I should know better

I`ve been smiling a bit over Bob Geldof`s efforts to bring one million people to Edinburgh for a peaceful protest.

As one who hails from the west of Scotland, I`ve inherited - how shall I put it? - certain attitudes to Edinburgh. They have been borne out a bit by experience.

Edinburgh, to put it delicately is not noted for its welcome. The legendary phrase which was supposed to be the traditional Edinburgh welcome to the visitor at the door was: "You`ll have had your tea?"

I know, they cope with a vast influx of tourists every year, rising to a huge number during the Festival.

But what they welcome is the tourist money. I`m old enough to remember how much and how loudly the good burghers used to resent the disruption of the Festival and the invasion of all those foreigners. (In Edinburgh, a foreigner is someone who was born out of sight of the castle.) But they turned out to be rich foreigners. Nowadays the Festival is seen as a financial necessity.

And here comes irresponsible Sir Bob, casually inviting a million eager demonstrators, very few of whom are likely to have any money at all, suggesting that Edinburgh open its spare rooms and garages to them. Screams of panic from all directions.

I`ll watch this one with interest. I can`t see the influx being any more of a policing problem than the annual Hogmanay street party - and most of the demontrators would be sober. But financially..........?

I hope sir Bob`s had his tea.