Summer’s coming as Princes Street grass returns

Fresh rolls of grass are finally being laid out over the muddy expanse where the Christmas market used to stand on Princes Street Gardens – more than three months after the attraction shut up shop.

The turf is laid at Princes Street. Picture: Jon Savage

Last week it was reported city chiefs had yet to clear up the boggy quagmire where the Christmas Tree Maze and Santa’s Grotto were based, with disgruntled residents branding the Gardens a “mess”.

Tourists and locals alike were snapped relaxing in the sunshine just yards from the boggy ground during last week’s 
mini-heatwave.

Today Tory councillor Cameron Rose hailed the move to reinstate the grass as the Capital’s summer tourist season approaches.

He said: “We’ve had some good weather and we’ve had a lot of tourists over the last week or so, so it will be good to get the Gardens in use again.”

A council spokeswoman said: “Landscaping work in Princes Street Gardens began several weeks ago and is making good progress.

“The turf-laying is now well under way and we expect it to be completed by the end of this week, with all final reinstatement work finished by May 1.”