THERE is something quite magical about walking through Edinburgh during the Festivals.
From the throngs of jugglers to the men in stilts, there is always something going on to keep even the fussiest of children entertained, while the Book Festival is a joy that should be on everyone’s annual social calendar.
The spectacular fireworks display to mark the end of the Festival also seems to spell the end of summer and herald the start of autumn.
But, sadly, the streets of the capital will be eerily quiet this August after the decision to cancel all the Festivals for the first time in 70 years due to the coronavirus.
So Scotland’s largest cultural event, which is said to be worth £1billion to the economy, joins the ranks of The Masters, Wimbledon, Grand National and virtually every other major event due to take place in the coming months in being cancelled because of the virus.
The decision, it has to be said, has not been met with any anger, in public at least, with many accepting it as being inevitable in the current climate. But is it really inevitable and is it the most sensible decision?
The Festivals are not due to start until August which is a full four months away, and Wuhan, where the virus originated, is returning to normal just two and a half months after it was first detected.
Although the daily death figures are currently grim and everyone must stay indoors for very good reason, the situation in four months’ time is likely to be very different. More testing is on the way and the virus is set to peak within 2-3 weeks, which takes us close to the end of April. After that, presumably, lockdown will be eased and residents will be allowed out again.
When Scots are eventually allowed back out then the retail and hospitality sectors are bound to receive a huge boost while attendances at live sports will be far higher than usual. Although it will not make up for all the losses, it will certainly help.
But now that virtually every major event has been cancelled already in the summer, that temporary boost in income will slide away again, leaving businesses without a major source of annual revenue.
Many businesses will be wondering if it is worth ever opening up again. It is a very fluid situation obviously, and public health must come first.
However, it is surely fair to ask, as many firms will be, how far in advance is now reasonable to cancel an event?
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