Raging Edinburgh locals halt council meeting as they fume at noise from Fringe venue

Edinburgh Live

a day ago

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Edinburgh residents have 'taken matters into their own hands' after years of living beside 'constant' noise from the Fringe during August.
Dumbiedykes residents have branded it 'mental torture for over a month', when The Pleasance is set up for the festival. They spoke of young children going to school on 'no sleep', and said they 'can't take it anymore'.
On June 11, an Edinburgh Council meeting was held - and residents made a 'desperate bid to finally be heard'. Councillor Hal Osler halted the meeting after residents, who she claimed were 'unable to speak', interrupted - in footage shared by Southside Community Council.
The meeting covered various proposals, including the proposed temporary festival venue east of 60 Pleasance. This included temporary performance venues, catering units, bars and 'other movable structures', on an annual basis for a minimum of three years.
In a live stream of the meeting, where The Pleasance festival venue was opened up for discussion, one of the residents can be heard saying: "Sorry folks, if you don't mind - just for two seconds."
Before he is able to finish the councillor interjects. She states: "Excuse me, would you mind sitting down please.
"You are unable to speak."
Speaking over each other, the resident continues: "You haven't actually represented the people in regards to this.
"Could you address the residents of Dumbiedykes as a committee."
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Another resident interjects, adding: "The residents that are being tortured by this noise just want to be included as stakeholders.
"Please reply to the Dumbiedykes residents that have emailed you all. We totally agree with some of the things councillors have said, and we want to work with them."
Jessica Fenn, a member of the Southside Community Council, spoke to Edinburgh Live after the meeting. She told us: "They made it clear that they were really struggling to sleep.
"They had constantly emailed and called councillors, and nothing has come of it. Complaints have been ignored or brushed aside.
"We spoke to one resident who said his daughter gets so unwell in August. She can't sleep, missing school.
"It's absolute torture for them."
Residents in Dumbiedykes are pushing for closing time to be earlier during the week, and have said the 'big companies come from London to Edinburgh and make a lot of money that doesn't benefit residents'.
Jessica continued: "Residents aren't seeing that trickle down that's supposed to happen from these companies.
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"It's at the expense of the residents."
One resident said: "They need to either scale it down or spread it out a bit more.
"The back of my house literally backs on to it. Then you've got your mess with food trucks and beer trucks and it flies all over the place.
"I've got kids that need to get up and go to school from 6am. We can't take it anymore."
Since the meeting, councillors have decided to only give The Pleasance a one year contract - and have asked for a noise impact assessment.
Jessica continued: "That was a small win, but it's not enough."
Edinburgh Council have been approached for comment.