Letter: We forget fiascos

Yesterday, while looking through a book of photographs of old Edinburgh from the 1900s, I was reminded that the tram fiasco is but the latest in a long line of many disastrous examples of our councillors' delusionary attempt to give themselves some place of importance in the world at large.

Two have a similarity of scale to the current tram fiasco.

In 1966 Poole's Synod Hall, then a cinema in Castle Terrace, was demolished amid a grandiose scheme to build a world renowned opera house.

This resulted in the infamous "hole in the ground" which remained dormant until the excellent Saltire Court was built years later.

Then, as now, we were told by councillors that unless it was completed, at whatever cost, Edinburgh would become a laughing stock around the world.

Thankfully, all attempts at funding failed and the venture was eventually dropped. Who remembers that debacle today? Then around 1963/66 a grand plan was envisaged to create a walkway the length of Princes Street at first floor level, making a two-level shopping experience to be the envy of the world.

As the work was to be privately financed good business practice prevailed and the scheme died, sadly not before buildings were destroyed and Princes Street left in a decline from which it has not yet recovered

The final irony is that on going through the book I found many photographs of the city-wide tram system that I used daily in the 1950s.

Perhaps if the councillors look back at the reasons for the change to buses in our city they might yet do the correct thing and stop this sorry mess now. It and they will soon be forgotten, just like the opera house.

Ronald E Henderson

Elliot Road

Edinburgh