Edinburgh to have ‘tourist tax’

I love tax, you’re probably the same. But what I love the most is paying tax and getting nothing for it. I particularly enjoyed seeing my Council Tax rise last year in the knowledge I still wouldn’t see any ‘bobbies on the beat’, would continue swerving around potholes on my way to the shops, and that the light at the end of my road would keep flickering on and off.

So here’s a nice little development for you to digest: if you want to visit Edinburgh you will soon have to pay a new ‘tourist tax’ that will add £2 per night to your hotel rate, per room for the first seven nights of your stay.

Let’s face it, you only visit the Scottish capital for two to three nights so we’re not talking silly money here. But my fear is the Pandora’s box this will open across the country. If it resulted in better tourism infrastructure and an improvement to the way in which tour groups are accommodated then I would be all for it.

But you know what? Our pounds will go into a coffer that pays for something (or someone) that makes absolutely no difference to us whatsoever. And that is the scandal.