Readers' Best Comments

There have been more calls for the council to stop funding the Hogmanay celebrations.

Keep the Hogmanay Party but scrap the fireworks, save a fortune

The Real Alfonsa Pedrosa, edinburgh

Time to simplify methinks. What we need is not necessarily what the restaurants, B&Bs and Hotels want. Time for a Tourist Tax.

B S

Stop subsidising this out of public funds and let Unique Events try and fund raise from those who benefit - the hospitality and travel industries. Any bets as to how much they could manage to get?

Mallory, Edinburgh

If they lost 500K on Hogmanay last year and this year it only lost 56K then someone is moving it in the right direction. I'd rather that money was coming into Edinburgh than elsewhere.

Flabby Road, Edinburgh

There's a limit to how "privatised" it could get as there will always have to be a large Council involvement as the events are all in public spaces. Public safety, licensing, emergency planning, road closures, rubbish disposal, transport planning to name but a few will always be required.

Oot in Juniper Green, Currie

It's time it was cancelled altogether. Most Scots can no longer be bothered with Hogmanay and New Year and I know I am not in a minority. Cancel this damp squib once and for all and just let people get on with it. There are far more important things to spend money on and this most certainly isn't one of them.

Linmal, Livingston

Jings, what a bunch of whingeing kill joys this site is infested with. I love my city, and I'm proud of its reputation for putting on a big show over the festive period. The street party stopped being my cup of tea the moment it became a "ticketed" affair - however, that's not to say I wouldn't be sad to see it go if they pulled the plug on it.

Oh Dear Oh Dear Oh Dear.....

Tourist tax is needed. As it's all about bringing in visitors and swelling the coffers of pubs and hotels, then it makes perfect sense to bring it in.

eDUCATIon

Bosses at the ERI have ordered a clean-up operation ahead of an inspection.

What's the point in announced inspections? They just clean up for the visit then let the place slide again, as we see in this story.

Akira

Why don't they just up the inspection frequency - then it would be clean and maintained all the time. Why not have someone there making sure it is up to scratch all the time? Wait a minute, isn't that how it used to be before outsourcing and PFI?

fruitmachine, Edinburgh

Inspections should not be pre-announced.

sadoldsod, edinburgh

Traders are furious as tram works on Shandwick Place look set to drag on even longer than expected.

I'm sick to the back teeth of these traders moaning constantly about this, it's happening and will be for a long time to come. so just deal with it!!

stoneisland, Edinburgh

Shandwick Place traders would be as well closing their doors. A couple of opticians, a tacky chemist, a tacky newsagent, a tacky 1 shop, a tacky lap dancing bar and a couple of plastic pubs !! Close it down, NOW !!!

rolland rat