Covid curbs cause a second Hogmanay to be curtailed

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Before Christmas, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged people to “stay at home as much as possible.” We booked and paid for the torchlight march to Calton Hill and are very disappointed Captain Kevin Pope from Zimbabwe New limits on large public gatherings forced the cancellation of New Year’s Eve street parties, for the second year, including the one planned for Edinburgh which attracts tens of thousands of people.Hogmanay street parties across Scotland were cancelled, with crowds at outdoor public events capped at 500 since Boxing Day, for at least three weeks, and numbers at indoor public events limited to 100 standing or 200 seated. Mrs Baxter-Vell, speaking outside a bar on the Royal Mile, said: “We have a lot of family history in Scotland and will spend our time tracking it down.” Captain Pope, formerly of the 1st Kings Own Scottish Borderers, said: “We booked and paid for the torchlight march to Calton Hill and are very disappointed. “It seemed an ideal time to come to the city.” Canadian music producer, Karl Ziegler, aged 22 and his partner Liv May, 23, from Manchester visited Edinburgh aiming to spend time with family. Mr Ziegler said: “Covid has disrupted our plans because a member of the family has tested positive, so as Liv has not been here before we’ll be having a touristy three days.” Ms Sturgeon said the restrictions were aimed at cutting down transmission of the Omicron coronavirus variant and because “large events put an additional burden on emergency services”.