Leith locals in internet revolt over 'Edinburgh' dock name

Published on Tuesday 17 February 2009 00:23

RESIDENTS of Leith have mounted an online campaign to prevent the historic identity of the port being "rebranded".

The property giant Forth Ports is facing an internet revolution over its proposed renaming of the heart of the new-look Leith Docks as "Edinburgh Harbour".

Community groups and business leaders have already pledged to fight the new name created for an area boasting a marina, a 26-storey hotel, a cruise linerterminal and almost 2,000 new homes.

Now a Facebook campaign has been launched to try to persuade the company to rethink. More than 500 people have signed in the past few days.

News of the campaign has emerged as groups in Leith joined forces to issue a joint condemnation of Forth Ports' plans for the area.

A submission to the city council warns existing residents face the "grim" prospect of being dwarfed by a string of tall buildings, and doubt has been cast on the viability of the proposed marina, while Forth Ports has been urged to back plans to restore the former Leith Theatre rather than create a new cultural building.

Iain McGill, the organiser of the Facebook campaign, said: "People are only just beginning to realise what Forth Ports are trying to do. Leithers just believe it is unacceptable to ditch the historic name of the port. It's a huge blunder."

But Forth Ports insisted it had no intention of dropping the new name.