John McLellan: Princes Street barriers make venue problems all too clear

The hoardings will now only be in place for the duration of the performances at the bandstand. Picture: Andrew O'Brien

Some readers may remember a public information film in which a family led by a dad in a fetching tank top successfully prevent a flood from a burst pipe. As they sit around the kitchen table looking smug, their smiles are wiped away by the voice-over saying 'Shame it had to happen in the first place.'

I thought of the advert this week following council leader Adam McVey’s intervention to remove the ugly hoardings to prevent pedestrians seeing the big Ross Bandstand gigs for free. Ticketed events cannot put up barriers which are to the detriment of the city, he tweeted, and most Edinburgh people would probably agree.

The issue of issuing orders to council officers by social media aside, the irony is the council let this happen and it’s no excuse if no-one knew what was going on.

The interim solution of allowing the erection of temporary hoardings for the duration of the performances is still an imposition, however brief.

I suspect no-one batted an eyelid because of the number of temporary installations at this time of year and the definition of “detriment” is subjective. It’s arguable that the terraces towering above the Castle Esplanade have a detrimental effect on the skyline, but they are accepted because they are temporary and the Tattoo has been part of Edinburgh life as long as anyone can remember.

Indeed blocking off public areas for commercial enterprises is not new and the council has been happy with temporary barriers for more than 20 years since the promotion of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay was cranked up ahead of the Millennium.