We don't have Zorro in the Independent Republic of the Canongate but we have the next best thing we have a community and people who care - we don't need a masked man (though at times it would have been nice) to humiliate and deal with venture speculative developers, councillors and their officials who were duped by the lies and promises of big business.
Today The Republic heard that Mountgrange Capital has gone down the tubes. Read more here.
Pundits, sycophants and supporters of this Toy Town scheme mocked all of those who raised questions about the financial logic of this development based on ever increasing land prices and free and easy credit from the banking system, once those two things crashed the project was doomed. Caltongate was based on artists impressions of a architect's dystopian fantasy and those architects names must be etched on the tomb of Edinburgh's real disgrace - such as Richard Murphy, Allan Murray and Malcolm Fraser. Hopefully this Shakespearean tragedy will not be replayed over and over again.
The council used public money and council taxes to facilitate a big business plan for yet another Old Town development without looking at the needs and desires of the community.
The protesters and campaigners have been called liars and trouble makers for genuinely raising our concerns about lack of sustainable development and ignoring the community! More links here
Anyway to celebrate the defeat of Caltongate, the Independent Republic of the Canongate have launched a competition.
Do you have a caption for the following? - Manish Chande, Director of Mountgrange with his spin doctor side kick Mark Cummings on hearing today's news. Best caption will be given freedom of the Canongate.
