They need to ensure they are still offering value for money."
Despite the concerns, however, there are plenty of signs that the city's Hogmanay is alive and well.
Both Unique and the city council said they could not release information about ticket sales, but insisted sales were much higher than were being speculated.
Councillor Steve Cardownie, the city's festivals and events champion, said: "I am absolutely delighted with how sales are going. We launched the programme ten days later than last year, we have a fantastic line-up and we've yet to really start advertising the event, so I am confident it will be a huge success."
Early bookings for hotels this year were keeping pace with last year and Visit- Scotland said that, while it expected the international tourist market to be affected by the economic crisis, Edinburgh's Hogmanay was still a world-renowned event which had lost none of its popularity.
"From what we have heard, the bookings are still coming in and Edinburgh is still the place to be at New Year," said a spokesman.
Pete Irvine, creative director of Unique Events, said he was "stunned" by some of the negative reports surrounding the Hogmanay event and insisted this year's event would be the biggest and best in Europe.
"It is an experience – it's something you need to be there for and people still flock here from all over the world," he said. "Obviously, these are difficult times for everyone, but we are very happy with ticket sales and with the event.
"We do want to look at reinventing Edinburgh's New Year after so long and I think you may see some of that this year.
"The show in Princes Street Gardens is being created especially for us by Groove Armada, will feature a specially constructed stage and we have a four-day programme packed with great attractions.
"I think this will be the most exciting Hogmanay celebration we've had since the Millennium."
