Edinburgh Fringe braces for rat plague and ‘ugly mess’ as binmen’s strike looms

Business owners fear an impending bin strike could turn Edinburgh into a rat-infested “ugly mess” and put off tourists during the Fringe Festival in August.

Unions representing garbage collection workers say a repeat of the city’s 2022 strike — which saw mountains of trash and an increase in rats scurrying through the streets — is likely next month.

Pest controllers said I They expect a return of the pest epidemic seen when garbage collectors went on strike over low wages during the festival two years ago.

The 12-day bin strike in August 2022 saw some Edinburgh residents storing rubbish in their toilets. Others reported seeing seagulls diving to feed on the rats crawling over the bins.

Nikk Stevens, manager of Cold Town House bar and restaurant in Edinburgh’s popular Grassmarket area, said the experience two years ago was “horrible”.

Fearing a possible repeat, the bar manager said I: “I’m worried there will be rats left, right and centre again. It’s going to be grim for the hospitality industry because who’s going to want to sit outside for a meal?”

Mr Stevens warned that some tourists who were put off making future trips to Scotland’s capital could be put off.

“It’s going to look and smell disgusting,” he said. “Some international tourists might think it’s what we normally do here. It’s not exactly showcasing the city at its best.”

“Some might see pictures of Edinburgh – and see the old town turned into what is effectively a huge warehouse – and decide they don’t want to come here.”

John McKee, owner of Hanover Healthfoods, near the busy Princes Street shopping area, said businesses could at least rely on private contractors to take their own waste away.

But he is still concerned that huge piles of uncollected trash scattered in public bins will drive away regular customers, even as large crowds of visitors continue to show up for the festival.

“It’s very disturbing to have such an ugly mess,” Mr McKee said. “I’m worried about the visual impact, the smell and the rats. It was all very scary last time.”

“A lot of businesses are still recovering from Covid,” he added. “So it’s not good for the city’s image when so many tourists are here. Some who are flexible may decide to go to London.”

Marina Crolla, co-owner of La Locanda restaurant near the Royal Mile, said she was anxious about the impact on trade. “It causes chaos – the vermin and the smell,” she said. I.

But the owner of the Italian restaurant shows solidarity by refusing the workers’ demands for better wages.

“It’s ridiculous in these times, in 2024, that people still have to strike for higher wages. If everything is going up in price, earnings should too. Simple.”

It won’t just be Edinburgh that will be affected if there is a strike.

Earlier this month, waste and recycling workers from the Unite union voted to strike in 16 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, while GMB members backed action in 13 areas.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), which negotiates on behalf of councils, has offered a 2.2% increase from April 2025, with a further 2% from October next year.

Union leaders, having rejected the offer, will meet with Cosla for last-minute negotiations this Friday, I he understands.

But with Cosla refusing to ask the Scottish Government for extra money to make a better offer, unions are threatening to strike to coincide with the festival to make maximum impact.

Brian Robertson, Unite’s Edinburgh secretary, said most waste and recycling carriers in the city earned between £22,000 and £23,000, while drivers earned between £27,000 and £28,000.

“The salary offer is simply not good enough,” he said. I. “These are public health professionals. They prevent disease and worms. So it’s time we recognize the valuable work they do.”

“It’s unfortunate that we are forced into this position,” he added of a potential strike ahead. “We don’t want all this disgusting waste in our cities.”

Keir Greenaway, senior public services organiser at GMB Scotland, said the binmen’s strike was “entirely avoidable”.

“But if there is no fair offer, the waste will pile up again,” he added. “If it becomes disruptive, the blame will be on local government leaders who are not doing enough to ensure fair pay is on the table.”

The 2022 strike, which only ended after a 10% pay rise was agreed, saw Edinburgh council ask residents to store their own waste indoors.

Some kept bags in the bathroom to make cleaning up spills easier, while others rented their own containers as a temporary solution.

Vikki Cavanagh, director of Tae a Moose Pest Control, said I that the increase in rats in central Edinburgh has spread to residential areas following the 2022 binmen’s strike.

“It was about four to six weeks later that we saw an increase in rats, right in Edinburgh, which continued for a few months,” she said. “They feed on the extra food and proliferate. So pest controllers would expect to be busy.”

A Cosla spokesman said the body had “made a strong offer on the accessibility limits for councils”, adding: “We urge our unions to reconsider their decision to reject the offer.”

Edinburgh City Council leader Cammy Day said she would “strongly urge” the Scottish Government and Cosla to work with unions to avoid a repeat of the huge disruption of 2022.

He added: “We will develop detailed contingency plans in advance of any potential strike to minimise disruption to council services should it occur.”

Garry Clarke, development manager at the Federation of Small Businesses, also called for the two sides to strike a deal. He said mountains of rubbish would be “bad for festivals, bad for the city’s international reputation… and bad for business”.