Quote Originally Posted by Zardoz View Post

So do ya'll refer to this guy as a scam artist or confidence trickster? Or is he just a 'colourful character' that gets a pass because he's a peer?
er... actually I'd tend to call him a promoter or maybe a producer. While not every event makes money (just look at all of the failed "Scottish Games" in the USA that leave a wake of un-paid bills following behind their lack of success) Semple's Home Coming generated an extra £10 million for businesses in Edinburgh, even though it failed to bring in enough money at the gate to cover the expenses of the company putting on the event. Obviously he had the right idea (as proved by Stirling taking on the event) even though his business model proved to be flawed (hence the company lost money).

So, is he a scam artist? -- No, he's a businessman who set out to make a profit but didn't. Is he a confidence trickster? -- No, because unlike con artists he delivered the goods; the Home Coming was a rousing success for those who attended, and for Scottish tourism as a whole. As far as being a colourful character who gets a pass simply because he's a peer... over a thousand companies went bust in the UK in 2009/2010, many owing creditors more than Semple's company owed its creditors. And few, if any, attracted the same amount of public vitriol as has been heaped on Lord Semple. So, I don't think anyone can say he got a pass because he's a peer. Far from it, if you ask me.

But none of that matters. What does matter is that the event is next being held in 2014 in Stirling and that, hopefully, it will generate for Stirling as much money as it did for Edinburgh. Whether Stirling's business model will be a success, or not, remains to be seen.