popular tourist areas in Edinburgh is the road leading from its castle to known as the Royal Mile.
Most of the buildings the neighbourhood are at least 200 years old and were dilapidated and mouldy until various bodies persuaded the Corporation to start renovation there a few years ago.
Large numbers of people lived in the worst of the houses at the lower end of the Royal Mile until the corporation rehoused (removed) them areas, now be redeveloped with prestige projects to small flats, costing on average f6,125 per dwelling. This is much more than is spent on the average council house, though little difference is apparent, except in the mediaeval character of the renovated houses.
It was decided by Edinburgh's tory council to charge economic rents' for these flats... economic to the corporation of course. Flat rentals are as high as £7-£9 a week, plus rates. Needless to say, many of the flats have stood empty for as long as four years, for few people, even from the bourgeoisie, can afford to pay these rents. Meanwhile, there are over 6000 people on the waiting list for council houses with subsidised rents, and the council is the morning of Monday March 17 (the police are still trying to find out how we got in. After an hour the first policeman arrived, contacted headquarters and soon there were four. They banged on the door, ignoring others giving out leaflets in the street, and announce that they were the police. The squatters inside agreed that they were, but didn't open the door. The morning then passed quietly with two plump constables marching up and down (to check that no breach of the peace occurred and We discovered that they were quite sympathetic. A lady from the corporation visited (she was a housing visitor!) and demanded to know what right we had to be there. We explained politely and she left. The reactions from local people were really encouraging. They had been upset about the corporation's housing twelve tofifteen sharing a toilet. One old dear explained that "The Duke of Edinburgh doesnae want nae common council hoose tenants aside his palace. Workers from a nearby building site visited and gave their approval but were moved on by the police, though the police had made no attempt to interfere with our movements.
is plenty empty property Edinburgh owned by the Corporation and othere On the SMASH the Trespass (Scotland) Act, 1865 and even said they would break down the door. Being reasonable people and unwilling to be martyrs at this stage and not having barricades) we decided to leave, clearing up all our placards and paper cups on the way.
It takes a lot to worry the middle classes, who are solidly entrenched in Edinburgh, but this time they didn't have the support workers in shouting insults at 'them students' The working people of Edinburgh may yet find their courage and stop the city fathers pushing them around Anyone keen to join the campaign should contact Tom Woolley at 031-667 7241, 14 West Preston Street Edinburgh 8
THE DISCA Iwan police headquarters and process the arrested persons. The police and the prosecutor objectel
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5-10 miles away in the suburbs. The historical cleared of disreputable elements, could
attract the tourists. For the last 10 years the Corporation has been building or renovating
We gave out 1300 leaflets to passers by, inviting them to join us in the campaign. In future, we ase hoping to install homeless fall bee
Indeed the establishment must be worried that we are going to attract a lot of local support