Protecting the Meadows should be main event

An Act of Parliament prevents building on it. This does not seem to be sufficient to protect one area of the Meadows from exploitation, as some 20 per cent has been deemed by the council "The Events Site". It is fenced off for two months each year, given over to commercial use, and has for the past two years been left muddy, rutted, often flooded, and unusable.

The big events, the Lady Boys, Chinese State Circus, Moonwalk and Taste of Edinburgh, all use huge tents which need cranes and heavy machinery to move and erect. It is the use of this heavy equipment which appears to do much of the damage. Why does the Moonwalk need a huge pink tent? Why not use a fixed venue such as a sports stadium?

The revenue raised doesn't cover the costs, and the re-instatement bond taken is not used to do much more than spike the ground and sprinkle some seed which stands no real chance, as during most of the growing season it is covered by extensive tracking.

Taste of Edinburgh pays nothing to use, or repair, the Meadows. The two big Festival shows this summer will pay a total of 11,900 rent for their 34 days on site. As the average seat price is 20, together they could be taking more than 1.5million. The Chinese State Circus used to perform in Edinburgh theatres, which would seem to be a more appropriate venue. Since the Festival Theatre charges 18,500 a week I think it is obvious why the Meadows is chosen.

How can we who value the Meadows as a public park influence those who are making the decisions to exploit our park? Why can't the council's events group listen to us, the public, rather than businesses who come, profit, and leave us with the mess? Work is due this autumn to improve the drainage. I would ask for this area then to be left unused for two years to see if it will recover, and don't just move these damaging events to another part of the Meadows.

Hilary McDowell is a member of the Southside Community Council