Once upon a time there was a city renowned for its literary heritage
When I think of a place, I think first of its writers. What is Trieste but the city of Joyce and Svevo and Claudio Magris, nursing espressos in the cavernous Caffe degli Specchi while the icy bora whistles in from the Adriatic? In Prague, one senses the presence of Kafka, even now amidst the stuporous stag parties. "Prague," wrote Kafka at his most bilious, "doesn't let go. This old crone has claws." Like a lot of writers, his relationship with the city which nurtured him was ambivalent.
Edinburgh, too, has its fair share of writers who have written its epitaph. After weather like last week's, Robert Louis Stevenson's remark about it having "one of the vilest climates under heaven" seems particularly near the knuckle. Crossing the Meadows en route for the Grassmarket, I am following in the purposeful footsteps of Jean Brodie and her cultish crème de la crème chanting "Edinburgh, Leith, Portobello, Musselburgh and Dalkeith." In Milne's and The Abbotsford and other fuggy Rose Street howffs there is the shade of Norman MacCaig, fag in one hand, large malt in the other. By the time I found Edinburgh, its trams had gone but a line in a MacCaig poem about them lowering themselves down the elbow of the Mound "like bugs on a branch" means they will run forever in my mind.
Edinburgh's Claim To Being World City Of Literature
As those who are proposing that Unesco makes Edinburgh the first World City of Literature point out, no other city is quite so conspicuously literary. Where else is there a main railway station named after a novel? What other capital city boasts a memorial to a writer as vertiginous as the Scott Monument? None is the answer. In his heyday, Scott bestrode Europe like a Napoleon of letters. His novels, initially written anonymously in a house overlooking Charlotte Square, now the official residence of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, enjoyed both critical and commercial success. Everybody loved Scott, from illiterate shepherds to obese kings. Byron acknowledged his genius, as did Goethe, Wordsworth, Balzac and Jane Austen. Single-handedly, he made Scotland hip. No self-respecting 19th-century backpacker would be without their copy of Heart Of Midlothian or The Bride Of Lammermoor.
But that is history. The document which will be sent to Unesco in October making Edinburgh's case for World City of Literature status will accentuate the positives of the present. And in many respects, it is compelling. For the first time in many decades, the capital has a literary community the like of which it has not seen since Victorian times. Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith, and JK Rowling may be the most obvious names, but there are many others. Publishing, which for so long has been in the doldrums, is showing signs of revival, particularly at Canongate, which won the Booker Prize with Yann Martel's Life Of Pi, and Birlinn, whose faith in McCall Smith has been amply rewarded. Recently, Penguin and Hodder Headline opened offices in Edinburgh. This year the Edinburgh International Book Festival is celebrating its 21st anniversary with over 500 authors in 650 events shoe-horned into two frantic weeks. So successful has it become that there is now a fringe book festival, expressly featuring writers not on the main program. Its inspiration, Tessa Ransford, who also founded the Scottish Poetry Library, was amazed by the deluge of requests to appear. Halfway up the Royal Mile, at Sandeman House, is the Scottish Book Trust, next door to the Netherbow which will soon metamorphose into the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Challenges Faced by Edinburgh
On the surface, it is all very encouraging. But it would be wrong to assume that everything is hunky-dory. Indeed one of the key motives behind the Edinburgh bid to become a World City of Literature was the widely perceived mistreatment of literature by the Scottish Executive which in 2000 omitted any mention of books and literature from its cultural review Creating Our Future – Minding Our Past. Moreover, literature is by far the poorest funded of all the art forms by the Scottish Arts Council. Out of a total budget of £60 million, it receives just £2m, of which, for example, a "client" such as the Edinburgh International Book Festival gets £132,000.
This does not suggest, even in an organization charged with nurturing it like the Scottish Arts Council, one of the many sponsors of the Edinburgh bid, that literature is high on the agenda of national cultural priorities, let alone an indication that it is cherished as one of our stellar achievements. The scale of the difficulty in redressing the balance may be gauged by the fact that James Boyle, formerly chairman of the SAC, is fronting the Edinburgh bid with Jenny Brown, formerly literature director of the SAC, its project manager.
Are Edinburgh Hotels Ready for the Literary Tourism Boom?
With the prospect of Edinburgh becoming the first World City of Literature, it is worth considering whether the city's hotels are ready to cater to the literary tourism boom that may follow. As tourists flock to Edinburgh to immerse themselves in its rich literary history and culture, it is vital that the city's accommodation options are equipped to meet their needs.
Fortunately, Edinburgh already boasts a wide range of hotels that are well-suited for literary enthusiasts. From luxury establishments in the heart of the city to budget-friendly options for backpackers, there is something for every type of traveler.
Many hotels in Edinburgh offer special literary-themed packages and amenities. Guests can enjoy rooms adorned with quotes from famous Scottish writers or themed bookshelves filled with literary classics. Some hotels even organize literary tours or events in collaboration with local authors and bookshops.
However, with the anticipated increase in literary tourism, it is crucial that the city's hotels continue to invest in their literary offerings. This includes expanding their libraries and book collections, hosting more literary events and workshops, and partnering with local authors and publishers to provide exclusive experiences for guests.
Moreover, hotels should also consider collaborating with the Edinburgh International Book Festival and other literary organizations to offer special deals and packages during the festival period. This will not only attract more literary tourists but also contribute to the overall success of Edinburgh's bid to become a World City of Literature.
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