It is hideous, and an appalling waste of money. I watched them building it, on an off, and thought all along that it was an eyesore and a piece of environmental pollution - it's located just across the way from Holyroodhouse Palace and the Salisbury Crags and spoils the view of both of them.

It's also hypocritical: there are bi-lingual signs all over the tourist bits, but once you pass through the doors into the members' and functionaries' area there is no Gaelic to be seen anywhere.

I never understood why the Royal High School wasn't used except for politicians cupidity and desire to waste some more of the taxpayers' money: even so a billion pounds is way over the top.