Summer’s here, and so is Christmas plan

IT MAY seem a bit early, but thoughts are already focusing on how Edinburgh will celebrate Christmas.

It was announced yesterday that the £200,000 contract to run the city’s winter festivities had been won by Durham-based event producer Nickie Gott, whose company has overseen the celebrations for the past five years. Last year’s Christmas Festival was voted the best in the UK.

This year, there will be a mix of new events and attractions, together with favourites such as the German Market, funfair and Edinburgh Wheel.

Ms Gott said she believed her team had beaten off their two rivals by pitching ideas to host events in other parts of the city centre, rather than all being based in Princes Street and its gardens, and to have more family-orientated activities.

She insisted the idea to include other city-centre venues was not influenced by disruption caused by the tram works.

Ms Gott, whose She’s Gott It! company has an Edinburgh base, said: “The programme won’t be unveiled until later this year but my staff and I have been travelling to places such as Dubai, Prague, Frankfurt and Innsbruck to see what’s out there.”

Steve Cardownie, the city’s festivals champion, said: “With the warm spring sunshine making Edinburgh sparkle just now, it seems strange to be even thinking about Christmas, but plans are progressing to lay on another unmissable programme.”