Call for city to provide new Festival campsite facility

Public money should be ploughed into providing a campsite for revellers attending Edinburgh's festivals in order to help the events grow, the boss of one of the biggest venues at the Fringe said today.

Ed Bartlam, director of the Underbelly venue, said that the festivals are a success despite being largely unfunded - bringing in 245 million to Edinburgh's economy every year.

Mr Bartlam said: "Some people who regularly attend festivals are more than happy to spend a few days in a tent and if that is something we can do we should look to provide it.

"But it needs funding, its location needs to be not too far out of the city centre and it needs someone to run it.

"It comes back to the idea of how the city can contribute and maybe this is an option."