 | 'They want to hive the parliament off to
Leith, the prostitutes' capital of Scotland, and about as accessible as a
drainpipe.' Conservative Cllr Brian Meek, in the Herald, 16 th September 1997. |  |
| 'They want to hive the parliament off to
Leith, the prostitutes' capital of Scotland, and about as accessible as a
drainpipe.' Conservative Cllr Brian Meek, in the Herald, 16 th September 1997. | |
One of the proposed sites for the Scottish Parliament was beside the Scottish Office in Leith. (As someone who lived in Leith for 4 years, I declare an interest.) Although the obvious choice in the public's eye was Calton Hill, with forsight and good planning (lamentably absent from Edinburgh these days) this surprise option could have proved to be the ideal site for a parliament for the 21 st century, well away from the congestion and overcrowding of the city centre. It was an open site ready for development and had the advantage of being beside the new Scottish Office building and promised both newness and efficiency. Leith's Forth Ports authority said the government could have the land for free, geatly reducing the costs. The building, unlike other options, could also be ready in time for the first parliamentary session, making a temporary home for the parliament unnecessary. However the Leith option was not universally accepted. While most were content merely to argue the advantages of the historic and popular Calton Hill site, others made accusations of sinister plots by civil servants while extremists such as Conservative Cllr Brian Meek launched vicious attacks on Leith itself. Meek called Leith the prostitute's capital of Scotland - somewhat ironic as his preference, Calton Hill, is notorious as the place where the city's rent boys hang out.
Transport Convenor David Begg's objections to Leith appeared to be based on his unwillingness to take time off from his other lucrative jobs to plan a decent integrated transport system for Edinburgh which would include the parliament site. (He now moonlights as Professor of Transport at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and Transport advisor to the government in London). But on reflection, when one sees the disastrous effects of Begg's anarchaic transport policy in Edinburgh perhaps his refusal to consider Leith is a blessing in disguise. Ironically, as the Royal Yacht Britannia is now berthed at Leith Docks and will soon open as a tourist attraction, something will still have to be done about the transport problems due to increased numbers of visitors to the Leith area.
Meek and his buddy Begg (Edinburgh's answer to Laurel & Hardy) had appeared to have forgotten (if they ever knew) that Edinburgh itself was once an overcrowded ribbon perched precariously on the strip of volcanic rock where the Royal Mile runs between the castle and Holyrood. Unable to expand outwards, it expanded upwards until it resembled a canyon with windows. Polluted with smoke and human excrement (no comparison will be drawn with the City Chambers), it became known as Old Reekie.
In 1766 James Craig was commissioned to build the New Town. The Nor Loch (now Princes Street Gardens) was drained, and the Mound, George IV, North and South bridges were constructed to allow access to the Greek Revival style buildings of the New Town. Edinburgh became known as the Athens of the North.
One can only be grateful that during the Georgian years Edinburgh was run by people with vision rather than today's short-sighted and self-serving chancers. In future years Edinburgh and Scotland will be the poorer because of the lamentable mediocrity, with a few honourable exceptions, of its present City Fathers (and Mothers).
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