Some reactions and views from a few local esidents:
06:30
I was forcefully reminded of the lack of advance information about the set-up and strike times of events. This morning, the barriers for the Nocturne Event were being unloaded from lorries and connected up at 6.30am - and it was very noisy. We were up and about anyway as we were going away for the week-end but I dread to think what folk who were trying to get a longer lie will have felt.
We had been informed only that road closures and parking restrictions would be in effect between 10:00 and 23:59. As usual The City of Edinburgh Council do not respect local residents enough to inform us of what this really means in practice.
14:00
I had thought of taking some photos but even n the afternoon, getting about was difficult. there appeared to be only a few feet between the tables outside the pubs and the barriers.
There was a heavy atmosphere in the area:
- the usual stag paty outside the Black Bull, complete with ambulance
- and a group of bikers abviously excempt from parking restrictions outside the Apex
By the evening I had decided not to return until it was all over!
Family friendly? - I don't think so!
19:00
Just thought I’d give the “off Piste” view of Saturday’s event.
We sat on the balcony as it was a lovely evening. The Road was supposed to be closed, however the barriers at the top of the West Port were moved which allowed copious amounts of traffic through. At one stage the West Port was completely blocked with cars, vans, lorries & etc trying to turn back as they were not allowed access to the Grassmarket. Cars then began to park in the middle of the road!
There seemed to be no one around to ensure the barriers were kept in place or direct traffic. This left no room for emergency vehicles to gain access had the need occurred. It was well over an hour and a half into the event before we saw someone walking up with an extra barrier. the traffic did stop for a time, however the barriers must have been removed again, as cars soon began to drive down the hill, only to be turned away at the bottom of the hill.
We were treated to a running commentary and loud music which we could clearly hear indoors. God only knows what it must have been like for residents in the Grassmarket!
20:25
Just a bit of resident feed back written at 20.25 on Saturday night. Having decided not just to be a moan and a party pooper I actually chose to come back into Edinburgh just to see what this event was like. Well, first off, it IS NOISY. An amplified running commentary, made lively I suppose to whip up the enthusiasm of the crowd, coupled with amplified loud and thumping music (? heavy metal) did make it all a bit rowdy - but I suppose that is what the onlookers wanted. I walked round the course, crossing the streets with difficulty at designated places, marvelling at the thighs going like pistons and gently vibrating lycra-clad bottoms as they raced up Victoria Street on the cobbles. How many calories these folk were burning up defies belief. There was a decent amount of onlookers, bulked out by the folk at the pubs anyway. Up the centre was the "hospitality tent" plus sundry cycling off-sale tents. And lots of lycra-clad men sitting pedalling on fixed bikes - no doubt indulging in a bit of limbering up. And a platform where you could bring on a heart attack by cycling madly, against a clock, on a one-wheeled contraption. I didn't linger long amongst all this. I succumbed eventually to a free pot of pot-macaroni-cheese that was being handed out by an outfit callled Marshalls.
I was glad to come back inside, with my own private view of the west end of the circuit if I cared to watch - handy for the ambulance station, though I didn't see anyone have a seizure or fall off. But next year I will give it all a miss, and now am settling down to a very noisy evening - I can hear the compere's voice rising to a frenzied crescendo no doubt indicating the excitement of some finish, and the thump thump thump of the "music". I suppose if it makes somebody take up cycling and get fit, it has not all been a waste of time - but I am biased as my interest in sport is non-existent.
00:15
The final straw!
A final word on this evening. Just as I thought we were back to the usual Saturday night sounds of jollification and drunkenness, lo and behold at midnight a lorry slowly made its way down the south carriageway of the Grassmarket and a gang of workmen slickly but noisily loaded it up with the metal barricades. After the amplified commentary and music from 6 p.m. till after 10, this was the last straw.
02:00
The noise has gone on and on!
It did subside after midnight but has been constant over the past two hours. Its strange how a lot of drunk people have partially deaf friends.