'Haunted house' in £1000 charity challenge to Sir Sean

SIR SEAN CONNERY has been challenged to put his money where his mouth is after criticising one of Edinburgh's top visitor attractions.

Staff at The Real Mary King's Close were left stunned after the legendary Scottish film icon made some scathing comments on the attraction in his new book, Being a Scot.

Owners were bemused at his description of the Royal Mile attraction, which has around 170,000 visitors a year, as "a Disneyfied haunted-house experience".

They have now challenged Sir Sean, who is in Edinburgh to launch his book at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, to visit them and see for himself.

As an incentive they have promised to pay out £1000 to a charity of his choice if he is still unimpressed with what they offer visitors.

In return they have asked him to agree to pledge the same amount to their nominated charity, the Sick Children's Foundation at the Royal Hospital in Edinburgh, if he does change his mind about the attraction.

A copy of the challenge will be delivered to Sir Sean's hotel suite, while another will be delivered personally to the actor when he appears at the Book Festival on Monday.

The book, which covers Sir Sean's early life in Edinburgh as well as his current impressions of the city, was co-written by author Murray Grigor and includes a segment in which he raises concerns about the growth of 'dark tourism' in the Capital.

In it, he wrote of The Real Mary King's Close: "When what became the City Chambers were built in the 18th century, the closes were all levelled off and sealed from above, leaving shops and rooms below intact. The public is now able to visit this subterranean part of the city. But instead of being able to appreciate how people then lived, they have to go along with a Disneyfied haunted-house experience."

Stephen Spencer, General Manager of The Real Mary King's Close, said: "In response to Sir Sean's comments, we challenge him to put his money where his mouth is.

"We invite him to visit The Real Mary King's Close and if he is still unimpressed we will donate £1000 to his chosen charity, providing he is prepared to match or better this amount to our chosen charity, the Sick Kids Friends Foundation at the Royal Hospital in Edinburgh, if he is impressed.

"We also think he must have forgotten the fact that he has made millions out of dramatising fiction, when we are merely dramatising fact.

"We look forward to hopefully welcoming him and revealing a very real history connected to the site's amazing past and perhaps even telling him something different about his beloved home city."

Sir Sean's publicist could not be reached for comment on the challenge.

• www.realmarykingsclose.com