Shows cleared to pitch up in Meadows despite grass fears

Published on Monday 4 May 2009 09:57

THE Chinese State Circus, the Lady Boys of Bangkok and other major attractions are set to get the go-ahead to use the Meadows this summer, despite protests that the area is being ruined by overuse.

Campaigners had called for a ban on all events running longer than a few days to allow the Meadows to recover from damage caused last summer.

However, council officials have recommended a number of large-scale events go ahead, provided they follow strict guidelines set out to maintain the state of the grass.

The Meadows Festival Funfair, the Edinburgh Arrow, the Festival and Fringe Funfair and the Urban Circus, which includes both the Chinese State Circus and the Lady Boys, would all take place under plans to be put before councillors later this month.

A number of other events, including the Moonwalk and Taste of Edinburgh, have been moved to Inverleith Park, while the start and finish of the Great Edinburgh Run was switched to George IV Bridge.

Chris Wigglesworth, convener of the campaign group Friends of the Meadows, said this year's events would have to take place in new parts of the fields because of the damage caused last summer.

He said: "Fringe Sunday is fantastic and you can have big events for a day or two, but the things that make the Meadows what it is are being able to kick a ball around or have a picnic, not the whole place being taken over by commercial operations.

"This is not a moral crusade against the Lady Boys of Bangkok, the Friends of the Meadows have always been clear that we are against long-term events that cause damage to the grass.

"To have over a month of activity means you ruin the grass for the next year.

"These proposals are moving these events to other parts of the Meadows and will just make things worse."

The council said a range of "robust conditions" had been put in place to make sure the events did not damage the park, including organisers paying a bond as a guarantee.

Councillor Steve Cardownie, the council's deputy leader and "events champion", said: "We recognise that the Meadows, along with other strategic premier parks and green spaces, such as Princes Street Gardens, Inverleith Park, Saughton Park and Leith Links, plays a vital role in supporting the city's first-class reputation for festivals and events.

"This has to be balanced against the need to protect the park, and we think we have struck the right balance."

The Lady Boys of Bangkok and the Chinese State Circus, which run for 36 and 19 days respectively, both take place during August.

&#149 www.edinburgh.gov.uk

&#149 www.fombl.org.uk