Bagpipe ban for tat shops

[Cygnus]

Jock:
I was in a place you may know, Gellions on Bridge Street in Inverness a few months back and the Castle Tavern (lovely spot) as well. And got varied responses in discussion. Do Scots not see the economic benefit in promoting the kilt beyond Scots? It keeps mills going, workers employed, food and clothing bought and sold etc. Is it possible as a Scot not to look at the kilt sold and marketed in other places to other cultures and see that as a point of pride rather than regret and dilution of culture? I ask this open minded but interested in your thoughts.

The problem is that a lot of the stuff being pushed to unsuspecting (and suspecting) tourists isn't Scottish at all - they're cheap, foreign-made knock-offs of the real thing.

I don't think you'd have nearly as many people up in arms about it if more of the shops were supporting the local economy and selling the "real McCoys", as it were.

[Phil]

The problem is that a lot of the stuff being pushed to unsuspecting (and suspecting) tourists isn't Scottish at all - they're cheap, foreign-made knock-offs of the real thing.

I don't think you'd have nearly as many people up in arms about it if more of the shops were supporting the local economy and selling the "real McCoys", as it were.

I'm not sure that it is just "cheap, foreign-made knock-offs" is the whole answer, more the complete cheap, tawdry ambience of these outlets, pretending to sell Scottish heritage to tourists. If I were a native American or an Indian Sikh and saw important symbols of my heritage being counterfeited and displayed and sold in such a disrespectful manner I am not sure that I would be happy to see it.

[madmacs]

I'm not sure that it is just "cheap, foreign-made knock-offs" is the whole answer, more the complete cheap, tawdry ambience of these outlets, pretending to sell Scottish heritage to tourists. If I were a native American or an Indian Sikh and saw important symbols of my heritage being counterfeited and displayed and sold in such a disrespectful manner I am not sure that I would be happy to see it.

It's the tourist trade... And the tourist trade is about exploiting the tourist... Doesnt really mattet on the location... Edinburgh... London... Mexico...

If the question is will the tourist buy a $400 kilt and the answer is no, then theyre not harming the traditional kilt industry... Does that mean that I want tourists buying kilts for $30? Probably not, but in truth... How many tourists are going to take it home and wear it?

On the other hand, if it's being sold as a genuine high quality item worn by all scots on special occasions, then that would be a different matter and someone is charging $400 for it...

Get the stuff off the pavement and inside the shop... Keep the noise down, and half your problem is gone... Last thing we want ia Edinburgh to be known as the Blackpool of Scotland...

If a tourist wants a real kilt im sure they will know that the $30 kilt isnt a real kilt... And im sure that there's still a kilt shop or 2 on the royal mile Geoffrey (tailor) still there?

If the tourist just wants to brag they wore a kilt when they were in scotland, then maybe the $30 kilt is for them...