THE visit of the Pope to Edinburgh will cost the city up to £400,000, it emerged today. Benedict XVI will fly into the Capital on September 16 and lead a parade along Princes Street and up Lothian Road to Morningside.
City council chief executive Tom Aitchison has confirmed that the cost of preparations for the visit across all the council departments will be "several hundred thousand pounds" and up to £400,000.
The costs range from massive traffic diversions and stewarding to papal banners, floral decorations and signs.
Urgent talks are now taking place with the Holyrood and Westminster governments to try to ensure that the council is not left to foot the bill.
There are fears that the council will never recoup the costs, in the same way as it was left to foot a massive bill for the opening of the Scottish Parliament.
In 2004, the council had a bid to reclaim £123,000 of costs relating to the opening of the Scottish Parliament by the Queen rejected by the then Scottish Executive.
Councillor Andrew Burns, leader of the Labour group on the city council, said: "I welcome the visit and it will bring people to the city but that does not mean that this money will come to the council.
"It is the council taxpayer that will need to pay for any road measures and it is important that the council makes as good an argument as it can to get the money back."
The Pope's arrival in Edinburgh will kick-start a four-day visit to the UK.
He will be whisked from the airport to the Palace of Holyroodhouse to meet the Queen.
Later, he will be driven through the city centre to a lunch at Cardinal Keith O'Brien's official residence in Morningside before heading to Glasgow.
BBC One is to provide live coverage from Edinburgh on the morning of the visit and the global TV audience is expected to run into the millions.
Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat said: "It is a state visit and it will be an important day that will be featured around the world.
"But I wouldn't want to pay more than we have to. We should shoulder what costs we have to meet graciously but ensure that the government doesn't lump them on us."
Council leader Jenny Dawe said: "This is a superb opportunity for Edinburgh to be seen on the world stage.
"There is a significant amount of work to be done for the Pope's visit and it will, of course, be essential to ensure that any costs borne by the city are recovered from our partners or kept to minimum levels."
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