THE decision to send the Pope’s parade through one of Edinburgh’s seediest areas was yesterday attacked as “embarrassing” by a senior Scots politician. Nationalist MSP Sandra White said action should have been taken to prevent His Holiness – and a worldwide TV audience of tens of millions – from forming a negative impression of the nation’s capital.The Popemobile will travel along Lothian Road and Tollcross, directly past at least three lap dancing bars and one notorious sex sauna and massage parlour.
The area, which is also home to a number of pubs and nightclubs, was also once nicknamed Stab City because of the level of alcohol-fuelled violence.
Both City of Edinburgh Council and the Catholic Church in Scotland insisted they were happy with Thursday’s parade route, which has been approved by the Vatican.
But Ms White, who has campaigned for stricter licensing for adult entertainment venues, said the authorities could have done more to clean up the area in advance of Pope Benedict’s arrival.
She described the visit as “fantastic” but added: “We’ve known for a while now the Pope is coming and you would have thought they’d done something about this area. It has a nickname referring to the fact there are lap dance and strip clubs and saunas.
“By taking the Pope through this area they will bring him face to face with the seedy industry which is obvious for people to see.
“Imagine what the footage will look like to the millions watching – it is embarrassing.”
The Glasgow MSP said she was also concerned for safety on the congested city route and went on: “I would have thought an alternative, quieter way would have been more appropriate with more space for spectators to line up the streets safely.
“Now they are forced to stand right outside sex clubs. Now, I am certain the Pope has seen things much worse – such as poverty – but I am concerned about the message we are sending out.”
An estimated worldwide audience of one billion will see the Pope arrive at Edinburgh Airport on Thursday morning.
He will then be helicoptered in for an audience with the Queen at Holyrood Palace, before travelling across the city to meet Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the leader of Scotland’s Catholics, at his Morningside home.
Tens of thousands are expected to line the route, which also takes in Abbeyhill, Regent Road and Princes Street. The Vatican is understood to have requested a city centre parade, which ruled out the more scenic journey around the western edge of Salisbury Crags and across The Meadows public park.
Lothian Road currently boasts two lap dancing venues – the Bottoms Up Showbar and the Sapphire Rooms, which has images of topless girls on its windows.
Above them is the Ambassador Sauna, which has a large sign advertising “mixed sauna, private video and private jacuzzi”.
A few yards along the route, in Tollcross, is the Liquorice Club lap dancing bar, which is also plastered in raunchy images.
Paul Beswick, chairman of Tollcross Community Council, said many local people found the clubs’ advertising on Lothian Road a “bit too much”.
But he said the area was unlikely to shock the Pope and went on: “The community council has been grumbling a bit about the rather over obvious pictures.
“But this happens in every city in the UK and I am certain it’s not unheard of in Italy either.”
A spokesman for City of Edinburgh Council said the route had been planned together with the police, the security services and other bodies, with the wish from the Vatican that it should go through the city centre.
SIC: EC/UK