Flawed of the rings: Olympic symbol rejected for Castle

PLANS to make Edinburgh Castle the centrepiece of the launch of Britain’s Olympic year are in chaos after Historic Scotland withdrew its backing for a bid to put a giant Games logo on the attraction.

The heritage body claimed the idea had proved unworkable, just hours after councillors warned it was likely to be rejected.

The abandonment of the castle plan, after several months of secret negotiations, has triggered a race against time to find a suitable alternative location ahead of the official unveiling of the rings in the city on Hogmanay.

The move is a humiliation for Historic Scotland officials, the Scottish Government and the city council, which earlier agreed in principle to the initiative, planned as the first of a string of displays around the UK.

The decision has dismayed organisers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations, who had been banking on the unveiling of the Olympic rings to secure extra exposure for the city’s midnight celebrations this year.

The London 2012 organising committee (LOCOG) and the UK government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) both expressed disappointment last night, but said other sites in the city would now be explored.

The Scottish Government last night denied it had influenced the decision to pull the plug on the plans, which had been opposed by SNP and Lib Dem councillors in the capital, as well as other heritage groups.

Councillors had been due to formally discuss the plans on 7 December, after an application, endorsed by Historic Scotland, was lodged earlier this month.

But The Scotsman yesterday revealed concerns from planning leaders in the capital that the 27ft-tall rings would ruin the look of the castle, Scotland’s most popular attraction, and damage tourism.

Historic Scotland yesterday said its “senior management” had decided against the idea, saying it “would not be suitable” for the attraction.

However, a spokeswoman denied the decision was made for aesthetic reasons or in the wake of concerns about the impact on the city’s tourism industry.

She added: “The decision has been made for operational reasons. It is purely down to logistics, as it would have impacted on the running of the castle.

“This isn’t about being anti- Olympics. It may be that there are other more suitable sites in Edinburgh, and the Scottish Government and agencies will work with LOCOG and the council to do what we can to assist with the consideration of alternatives.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “This was a matter for Historic Scotland, but we understand they had concerns about the potential impact of the proposal on the successful operation of Edinburgh Castle.

“It is Scotland’s most popular tourist attraction and it would not be suitable for an installation of this type. We are committed to making the most of the opportunities that the 2012 Olympic Games could present for Scotland in the next year.”

Pete Irvine, creative director of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, said the celebrations had a worldwide audience of one billion, adding: “The unveiling of the Olympic rings in Edinburgh would have enhanced our global visibility.”

A DCMS spokeswoman said: “We are disappointed by Historic Scotland’s decision, but respect their position. Having worked closely with them, the Scottish Government and the council for many months, we thought it would be a fantastic celebration for the castle to showcase the rings, a real boost for the city.”