'I travelled 4,000 miles to celebrate Hogmanay in Edinburgh – now it's not happening'
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Devastated tourists have described travelling thousands of miles for the legendary Hogmanay celebrations - only for them to be cancelled just hours before. Yesterday, bosses in charge of Edinburgh's huge New Year's party announced they were calling off the event for safety reasons after yellow weather warnings for wind were issued for the Scottish capital. A planned torch-lit march on Monday evening was also cancelled.
An Edinburgh’s Hogmanay spokesperson said: "Due to ongoing high winds and inclement weather in Edinburgh city centre, we regret to announce that outdoor events scheduled for Monday and December 31 are unable to go ahead on the grounds of public safety.".
For some people who travelled across the world to see the Edinburgh spectacular, the news has come as a bitter blow. Richard Newton, who flew over from Atlanta in the US with his wife and children to celebrate, told BBC Radio Scotland: "We travelled over 4,000 miles to be here for this." He said his family had planned the trip for five years, and had even shelled out savings and taken on extra jobs to afford the flights.
One dad from India meanwhile told ITV's Good Morning Britain that he had made the trip to Scotland his four children and wife for Hogmanay only to find out it had been cancelled. He described himself as "disappointed" and added: "We were in London and we came here just for Hogmanay.".
They will now join thousands of other people left to find alternative plans for tonight. Council bosses have stressed that organisers were left with little choice but to cancel the event after the Met Office weather warnings for wind were issued, and Jane Meagher, leader of City of Edinburgh Council, said: "This decision was not taken lightly, however, with the ongoing adverse weather conditions, public safety must be our number one priority." Police also said they "fully support" the decision to call off the Hogmanay as "public safety takes priority".
