10-year fears over tat shops

The Scotsman first reported fears about tartan-tat shops taking over Edinburgh’s flasghip thoroughfare in January 2002 – exactly ten years before the city council staged a major summit to help change its fortunes.

At the time, the council admitted parts of the thoroughfare were “pretty dreadful” – and conceded that the Royal Mile was not living up to its role as “arguably the most important street in the nation”. Stemming the growth of tourist and souvenir shops was right at the top of the summit’s agenda.

Since then, work has begun on a major action plan for the Royal Mile and the drawing up of a “charter” for the street which businesses and residents will be asked to sign up to.

It is hoped these will curb the amount of retail merchandise left out on the street and “tacky” window displays. The action plan is also expected to influence how the council rents out its several dozen properties on the Royal Mile and how to encourage small, independent businesses to thrive.

Other priorities include opening up dark and unwelcoming closes and banning tour buses from key stretches of the street.