Hot Stuff!

[Nick Fiddes]

I feel it best not to add further to the somewhat incendiary (geddit?) effect my previous remarks appear to have had, except to apologise sincerely again to anyone whom I've offended by appearing to diss their feelings when in truth I meant only to express my own. I do accept the value of the 'stepping stone' effect, and other points well made (and sometimes strongly made) have been taken on board too...

Might I suggest Nick, that armed with this evidence and a "legitimate" concern that you go to your appropriate safety authority....

You may recall that at the outset I was in fact reporting this as a colleague's initiative, rather than my own. I learned today that a meeting has indeed now been set up with a senior representative of Trading Standards and also a member of parliament I believe.

No, but one more thing. I have been accused of malice. And perhaps I am indeed guilty of that. But if so it's directed in only one direction. There has been a growing debate here in Edinburgh about the whole 'tartan tat' issue becoming the ruination of the city's historic centre, and of the nation's reputation for visitors. Barely a week goes by without another story in the local press concerning the one extended family at the centre of it... be it the issues debated above, allegations of copyright infringement destroying traditional skills, violent assaults on their neighbours (criminal charges have been brought) antisocial noise pollution, or the despair of surviving local traders at the squeezing out of anything authentic. I doubt much will change quickly, but it's clear that a lot of sincere people from all walks of life share my feelings of disgust, and want to see something done. This isn't just about one fabric versus another. It's about the destruction of a much-loved heritage, largely at the hands of one unsavoury family with no real roots in, or links with, any authentic culture, who seem to scorn the traditions they cynically plunder and prostitute. Excuse me if my contempt for them shows.