AFTER weather warnings forced the cancellation of Edinburgh’s official Hogmanay celebrations, organisers face questions on its sustainability.

Calling off the fireworks display over the castle, the street party and concerts in Princes Street Gardens after predictions of 70mph winds, a spokesperson for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay said: “We know that this will be hugely disappointing to all hoping to celebrate Hogmanay in Edinburgh and that people travel from around the world to be here.”

Two of those travellers were Aditi Sahu and Neeraj Krishnan, who travelled from London planning their trip around the fireworks.

Mr Krishnan said: “We don’t really know what to do for new year.”

Ms Sahu added: “They should have had a plan B in place.

“At the last minute, you are not going to find anything good.

“Edinburgh is expensive.”

Calling on the council, which recently agreed a three-year deal with Unique Assembly to run the events, to change its approach and make the celebrations more sustainable, independent Edinburgh councillor Ross McKenzie told the Star: “The council could transfer that £812,000-a-year into putting on ceilidhs in communities across the city and tell tourists that if they want to go and experience a bit of Scottish Hogmanay, then here’s a list of 20 community centres where they’re having local events — go and enjoy it.” 

Slamming the official events as “middle class” and expensive, he added: “I feel really embarrassed when I see tourists come here for Hogmanay events because they are shit.

“We have the torchlight procession which last year would have cost a family of four over £100 to wait in a queue for two hours sold as ‘traditional.’

“We don’t have a traditional torchlight procession.

“It’s a made-up thing to sell tickets to tourists.

“It’s empty, it’s vacuous, it’s devoid of culture or tradition.”