Self-employed tour guides working in Edinburgh have criticised an "unfair" hike in charges to take groups into cemeteries.
The council has been urged to have a re-think over the scheme designed to raise money for the maintenance of graveyards which attract the most tourists - and consider replacing the soon-to-increase annual charge with a 'per visitor' fee.
This would make the cost of cemetery upkeep for operators proportionate to the level of footfall they bring in, independent guides have argued, as they blamed "mass tourism companies" for the council's £86,000 bill to maintain footpaths in Canongate, Greyfriars and St Cuthbert’s cemeteries last year.
