Sailor's Ark 0n Royal Mile faces demolition for "economic" reasons.Something just isn't adding up, I don't want to take away from the good work Heritage Scotland does but when you look back to their input into Caltongate, questions have to be asked and quite serious ones. Do they do their sums on the back of fag packets?
Historic Scotland said there was "economic justification" to demolish the Ark Building and Canongate Venture in the Canongate, these buildings are listed buildings, yet because it was seen to be profitable to build Mountgrange's fantasy they could be knocked down to build a 5 star hotel and a conference centre . Yet today we hear that the EICC - Edinburgh International Conference Centre is in financial sctoom.
The EICC made a £600,000 plus loss in 2007 and some of it's staff may face redundancy. It is predicted equavelent losses will be made this year too. Read about it here
Seemingly 4 years ago Edinburgh was in the top 20 places to have an International Conference but has slipped out of the Top 20 League today, the economic crisis will be taking its toll.
So what exactly were the economic figures for the Caltongate Conference Centre, were they just based on speculative capitalism and unlimited growth? Was it wishful thinking?
We were promised 2000 plus jobs through Caltongate however I can't thelp think that all there sums just didn't add up.
Imagine if the demolitions go ahead on the basis of Historic Scotland's "economic justification" and nothing is built - listed buildings would belost forever. Hopefully we can save them if Caltongate can't go ahead due to it's own economic crisis - and maybe even bring back Jock the Cock who was undignifiably removed from the Canongate Venture a couple of years ago. See here to see Jock the Cock's fate.
