December – the chaos of Seasonal festivities, workload deadlines, travel disruption and notorious office parties has begun.

As the song goes “So this is Christmas”! While the fortnight before the Yuletide break can offer a welcome opportunity for colleagues to relax and celebrate, the festive period also presents its own unique employment law challenges.

For many business and HR managers, Christmas resembles levels of fear and trepidation similar to those experienced by Dickens’ miserly employer, Ebeneezer Scrooge. Fortunately, Loch Employment Law has a gift of 12 tips for the festive countdown to help employers navigate through the nightmare before Christmas:

1. Christmas Party Liabilities
Despite work events such as the office party now taking place off site and outside of work hours, they are still an extension of the office environment.

Alcohol consumption can lead to unwanted conduct, such as discrimination and violence, with Tribunal decisions clearly finding employers liable for such inappropriate acts carried out by their employees. It’s important therefore to remind staff of the standards of conduct.

Employers must be clear that any misconduct that occurs during the party and after, if some of the colleagues decide to continue elsewhere, will be subject to disciplinary action.

2. Discrimination, Bullying & Harassment
Christmas gatherings often present an opportunity for some employees to flirt with their office ‘crush’ in a more social environment. However, the line between ‘banter’ and sexual harassment is subjective and can be a fine one.

Employers can be vicariously liable for sexual harassment so it’s sensible to remind employees that discriminatory remarks or behaviour will not be tolerated. One step employers can take is to update their dignity at work and bullying and harassment policies to include references to work-related social events.

3. ‘Secret Santa’
Secret Santa presents are a great way for colleagues to have some fun and treat each other. However, it can also mean that inappropriate gifts are sometimes given anonymously. Items of an offensive or sexual nature can be embarrassing for some staff and discriminatory to others.

New employees or interns may not know what kind of presents are appropriate for their team. Circulating ground rules for the gift exchange will help prevent the giving of unsuitable items.

4. Christmas Promises
Managers should avoid talking about promotion prospects, performance and remuneration with their employees at Christmas parties. In Judge v Crown Leisure Limited the EAT held that a promise of a significant wage increase made by a manager at the Christmas party was not contractually enforceable because there was no intent for it to be so. Mr. Judge had resigned, claiming constructive unfair dismissal when his salary increase did not come to fruition. The EAT considered the context of the conversation at the party and concluded that it was not intended to be contractually binding.

Although the result was in favour of the employer that time it’s better to remind managers to avoid conducting informal appraisals whilst propping up the bar, to eliminate the potential for future litigation, or unhappy employees.

5. Social Media ‘Surprises’
Remind employees that workplace and social media policies still apply during the Christmas period and outside working hours.

It should made be clear to staff that posting content on social media which could damage the reputation of the employer may be a disciplinary issue. This includes drunken rants about their boss, or comments that could be seen to be bullying or harassment of colleagues.

Employees may post pictures from the Christmas ‘do’ that present the company in an unprofessional light to clients and suppliers. If this is a concern, it’s best for employers to remind staff to be wary and exercise discretion when posting images.

6. Grievance or Grinch?
If an employee does raise concerns about something that has occurred at an office party, HR should treat it the same as any other complaint. It is important to avoid dismissing complaints or deeming inappropriate jokes or remarks to be simply ‘party banter’. Allegations of misconduct at a Christmas party are as serious as those brought up in the office.

If an intoxicated colleague confides in you about concerns they have it is best to ask them to discuss it with you on a confidential basis once you are back at the office. If they do not raise it again, you could mention the subject to find out if they wish to discuss it the next day. Employees who voice their apprehensions under the influence of alcohol may be less willing to revisit concerns back at the office. However if it is a genuine concern, encouraging them to open up is the best approach.

Any investigations should be conducted professionally and thoroughly. Equally, management should act to deal with inappropriate behaviour as and when it is reported.

7. Holiday Discrimination
Whether or not employees are religious, many enjoy getting into the spirit of the holiday season. However, not everyone celebrates Christmas. This does not mean treating those who do more favourably, or granting holiday requests to those with children just because Schools are closed. Holiday requests should be treated equally, though personal circumstances may be considered in order to be fair and reasonable.

For some industries such as retail and hospitality, this will be the busiest time of year which means some staff will be required to work on Public Holidays. Holiday entitlement during this period should be based on the business needs of the employer and they should be in a position to objectively justify denying requests if staff request time off for religious reasons.

Favouring one group of employees over another around religious holidays and festivals exposes employers to successful discrimination claims.

8. Happy (Untaken) Holidays?
On the topic of holidays, employees often ask if they can carry over their untaken holidays into the New Year.

The Working Time Regulations prevent statutory annual leave entitlement being exchanged for payment in lieu. However, there are some situations such as long term sickness preventing an employee from taking accrued statutory holidays. Unused holiday can then be carried over. If you wanted to, you could allow employees to carry forward any accrued holidays in excess of the minimum statutory entitlement of 20 days.

9. Bonus Entitlement
Some organisations pay Christmas bonuses as a gesture of goodwill in December. If this becomes a regular, unqualified habit, employees can argue that this forms a ‘custom & practice’ and has become a contractual entitlement. To retain flexibility around festive bonuses employers must ensure that employment contracts specify the bonus is only paid at the discretion of the employer, and that a bonus is not a contractual entitlement. Varying what you do each Christmas will always help here.

10. The Xmas ‘Flu’
The festive period can often lead to high levels of absenteeism – sometimes conveniently the day after the office party!

Employees should be reminded that they are expected to attend work the next day in a fit state unless they have booked the day off as annual leave. Employers often expect staff to be rather weary the morning after the night before. However, consistency is important when dealing with unacceptable absenteeism. Employees should be made aware that lack of attendance without a valid reason can be treated as a disciplinary issue, as with any other unauthorised absence.

If there are employees who need to drive or operate machinery the day after the office party, employers must be mindful that they may still be under the influence of alcohol. Employees must be reminded that it will be their responsibility to ensure they drink sensibly at the event and are safe and legal to perform their duties the next day.

If there are concerns about an employee’s fitness to safely perform their duties it is worth considering suspending the employee to investigate further in accordance with their disciplinary policy.

11. Stay Safe
Health and Safety obligations should be considered with an element of common sense and measure. Additionally, reasonable risk assessments must be conducted when choosing locations for Christmas events or decorating the office. Employers must be mindful that they could be liable for health and safety incidents that may occur during a work party.

Ending the official event near a train station or bus stop will make it easier for employees to plan their safe return home. If a member of staff has had too much to drink, then an employer should consider taking some responsibility for ensuring they get home safely or are at least being looked after by a friend or colleague.

12. #BlackIceMonday
Finally, UK employers faced considerable disruption earlier this month as the freezing temperatures and blizzards resulted in travel being disrupted and many employees not being able to get to work.

Employees who choose not to attend work due to weather disruption are not statutorily entitled to be paid and should take the day as annual leave or unpaid leave if they stay at home. It may be possible for some workers to make up the time at a later date.

If an employee is away from home and cannot travel home, then they should be paid for this time (if they are paid on an hourly basis) as they are still performing duties and could be requested to work remotely. Alternatively, employers could allow the employee to take time off in lieu.

Some employers allow staff to work remotely from home if it is practical and productive. This avoids the pressure on employees to commute in dangerous conditions. Employers should have adverse weather policies in place to manage these situations and be clear on whether or not if staff will be paid for days when they have not been able to attend work.

The festive season should be an enjoyable time for everyone and following our 12 tips will mean you can avoid a January hangover. If you need help with any of the issues we’ve raised then get in touch with our team of experts.

The ScotRail Alliance is getting into the holiday spirit with the launch of specially-branded Christmas trains.

The Christmas-themed design, featuring Santa, his reindeer and a snowman, replaces the usual ScotRail logos on the side of the train.
The first two Christmas trains were unveiled today, and can be seen on routes across Scotland. Three more will follow later this week.

It’s not the first time that the ScotRail Alliance’s ‘Saltire’ logo has been changed for a special event. In August the Saltire logo was dropped in favour of a rainbow version in support of Pride Glasgow, and last month the ScotRail Alliance highlighted its support for the Scottish Poppy appeal with specially-branded ‘Poppy trains’. The ScotRail Alliance also invited customers to ‘ride the ghost train’ with spooky designs on carriages in October.

Younger travellers are being encouraged to keep their eyes peeled for the ScotRail elves images, which will be hidden throughout the carriages from later in the week.

Syeda Ghufran, head of engineering projects at the ScotRail Alliance, said:
“With Christmas just a few weeks away we wanted to get into the holiday spirit with our Santa-themed trains.

“If any of our customers spot our elves hidden throughout the train, we hope they will share them on social media so that everybody can join in the fun.

“We’ll be doing all we can to get our customers where they want to be over the holidays. If they’re letting us do the driving home for Christmas, we encourage them to plan their journey now on the ScotRail app or at scotrail.co.uk.”

Children and young people spending their Christmas in hospital this year are set to have an extra special experience – to see snow falling on the hospital – thanks to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC).

To make sure that the last Christmas in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, before the move to its new home at Little France next year, is an extra-special one, ECHC is appealing to the people of Scotland to support their vital work that ensures children and young people get to be a child first and patient second this festive season.

To kick start the festive cheer on Friday December 1, the charity is going to make snow fall on the famous front of the hospital. The honour of turning on the magical projection has been given to Ruby Smith, who spent last Christmas in RHSC.

With just a month to go before Christmas day, ECHC is calling upon communities to help support its campaign to make Christmas extra special and asking Santa to stop at the hospital one last time.

Roslyn Neely, CEO of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Christmas is such an exciting time of year for children and we believe that being in hospital shouldn’t compromise its magic.

“Spending time in our homes, in the company of our families on Christmas morning is something that can often be taken for granted. But, children who need to spend Christmas in hospital shouldn’t have to feel like they’re missing out on anything.

“Many people don’t realise that the fun, distractions, games and décor that can help a child feel much less frightened when they come into the hospital, particularly during special occasions such as Christmas, are funded by us.

“We’re campaigning to make sure that children at the hospital get to spend December eagerly anticipating the arrival of Santa, presents and their loved ones. The work of the hospital doesn’t stop at Christmas but we hope that Santa will remember to stop here one last time.”

A donation of £15 could help provide fun, creativity and a distraction from treatment by delivering a wide variety of arts activities for children and young people. Gifting £30 could help fund our parents’ accommodation meaning parents and carers can stay close to their child in hospital. Nothing is more important than memories with family and a donation of £75 could help us put on a Christmas movie night.

If you would like more information on how to support the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity’s Christmas appeal, visit the website here: www.echcharity.org.

• Two thirds (65 per cent) of parents in the UK would use unfamiliar sites to get the most in-demand toys
• Lego Star Wars BB8 is the most in-demand present for children this Christmas (16 per cent), followed by the Paw Patrol Sea Patroller (13 per cent)
• Almost two thirds (63 per cent) of Scots feel under pressure when buying Christmas presents for friends and family
• More than half (61 per cent) of scam victims in Scotland were targeted when buying for someone else

Christmas gift giving pressure is causing Brits to drop their guard and increasing their chance of being targeted by seasonal online scams, according to new data from Barclays¹.

A new study has found that two thirds (65 per cent) of UK parents would use an unfamiliar site to find the must have toys of the year, with 16 per cent saying that the Lego Star Wars BB8 is the most in-demand present for children this Christmas. The Paw Patrol Sea Patroller (13 per cent) and LOL BIG Surprise Doll (12 per cent) follow close behind on their children’s wish lists.

In Scotland, almost two thirds (63 per cent) of respondents say they feel under pressure when buying gifts for their loved ones at Christmas, with one in five (20 per cent) of these shoppers admitting to ‘panic buying’ presents as a result. A similar proportion (21 per cent) visit websites they wouldn’t normally buy from in order to find the right gift.

This stress and panic creates the ideal opportunity for fraudsters to strike; one in five (20 per cent) Scottish gift givers would be willing to register and save their personal details on an unfamiliar website, while 14 per cent would buy from a website without thinking whether their payment is secure in pursuit of the perfect present.

Don’t let the fraudsters win

With nearly one in three (29 per cent) Scots considering present buying to be one of the most stressful aspects of the festive season, second only to battling crowded shopping centres and busy high streets (47 per cent), it’s important that online safety is not overlooked.

Worryingly, just four per cent of Scots shoppers identified the possibility of buying from a fraudulent website as a festive stress trigger, despite the fact that the average victim in the UK loses £893. Instead, people are nearly six times as likely to worry about seasonal overspending (23 per cent), with one in four (31 per cent) resorting to buying their loved one’s gift from whichever website offers the cheapest price to save on cost.

‘Tis the season to be wary

With almost a fifth (17 per cent) of Scottish scam victims having been scammed over the Christmas period, Barclays is warning everyone to stay vigilant when shopping online this December. More than half (61 per cent) of former victims of online scams were buying for someone else when they were targeted, with one in seven (15 per cent) admitting to being more preoccupied with finding the right gift than checking the legitimacy of the website.

In Scotland, clothing topped the list of gifts most likely to get you scammed, affecting 18 per cent of former fraud victims. Electronics (14 per cent) took second place, with health and beauty products (8 per cent), household items (8 per cent) and digital content such as movies, music and computer games (8 per cent) sharing joint third place.

This coincides with some of the most popular gifts on Scottish Christmas shoppers’ lists. Clothing, beauty products and jewellery topped the list of items to buy a spouse or partner, games and clothing took the top spot for sons, clothing and health and beauty products for daughters, and food and drink was the most popular choice for dads.

Samantha White, who leads Barclays’ work to keep customers safe from fraudsters, said:
“Scouring the internet for the perfect Christmas gift can be stressful, but if you lose sight of digital safety and just focus on the price, you could fall prey to festive fraudsters. Look out for ‘too-good-to-be-true’ deals, and always take the time to check that the website you’re buying from is legitimate.”

¹ The research was carried out online by Opinium across a total of 2,006 nationally representative adults in September 2017. An additional survey was carried out across a total of 1,700 people who have been scammed, to supplement the national research. Moreover, a survey of 369 UK parents with primary school children was carried out between 24^th and 27^th September 2017.

With Christmas less than a month away, the ScotRail Alliance has said it will do everything it can to keep people moving during the holidays.

Releasing details of train times for the Christmas and New Year period, the ScotRail Alliance encouraged customers to plan their journeys now. The last trains of the day will depart earlier than normal on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and there will be changes to train times over the Christmas and New Year period.

The ScotRail Alliance has set up a dedicated webpage to provide customers with information on train times over the holidays. The website can be viewed at scotrail.co.uk/Christmas.

Important details include:
– As with previous years, no trains will run on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
– On Boxing Day a limited service will run in parts of the west of Scotland, and trains on some routes in and around Glasgow will be replaced by buses to allow major improvement works to take place. Signalling equipment and overhead power lines will be upgraded, and sections of track will also be replaced on the west coast mainline.
– All trains will run as normal between 27 and 30 December, with the exception of the Cumbernauld to Motherwell route, which is replaced by buses while improvement works take place.
– On Tuesday, 2 January a reduced service will be in place across much of the country, with trains starting from mid-morning.

Improvement works on the main route west from Edinburgh Waverley will be taking place:

• Edinburgh to Bathgate services will be replaced by buses
• Edinburgh to Dunblane services will start/terminate at Linlithgow instead of Edinburgh
• Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High services will be diverted

Graham Heald, the ScotRail Alliance’s head of customer experience, said:

“We will be working flat out to keep people moving during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“But with many of our customers taking time off work to be with their loved ones, the network is quieter between Christmas and New Year. That means it’s an ideal time to carry out vital improvement works while causing as little disruption to our customers as possible.

“There will be changes to train times, so we encourage our customers to plan their journeys now on our app or at scotrail.co.uk.”

• Record levels of cybercrime and growth of festive e-commerce set to create unprecedented levels of fraud for Christmas 2017
• Almost two thirds (60 per cent) of Scots worry about their credit or debit card details being stolen whilst shopping online
• A third (36 per cent) of online shoppers in Scotland either don’t know, or aren’t sure, how to identify a secure website when shopping online
• The average online scam costs Edinburgh shoppers £394 compared to £331 for Glaswegians
• Festive fraud victims across the UK estimated to lose around £1.3bn¹ in total this year

This Christmas looks set to be one of the most fraudulent ever for online shoppers in Scotland, according to new data from Barclays¹. With fraud and scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, and with record numbers getting ready to do their Christmas shopping online, Barclays is warning of a perfect storm for seasonal online theft.

The research found that almost two thirds (60 per cent) of Scots worry about their credit or debit card details being stolen, whilst a similar number (59 per cent) have concerns over their bank account being hacked whilst Christmas shopping online.

More than a quarter (26 per cent) of online scams in the UK happen over the Christmas period, costing victims on average £893² – over twice the average Christmas budget for presents, food, drink and entertainment³ and equating to an eye-watering £1.3bn across the country.

Christmas is coming early for fraudsters taking advantage of low cybercrime awareness and lack of confidence

Scots are in danger of losing the war with fraudsters this Christmas, because they don’t know how to protect their data and stay safe online. A third (36 per cent) of online shoppers across Scotland told Barclays researchers they either don’t know, or aren’t sure, how to identify a secure website when shopping online.

A fifth of Scots (21 per cent) admitted to having fallen victim to an online scam or fraud. Of those, almost a third (31 per cent) were buying from a website that is well-known, and over a fifth (22 per cent) ordered from a website that they regularly purchase from, highlighting the need to be vigilant at all times.

A quarter (26 per cent) of fraud victims felt that it was just ‘bad luck’ that they were caught out, yet only 24 per cent were aware that they should check for the padlock authentication symbol on the payment page. Just one fifth (22 per cent) knew to ensure that the web address started with ‘https’.

With the average scam costing Edinburgh shoppers £394, over £60 more (£331) than their Glaswegian neighbours, Scots need to ensure they are aware of the warning signs if they don’t want to be out of pocket this Christmas.

Top tips to stay safe online this Christmas

As record numbers of gift buyers get set to purchase online, the #BarclaysDigiSafe team has provided the following tips to avoid being fleeced by festive fraudsters:

1. Look out for the padlock symbol and ‘https’ in the address bar on retailers’ websites
2. Watch out for deals that look too good to be true
3. Never use public Wi-Fi to purchase Christmas shopping online
4. Never give out your PIN or online banking password – legitimate websites won’t ask for it.
5. Keep an eye on your bank balance so that you can spot and report fraudulent transactions quickly

Fear of fraud hits online businesses hardest

Shoppers aren’t the only ones being stung by festive fraudsters. With one in 20 (5 per cent) UK shoppers who have fallen victim to a scam stopping shopping online altogether, online retailers could be losing out on up to £72m⁴ worth of lost revenue.

Samantha White, who leads Barclays’ work to keep customers safe from fraudsters, said:

“While families across the UK are preparing to enjoy the festive season, criminals are getting ready to pounce on anyone who lets their guard down. Buying your gifts online may be more convenient, but with Christmas 2017 set to be the most fraudulent on record, online shoppers must be more vigilant than ever. Beat the fraudsters by looking out for the typical warning signs such as the padlock symbol on retailers’ websites.”

 

¹ The research was carried out online by Opinium across a total of 2,006 nationally representative adults in September 2017. An additional survey was carried out across a total of 1,700 people who have been scammed, to supplement the national research.

² This Barclays research showed that the average scam over the Christmas period costs victims an average £893. This number has been multiplied by the estimated amount of Brits who have already been targeted at Christmas (1.5 million).

³ This Barclays research highlights that people plan to spend £422 on presents, food, drink and entertainment this Christmas

⁴ This Barclays research has been combined with retail sales trend data to derive an overall estimate of online sales that do not occur because of the fear of being defrauded.

Fancy a festive day out? Jump onboard Virgin Trains’ Christmas Charter Train for a magical journey to York filled with festive fun, food** and even a gift from Santa himself!

On 2 December 2017, we’ll whizz you to York for a day of festive fun, seasonal shopping, and maybe a mince pie (or two).

All funds raised will be donated to our mental health charity partner, CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) who are dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.

Small print: *£250 First Class return family ticket (2 adults and 2 children). £125 Standard return family ticket (2 adults and 2 children). Under 5’s go free. 124 seats available in First Class, and 350 seats available in Standard. **Festive food and drink is included in First Class and available for Standard ticket holders to purchase from our Foodbar and at-seat trolley service. †On Saturday 2 December 2017 the train will depart Edinburgh at 07.18, Berwick at 08.01, arriving into York at 09.48. Return journey departs York at 18.45. All proceeds from ticket sales go to CALM. Railcards, employee travel boxes, privilege cards and travel passes will not be accepted as this is a charter train for charity. Tickets are non-refundable.

See full details including times and prices here.

Celebrate Christmas on Friday 15th or Saturday 16th December 2017.

Invite your colleagues or clients to celebrate in style this festive season in the Gleneagles Ballroom where you will enjoy delicious dining, fabulous entertainment from the Soul Brothers and a luxurious overnight stay.

The Soul Brothers:
The ultimate party band
Frontman, Heshima Thompson, sang backing vocals for Amy Winehouse, and the trio offer a fresh Motown phenomenon for the 21st Century, with chart-topping hits such as Get On Up and Superstition, through to modern hits like Uptown Funk.

What’s Included:
Champagne & canapés
Delicious three-course dinner menu
Fantastic entertainment from The Soul Brothers
A luxurious overnight stay including the legendary Gleneagles breakfast
Full use of The Health Club facilities

From £250 per person, based on two people sharing a classic room

Contact Ashley Thomson, your Sales Manager, to book your perfect festive celebration: 07803 857193 or e-mail: ashley.thomson@gleneagles.com

Sunday 7 December and Edinburgh Rugby’s European journey continues with Round 3 of the Challenge Cup v London Welsh ko 2pm.  The visitors have recruited heavily over the summer and snapped up no fewer than 24 new faces including marquee arrival and 2011 world cup winner Piri Weepu of New Zealand!  It’s shaping up to be a great game.

In addition to an exciting game of rugby, it is officially Edinburgh Rugby’s Christmas Jumper day!  We are inviting you to dig out your festive woolly or get knitting or crafting quicky as there is a major prize at stake, yip you could be the lucky winner of THE Edinburgh Rugby Christmas stocking (with a few surprises hidden inside)!

Flinty and company will be scouting the ground and will select the best knits for Boogie to judge at half time (aided by some crowd participation we’re sure!)

Buy tickets and more information at: http://admin.edinburghrugby.org/match-report/edinburgh-rugby-vs-london-welsh-sun-07122014-1400

21^ST NOVEMBER 2014 TO 04^TH JANUARY 2015

Underbelly and Unique Events, on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council, today announce the programme of Edinburgh’s Christmas 2014/2015.

Edinburgh’s Christmas promises to be bigger, better and more affordable than ever – especially for families and Edinburgh residents.

Highlights include:

• EH postcode holders receive a 20% discount on all shows, rides and events.

• Special family prices are available for most attractions. Edinburgh residents are able to take advantage of these prices and also use their 20% discount – so getting the best value for money.

• New attractions in East Princes Street Gardens for between £1 and £4.

The desire to offer value has been achieved without any compromise on quality – with the Starflyer, Big Wheel and Paradiso Spiegeltent all returning along with an expanded Santa Land and, the community opening event, Light Night on George Street.

Other highlights include:

• Light Night on George Street returning on 23^rd November with 60 school and community groups confirmed to perform on a series of stages up and down George Street to the theme of ‘Christmas Songs and Carols’. Last year, over 26,000 people took to the streets to enjoy this community event

• A truly unique ice rink in St Andrew Square around the Melville Monument

• The Paradiso Speigletent returns with a programme of world class entertainment including Scotch and Soda, the internationally acclaimed circus show direct from sell out runs at the Sydney and Brisbane Festivals, Stickman, comedy superstar Al Murray for 3 nights only and Edinburgh’s favourite all male burlesque troupe, Briefs

• Santa Land in East Princes Street Gardens with the very successful Christmas Tree Maze, Santa Train and Santa’s Grotto, all seen in 2013, joined by a series of affordable family attractions priced between £1 and £4

• Other attractions in East Princes Street Gardens include the Big Wheel, the Star Flyer, the Ice Rink on the East Princes Street Gardens terrace and the double decker Carousel

In 2013 we promised to deliver a re-imagined Christmas for Edinburgh, a festival to rival the celebrations of other world cities and an event of which the capital city of Scotland would be proud of. This we achieved, with international broadcaster CNN voting Edinburgh’s Christmas one of the top ten best cities for a winter vacation. Other highlights of the success of Edinburgh’s Christmas 2013 include:

• 387,000 tickets sold for Edinburgh’s Christmas
• A 7.6% increase in city centre footfall rates and a 16.8% increase in Princes Street footfall in December (massively outperforming a UK average of -2.9%)
• 73% of people from Edinburgh said that Edinburgh’s Christmas was the sole or an important reason to come to Edinburgh that day. And over half of the visitors (51%) from outside of Edinburgh said that Edinburgh’s Christmas was the sole or an important reason to come to Edinburgh’s City Centre that day.

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam of Underbelly said: ”We’re delighted to be presenting Edinburgh’s Christmas for the second year. Last year we re-imagined the event and brought record breaking numbers of people to Edinburgh. We’re very excited about this year’s innovations, including the new ice rink in St Andrew Square around the Melville Monument; the expanded Santa Land in Princes Street Gardens with more affordable attractions; and the new family prices and the 20% EH residents’ discount across the board. We want this to be a Christmas for all of Edinburgh and we think there’s something for everyone – from Scotch & Soda in the Spiegeltent to our Stained Glass project where 24 Edinburgh primary schools will show off their creations in Princes Street Gardens. Our ambition is to make Edinburgh the best place to spend Christmas, whether you’re a resident or a visitor. It maybe early to say this, but we are wishing Edinburgh a  “Happy Christmas”.

Edinburgh’s Festivals and Events Champion, Councillor Steve Cardownie, said: “Edinburgh is always a special city during winter and this year, the Capital is certainly the place to be to celebrate Christmas.

“Our festive programmes are the envy of the world. The line up this winter with Underbelly will be bring back some of the city’s classic attractions such as Santa Land – which will be bigger than ever before – and the spectacular Light Night on George Street which returns for its second year. Not only will the East Princes Street Gardens ice rink make a return, after receiving well over 30,000 visitors last Christmas, but a new bespoke ice rink in St Andrew Square will be opened for the very first time.

“I am especially pleased that after feedback from Edinburgh residents and a concerted decision to tailor the programme to suit even more local people, this year’s programme offers a big range of free events and a selection of great value attractions from as little as £1.

“Our Christmas events provide a great boost to the Edinburgh economy, and this year’s offering is set draw residents and visitors of all ages into the city centre.”

There are still various exciting ways to get involved with Edinburgh’s Christmas 2014! For more information please contact : Rebecca Maclean

sales@edinburghschristmas.com

0131 623 3031