By Terry Levinthal, Director of the Cockburn Association
There is no question that internationally the iconography of tartan is well understood and is absolutely identifiable as being Scottish, and in effect Scotland has built up an entire industry and folklore based around tartan which we know is not perhaps as authentic as we may appreciate.
As the city has been evermore enamoured with the tourist pound it is not at all surprising that the commercial response of the particularly tourist-led industries have really pushed this iconography to the limits.
Above: Terry Levinthal, Director of the Cockburn Association
It comes as no great surprise that we are now in this place that we are thinking about the impacts of over-tourism and those associated element to it.
Perhaps it is one of those signs of the times when it is easier to buy a tartan bunnet or tartan toffee than it is to buy a pint of milk or a newspaper.
We do need to remind ourselves that the unique aspect of Edinburgh is that it is a residential city, it is a capital city and it is a working city, and it has to work first and foremost for those who live and work here.
Read more: Former Hogmanay chief slams 'tartanising of our tourist-thronged streets'
The authenticity that will provide is probably as great an advantage to tourism.
We are seeing where this kind of impact is beginning to manifest itself which was why we organised a conference on the impact of short term letting in the city, with the upshot quite interestingly is the kind of acceptance of almost all sectors including the industry that it needs to be regulated.
The unregulated market is undermining itself and those who are doing a good job and have been doing a good job for decades are seeing the impact of this opportunistic side which is perhaps all part of the tartanification of the city.
Read more: Former Hogmanay chief slams 'tartanising of our tourist-thronged streets'
We know Edinburgh is a tourist city and it has been for a very long time and tourism as an industry is critically important to the heath and wellbeing of the city and we accept that in absolute terms.
But when people begin to resent visitors to the city, we have a problem.
And it strikes me that what we are really talking about is not the mismanagement of the city, but it is the under-management.
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