Bed tax - no thanks

The clue is in the word 'tax'!   A bed tax for Edinburgh hotels and guest houses is not a good idea.  It is better to knock down barriers for visitors coming to Edinburgh rather than put prices up. In any case there is the layer of bureaucracy involved in the collection of such a payment/tax. 

The policy, which has now been adopted in principle by Edinburgh Council, subject to further investigation, will affect the many bed and breakfast and hotel establishments in the Southside and Newington area particularly.

I thought comments of Steve Cardownie, the SNP deputy leader of the Council were particularly ill-judged.  He is quoted in this report as saying amongst other comments which will be hard to bear by many local businesses:

"The hotels make no contribution to festivals and events in this city."

Edinburgh struggles for accommodation at peak times and the wide range of accommodation available is a key part of the offer for visitors coming to this city.   Besides, this recent report gives just one example of a very practical contribution by one hotelier to keep the Princes Street Gardens Skating Rink alive.

Prominent amongst those pushing the proposal is another Steve, my fellow Southside & Newington councillor, Steve Burgess of the Greens, as this example of the coverage shows. 


The Evening News today suggests that imposing such a charge may be beyond the council's powers.