We’d like to respond to some of your comments and concerns around the Christmas Market in East Princes Street Gardens this year, which we know has provoked many strong reactions.

We would like to make it very clear that the new landscaping and accessible paths were not in any way designed to facilitate an expansion of the Christmas markets.

This plan was intended to make it much easier for everyone to travel through the gardens and also to access the Scottish National Gallery, as was stated in our initial planning application approved in 2016, and our revised application approved in 2018.  

To clarify, the Council manage and maintain the land in East Princes Street Gardens on behalf of the city, and they also own the top layer of the land on the Mound Precinct. The structure and location of the Christmas markets is a decision entirely between the Council and their contractor, Underbelly.

At the heart of why we are developing the Scottish National Gallery is because we are passionate about the power of art and we want to ensure every generation can enjoy Scotland’s collection of art.