Bagpipe ban for tat shops

[Tobus]

It occurs to me to wonder if a "stamp of approval" for stores which meet certain criteria might help? In fact, these might come from the STA, the Register, and perhaps even the City of Edinburgh itself, or at least the equivalent of an Edinburgh "Chamber of Commerce" or such.

If these became recognized and were stringent, visible, and widely advertised by tourism groups and tourism advertisers, the Tat shops might strive energetically to adjust their wares in order to earn one or more such crests for their front windows lest serious customers go elsewhere.

Is there no equivalent to the BBB in Scotland or the UK?

Of course, all the stamps of approval in the world still won't keep a clueless tourist from blowing money on junk. Such marks of quality/ethics are only as good as the effort that customers put into researching them.

[Father Bill]

*snip* Of course, all the stamps of approval in the world still won't keep a clueless tourist from blowing money on junk. Such marks of quality/ethics are only as good as the effort that customers put into researching them.

But as I've said elsewhere, you can't legislate intelligence . . . Some people just want to have a fun holiday and blow some money on cheap souvenirs. Sorry folks, but that's what they get.

[Father Bill]

*re-snip* Is there no equivalent to the BBB in Scotland or the UK?

I'm sure there is, but what I'm suggesting is that they have in their hands the tools to deal with the concerns expressed here... If they want to.

[cessna152towser]

Billsides wrote:-

I am going no further north than the Highland Games at Perth this trip

Sorry you never got to meet any of us during your visit to Scotland, nor to see the superb Perth Highland Games which sadly had to be cancelled this year due to the South Inch at Perth being waterlogged. Next year perhaps?

[billsides]

I was in Edinburgh last week and can confirm noise from tat shops is minimal or non- existant, I heard minor noise from one in North Bridge Street and other near the lower bridge but the rest were silent. Comment, the place was dead despite Edinburgh festival activity, shops now had only really cheap junk on show and women's gear was being moved forward. Traditional quality kilt shops like Hector Russell now had 50 pound PV kilts on racks with their name attached and I guess they were fair value but their prices for decent stuff were ambiguous and examples were rare. Down the road at Geoffrey Tailor decent kilts are now hidden upstairs, prices are up a bit on two years ago, no bargains now but did order one off them at far greater price than a similar one cost me two years ago. I will report on its quality when it arrives. Nothing along the Royal Mile made you want to buy a kilt, salesmanship is gone but there seemed fewer non-scots flogging kilts. Just two years years back it was exciting to walk the mile, less so now. Even Kinlock Anderson despite super high prices did not try to sell, I was somewhat disappointed. My wife got a nice silk tartan dress there though. The noise absence has taken something from the Royal Mile, the tat, well it is all many can afford or are interested in and stores in silece are deader now, ther must be a better way. I think most in general are not doing well. Kilts were common enough being worn in the street but one tour guide has the most crumpled el-cheapo one on, he made me look the other way. No ambassador for his customers.

In Belfast, I spotted several kilt shops from a tourist bus but they appeared to be pushing Scottish tartan types not Irish ones but to date have only spotted one guy in a kilt, a el cheapo Scottish one. I am amused by the number of towns in Ireland with kilt in their name, ie I today drove through Kilttartan, I write this note in Clonokilty a town near near Cork. Ireland has long been the home of green tat but it has improved marginally I feel.

Bill

[Jimmy]

I was in Edinburgh last week and can confirm noise from tat shops is minimal or non- existant, I heard minor noise from one in North Bridge Street and other near the lower bridge but the rest were silent. Comment, the place was dead despite Edinburgh festival activity, shops now had only really cheap junk on show and women's gear was being moved forward. Traditional quality kilt shops like Hector Russell now had 50 pound PV kilts on racks with their name attached and I guess they were fair value but their prices for decent stuff were ambiguous and examples were rare. Down the road at Geoffrey Tailor decent kilts are now hidden upstairs, prices are up a bit on two years ago, no bargains now but did order one off them at far greater price than a similar one cost me two years ago. I will report on its quality when it arrives. Nothing along the Royal Mile made you want to buy a kilt, salesmanship is gone but there seemed fewer non-scots flogging kilts. Just two years years back it was exciting to walk the mile, less so now. Even Kinlock Anderson despite super high prices did not try to sell, I was somewhat disappointed. My wife got a nice silk tartan dress there though. The noise absence has taken something from the Royal Mile, the tat, well it is all many can afford or are interested in and stores in silece are deader now, ther must be a better way. I think most in general are not doing well. Kilts were common enough being worn in the street but one tour guide has the most crumpled el-cheapo one on, he made me look the other way. No ambassador for his customers.

In Belfast, I spotted several kilt shops from a tourist bus but they appeared to be pushing Scottish tartan types not Irish ones but to date have only spotted one guy in a kilt, a el cheapo Scottish one. I am amused by the number of towns in Ireland with kilt in their name, ie I today drove through Kilttartan, I write this note in Clonokilty a town near near Cork. Ireland has long been the home of green tat but it has improved marginally I feel.

Bill

you are correct about Ireland being the home of green tat and its been like that for decades. The Irish are so good at marketing what they have got, even a leprauchaun museum in Dublin, now are the little people true or not?
Scotland has been restricted over the years in marketing their assets. With all due respect to Ireland and I love Ireland but with regards to scenery it falls well behind Scotland yet I believe Ireland receives more foreign visitors every year than Scotland. The weather is not any better than in Scotland but the Irish are so good in selling their towns, cities in song and in verse

Clonakilty -Its translation to the Irish language spells out the Irish name for Clonakilty, namely Cloich na Coillte meaning the stone or castle of the woods.