Dir. of Scottish Tartan Authority Criticizes Edinburgh Shops

[RockyR]

I don't know if this is just an Edinburgh problem or not but I haven't encountered this anywhere else in Scotland personally. Supply and demand forces in Edinburgh seem to work differently as I discovered when booking my accomodation for next week. The hotel I used in October wanted three times their normal room rate for the Saturday night what I paid before. Needless to say I found somewhere else!

It seems to work that way in the Hotel industry... not only in Edinburra or Scotland, but all over. The tip seems to be to go in the "off season" (i.e. October, like you did or January, like I did). The B & B I stayed at in Edinburra was 25 GBP per person per night in January. In Summer, it's 75 GBP per person per night.

[McClef]

But it was only the one night Rocky, many hotels were already full for that one night and maybe word got around that there was a demand.

I hate to think what prices will be like when the Festival/Tattoo season starts!

Cheap kilts and expensive hotels what a combination!

[Hamish]

It seems to work that way in the Hotel industry... not only in Edinburra or Scotland, but all over. The tip seems to be to go in the "off season" (i.e. October, like you did or January, like I did). The B & B I stayed at in Edinburra was 25 GBP per person per night in January. In Summer, it's 75 GBP per person per night.

The great B&B I have used for years in Edinburgh is in Murrayfield Avenue (10 minutes on the bus from Princes Street). Their rates (from £30 pppn) are the same winter or summer. The name? It's The Craigelachie Hotel (yes the spelling IS correct!)

[McClef]

Hector Russell are still on the Royal Mile Ham!

They have a shop at 137-141 High St! I was there in October and will be visting them again next week!

Thanks for the tip on the B&B - marked down for future reference.

[Hamish]

Hector Russell are still on the Royal Mile Ham!

They have a shop at 137-141 High St! I was there in October and will be visting them again next week!

Thanks for the tip on the B&B - marked down for future reference.

Yes, you are absolutely correct, Trefor. I had, for the moment, forgotten about their second branch further down the road. Personally, I prefer their shop on Princes Street (spread over two floors above the Whisky Shop) but, even there, they have the embarrassment of a large tat shop (probably another branch of Gold Brothers!) which opened a few doors away.

The B&B is excellent - Tel: 0131 337 4076 - ask for George or Harrison.

[McClef]

So they must have originally had two shops on the Royal Mile then Hamish.

Yes the Princes St shop is bigger and as you say there is a Gold Bros bazaar nearby which had a young man modelling some of their wares and who came from Poland.

They have closed at least one other of their shops as the Highland House of Fraser in Inverness was once Hector Russell and that's despite no Gold Bros operations there and hopefully there never will be!

George or Harrison?

What about Ringo or Starr?

Sorry couldn't help making a Beatles connection!

[Hamish]

So they must have originally had two shops on the Royal Mile then Hamish.

Yes the Princes St shop is bigger and as you say there is a Gold Bros bazaar nearby which had a young man modelling some of their wares and who came from Poland.

They have closed at least one other of their shops as the Highland House of Fraser in Inverness was once Hector Russell and that's despite no Gold Bros operations there and hopefully there never will be!

I hope so too, Trefor! At one time, Hector Russell had three shops in Inverness, the large one across the River in Huntley Street being their HQ. I've not been to Inverness for some years and so am not up to date with the current situation I fear.

George or Harrison?

What about Ringo or Starr?

Sorry couldn't help making a Beatles connection!

Umm...... yes. Very droll, I'm sure! ! You and Robertson - what are you like, eh?

No, George Oag is the owner and Harrison (don't know his other name but, in the best kept houses, the staff are known only by their surnames!!!) has been coming in for years to assist with breakfasts and domestic duties.

If you decide to stay there, do tell them that "Hamish the Kiltman" recommended The Craigelachie. It may not get you a discount, but it might get me one!!!

[gilmore]

In the US this problem of protecting the consumer from unwittingly buying inferior imported goods is dealt with by a federal law that requires that almost all retail goods bear a label stating the country of manufacture.

It's not a perfect solution. In these days of globalization labeling works only so well, when the component parts of something---such as automobiles--- may very well be made in a dozen or more different countries and merely finally assembled in the US, but I don't think that would be so much of an issue with kilts.

I would think that the business and trade assocations of Scottish manufacturers of kilts, tartans, sporrans, etc, could look into getting Parliament to pass a similar law. It shouldn't be too difficult. All it takes is votes and money. And if peerages are for sale, surely the integrity of Scottish made goods could be bought back also, and at a fraction of the cost of a life peerage.

[Pour1Malt]

...

The B&B is excellent - Tel: 0131 337 4076 - ask for George or Harrison.

George Harrison is runnin' a B&B in Edinbura?

brill!