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Speaker 2:Porto Bello, Edinburgh's seaside. This is a thriving, growing community with people doing all sorts of interesting things in the arts, sport and heritage. They all have their stories to tell, which is why we have liberty podcasts.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:Christmas may still be over a month away, but preparations are well underway for the Portabello Christmas street fest on the 1st of December, last year's event, sadly was a complete wash out thanks to the weather, but the 2014 street fest, so thousands of people throwing the high street. There are two interlocking events, one for children, the other in which local traders opened their doors from five until eight for late night shopping. And there are lots of other activities as well to find out more in met the two organizers, June Robertson and Bob Jefferson. I started by asking Bob to tell me about this year's event.
Speaker 3:This year we're doing a Christmas streets festival as we're calling it. So I think this is the fourth year that we've done this. So it's an opportunity for the shops to stay open for people to do some late night Christmas shopping and also to enjoy some entertainment at the same time. You say this is the fourth year. Last year, unfortunately it didn't do too well, but the year before was absolutely wonderful. The year before was kind of too good in a way. It was a lot busier than we'd anticipated and that in itself actually caused some issues. But yeah, last year we had some terrible weather. There wasn't a lotwe could do about that and unfortunately last year June wasn't able to put on the fevers shows, so that diminished it a little as well. We'll come back to, to join in a moment, but have you learned from these two years and perhaps can apply that so that it's not causing the problems of two years ago? You still can't control the weather. I was still kind of control the weather unfortunately, but we hopefully we can control the crowds a little bit more and we've put some measures in place to to make the the vents a little bit safer. I mean really we're just victims of our own success. Two years ago was fantastic and thousands of people turned up and that in itself created some sub safety issues. And you mentioned June, June is June Robertson who owns the favors coffee and put it on the high street. Tell me about your event because you're actually planning quite a lot.
Speaker 4:Marvin is mostly a street party for the children. We've got lots of entertainment for them. Have got dancers who look at all difficult. Of course. Of course. Mr and Mrs clause that I even, and it wouldn't be Christmas with though if frozen, so Elson all of at all. So when they'd be there[inaudible] the my also belief without sending an invitation in my little pony so she might arrive, although she does have a problem with on their legs. So not to shoot at the moment.
Speaker 3:That sounds like an awful lot of organizing. When, when did you have to start this?
Speaker 4:I normally start a boot July. And you're thinking about Christmas in July? Uh, two thing. I think of it Christmas civilly. The actually, yeah, I just do in July. Buzz because we don't have any funds or any funding for the vein to put money in myself for costumes and different things. But because it's getting larger every year, I can't afford to fund it myself. So I started in July so that we can get things free. We're getting it all choice 50 this year from a company in Switzerland
Speaker 3:and the Curry Center and Mrs. Clause 11 Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah. Mister and missus closer gonna ride in style this year, which is need to make sure that all choice doesn't get hit by any snow, so I need to be organized because it's getting bigger every year. We need to make sure that everything's in place by about October.
Speaker 3:But certain things are not in place yet because you still are looking for a stage.
Speaker 4:Yeah, the council have handed stages, so every year to different communities. Unfortunately this year they're not handling any, oh gee cutbacks at didn't find the so until three weeks ago. So we don't have a seat at the moment. I'm looking at other sources to try and get funding for the stage, but I'm guaranteed or we'll have a stage on the night.
Speaker 3:So are you looking to local traders, legos. So supermarkets perhaps to to help give you a sponsorship or something?
Speaker 4:Yeah, Morton for sponsorship possibly from one of the larger stores because I have been witness Treyson four stages and it's totally with or budget, which is nothing anyway, so I'm going to be fooling around some of the larger supermarkets to try and get some money for a stage.
Speaker 3:But you strike me as being a very determined woman. So, um, when you say it's going to happen,
Speaker 4:we will have a stage regardless, severe last teach comes from, we will have a stage on the night. It just be such a shame because the dancers have been working tirelessly to know that act. And the same with the WHO like at all. If it don't have a stage and nobody's going to see them.
Speaker 3:No, you are expecting how many children to turn out?
Speaker 4:We've got 250 children come and that's minimum. I'm only gone by ticket sales. Normally with every child you have to parents. Sometimes the gap parents as well, and this is where the code seems to grow because they make a family event,
Speaker 3:but there are some who are getting what you're calling a golden ticket, which is free.
Speaker 4:We have 50 golden seconds, so actually hate 50 golden tickets and the short, the Katsak defining the golden tickets. No, they've got Golden Ceca ensures that wouldn't be the front of the stage. The also get a gift from Santa and the characters will mango with the kits, golden tickets. We're also sale 200 seconds, five pounds each. No, the only get a small gift. The rest of the proceeds go towards next year's event because as grown rapidly we need funding for it and necessarily[inaudible]
Speaker 3:now been in contact
Speaker 4:with the counties who you've been in contact with the police or there could be some sort of controls to make sure that people don't spill out onto the street because you are on portable of high street. Okay. The way this point so ranged for the parking to be suspended at the front as tone mall, which is heartening for muddy on the 1st of December. Difficult body or school now have got traffic cordons to make sure that there's no going to be anybody falling onto the road and it's to keep the kids safe on the night. People get people in clean to go bake say it. Especially when it starts snowing two years. If you've a snow machine, if there isn't any wet, it will be snowing. I can assure you there will be a lot says snow on on the night of guaranteed the kids look will be lots this morning. There will be especially obviously if elses wouldn't be there.
Speaker 3:Good. Thank you. Let me return no to Bob Jefferson. How many traders, local traders, have you got involved in your side of the, of the event? Gosh, I don't know. I haven't counted them. Certainly over 20. It's, I mean it's the independent traders that were taking part rather than the, that the larger chains. But we have a great selection of independent traders here and the evening is really a celebration of that at what Portabello has to offer somebody else recently on Facebook. Can I buy all my Christmas presents in Portabello? Well yes you can if you look around, you know the, there are lots of great options and lots of special offers on the night and uh, lots of great tombola prices. So portabello on, on Thursday. The 1st of December is definitely going to be the place to be. You mentioned Tombola there, you've been gathering up some prices. Can you give us a hint of what might be involved? Get just a couple of them? Well lots of shops that are offering vouchers, but there are meals for two and other meals for four and we're still finalizing the list and then we'll publish it. But it's, there are some amazing prizes and other HP we'll have a look at Facebook events page they'll see for themselves. And on top of that there is the general atmosphere which this all generates. Bringing Portabella together as a community. Yeah, it's a fantastic evening and you know, put a Bolo is a great community. We all know that. And the traders play an important part of that. It's a great evening for, for the traders disagree evening for the community as well. There's lots of entertainment, lots of stuff for the kids. It's just uh, a fantastic way to end the year. You say lots of stuff with the kids. Is that related to what, June she has been talking about June suddenly taking care of the children they get two years ago there was so excited. There was so much screaming and shouting. It was uh, it was quite incredible to witness. But we're hoping with the buskers will turn up and they can perform anywhere along the high street. Anyone who wants to take part is, is very welcome to, you know, I'm not organizing the whole thing. It's a community event and any member of the community is very welcome to join in, in any way they see fit. It strikes me between the two of you. There is an awful lot to do in a relatively short space of time and getting around all the participating stores, maybe actually quite a challenge, but also being able to watch Santa and Mrs Clause, I think even for the adults might be quite fun. So we look forward to it. Thank you both very much. Thank you. Thank you.