President Obama and The Canongate

Well today is all about one man................

Watch an amusing video on youtube Obama Is Scottish?

Remember we told you how Obama chose the Canongate to print his book Our invitation is still open to him to visit us here in the Canongate.....

Obama says Yes to Canongate - No to Caltongate!

Obama Barack chose the Canongate, he really did - he choose to have Canongate Books publish his book, - Dreams From My Father. Out of all the publishing companies in the world he chose to come to the Canongate, he recognised the unique qualities of the Canongate, its outstanding universal value in the World Heritage Site. Not only that but the campaign in Scotland for Obama Barack was based in the Canongate.

Watch video on YouTube

A little birdie also has told us that should Obama be elected as President he wants to visit the Canongate.

Obama today when asked about the Canongate said " I sure wanna see that Canongate, that has been so supportive to me........I hear that ruthless developers wanna destroy that beautiful Canongate and replace it with an American style mall. Malls are a good idea for America but ain't a good idea because a shopping mall in a World Heritage Site doesn't seem a good idea to me."

Recession Proof Caltongate

Caltongate is recession proof, so much so it is going to be "Depression" themed. Most of the building`s facades to be retained are from the 1930`s.

The Old Sailor's Ark, funded by a benefactor to house sailors in need built 1936 by architects Tarbolton & Ochterlony.

This will be home to "Let Them Eat Cake" a soup kitchen themed restaurant in the French Hotel Group Accor`s Five Star Caltongate hotel. The hotel is rumoured to be having an overall French nautical and "1930`s styling throughout.

The Macrae Tenements part of the hotel were built during the 1930`s to house the ordinary working person. Rooms will pay homage to the previous council tenants, aptly named and with a small plaque telling guests about who slept there in the past.

The Victorian school building known as The Canongate Venture is to be completely demolished for the hotel`s conference centre.

A source close to the project said - it is only right that we pay our respects to the poor and needy children who must have benefited from this sandstone school board building by (Robert Wilson 1901)

Neither are we forgetting the many businesses that have been tenants in its final use as a small business start up venture, provided by the council.

Perhaps Canongate Books and Birlinn press can help with ideas, but one so far is having quirky Girls and Boys entrance doors to the building.

The source added that lip service will be paid to the Patrick Geddes guy, perhaps the roof terraces on the conference centre, will be named after him, as after all he encouraged the poor folk of the Old Town to garden, didn`t he?