Bagpipe ban for tat shops

[Morris at Heathfield]

Without going on at great length, Scotland and its people have contributed immensely to the modern world. From the enlightenment, the ideas of Adam Smith and the innovations of the likes of Lister and Fleming with antisepsis and penicillin, not to mention the first kidney transplants paving the way for modern organ transplantation. I won't even begin to list the inventions from telephones and television to bicycles and tarmacadam roads made by Scots.

Don't forget James Clerk Maxwell, without whose ideas the modern world would be unimaginable.

[Phil]

Don't forget James Clerk Maxwell, without whose ideas the modern world would be unimaginable.

I know, and there is a recently erected statue of him at the St Andrew Square end of George Street. And he is not wearing a kilt, playing bagpipes or with a Scottie dog - only joking. But seriously, there is so much more to Scotland than these tired stereotypes.

[Jock Scot]

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.

I really don't know the answers to your questions, but I suspect that many Scots care very little about the health of the tartan trade, until put on the spot. Then they might concede that it would be make good commercial sense to encourage the home tartan trade in all its forms. However, I am afraid to say, and again I am guessing, that most would prefer the Clan tartan to stay within Scotland. Some might suggest that the Scots mills should design special tartans for other countries and of course they would be suprised to discover that that is already happening!

This is the conundrum that many outwith Scotland find so confusing ,yet to me with my guesses, I find it all so consistently and bafflingly inconsistent and oh so Scots!

[muirkirkca]

Edinburgh is going in the right direction. Pushing great volumes of merchandice on to the sidewalk is getting free space from the city without paying rent. Likewise with the hawking of goods with loud blaring music. What they do inside their premises is their business but shouldn't be imposed on the passing public.

[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.

[WillieMacG]

Where I really get brassed off is when a non Scot says "to hell with that, I will wear the kilt when,where and how I like"

Scots.

[Jock Scot]

Scots.

As Scots they are quite entitled to say how, where and when they should wear THEIR National dress! The Tartan Army are in fact quite vociferous about it!

However, I personally, would rather wish that they did not wear it that way!

[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...

[English Bloke]

I really believe that to overcome this menace to Scottish culture (maybe a bit melodramatic on my part that) the Scots MUST encourage the sales of Kilts and genuine Scottish accoutrements (quality sporrans, jackets etc.) abroad. There is a huge potential market overseas... (err, possibly not in England although that's not for the want of trying) whereas the market is visibly withering in Scotland.

One Scottish kilt bought in a generation (as is the tradition maybe?) won't keep the Mill workers and the Kiltmakers employed for very long... and when it's gone, it's gone. That would be a terrible shame and I honestly believe that trading with the Diaspora and anyone else who wishes to wear the Kilt, wherever they may be will be the only thing that saves these fine Scottish articles.

It would be an irony if in a few years, after complaining about the Non Scots so vociferously, The Scots had to go to the Kiltmakers of North America in order to buy an 8 yard, custom made, wool kilt or a quality hand made sporran because the home grown product had dried up. I'd hate to think that there may come a time when all that is left for sale in Scotland IS from Lidl and the shops on the Royal Mile. And I'll bet these "cheap knock-offs" won't be had for around forty quid a throw then either.

Incidentally, of the three Kilts in the centre of the picture above, two are sold by outlets like the high street vendors in question as well as ebay and the like. One is "Freedom" tartan (left of picture) and the other is "Heritage of Scotland" tartan (right) both come in a PV fabric and are worn for pubbing it generally. Nothing wrong with that, just pointing out that it isn't just the duped tourists who are buying them. Assuming of course that the Scots in this photo ARE Scots.
(I have no reason to doubt you Willie, I just don't know your source).

By the way, not having a go at anybody, don't want a fight, just expressing a few thoughts I had while reading the thread. If I'm out of order, please tell me and I shall move on.

And by the way again... What exactly is wrong with Blackpool? It's the best holiday destination in all of Lancashire I'll have you know! Lots of Scots people go there. (hehehehe)

[Bidule]

Wherever you go, you always find the moneychangers in the Temple... Here also, in Belgium, I am always sorry when I see Japanese tourists who buy enthusiastically of the said lace " from Brussels " but in fact fabricated in China... Even though I am in no way Scotsman by my blood, I am proud to be linked with respect to a long tradition. That's why I am irritated by the dealers which sells cheaply the picture of Scotland. That you are Scottish, English, American, Canadian or even Belgian, be proud of your love of the kilt and all that it represents!