Edinburgh's most historic street has developed into a "lawless" no-go area, where petty thieves operate and drug addicts defecate in public, a local business group has claimed.
The Royal Mile has a prestigious history and whilst it still attracts thousands of people to walk the famous stretch of road every day, there is untold misery and crime displayed on a daily basis.
The Times report that the group who have spoken out about the area being "overrun by unacceptable levels of crime" say that they are regular victims of such violence, vandalism and antisocial behaviour.
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Some of their members see drug-dealing and alcohol abuse every day.
The businesses in question include Ibis Hotels, Subway and Greggs, as well as local companies and charity stores, accuse the city council and Police Scotland of conniving in "a breakdown in the social fabric of the wider Tron and High Street area."
Galab Singh, of the Tron Area Business Group, is expected to meet councillors and police to discuss the problems, which he warned "will lead to this area becoming a place to avoid, a no-go area, accompanied by loss of businesses, residents and visitors."
The Tron is at the heart of the City's Old Town, loved by residents and visitors for its imposing buildings, cobbled streets and narrow closes.
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It is also enjoyed by millions of visitors each summer during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The reality for businesses in the area is "unbelievable levels of theft and attempted theft", according to Singh.
"People are defecating on the pavement. Drug-taking and drug-dealing is publicly visible in the Closes, the High Street, Blair Street and Hunter Square," he said.
"Thieves and drug addicts casually walk into Greggs nearly every day and help themselves to sandwiches and drinks and walk out without paying while joking at the staff. Security officers are abused, attacked and spat on and threatened with extreme physical violence.
"Such activities have become normalised in this area. We think this normalisation is totally unacceptable, not just for this city but for any city."
He added: "It is surely this council’s responsibility to ensure that the city is a safe place for all its residents, workers, visitors and businesses. The council and Police Scotland are failing to meet their responsibilities to the people."
Another group member said that some petty thieves were known to local business and police officers but kept returning to commit offences without any apparent fear of punishment.
"Many of them have exclusion orders, but they will just walk into a shop and steal things. This is lawlessness," said the businessman.
"The staff know who they are, the police know who they are, but every day there are thefts. If they go to court, they are back the next day. It makes this not a nice place to be."
Singh will lead a deputation to the city council’s policy and sustainability committee today, February 22.
Afterwards, council officials, the city commander for Police Scotland and others will be invited to a meeting with local business leaders, which is being organised with the support of the councillors Lezley Cameron and Joanna Mowat.
Singh said: "We’re tired, frustrated and sick to our back teeth of the lack of care, interest, consideration, support and action that we expected from the city council, its leadership, executive officers and other officers as well as the police.
"We’ve had enough. We have had to act."
City of Edinburgh council said: "We’re always working with Police Scotland and other partners to address issues of anti-social behaviour in Edinburgh.
"We take incidents around Hunters Square, the Tron and Royal Mile very seriously as the area is a prime public space in the centre of our beautiful city. We want to make sure it is accessible and inviting to all. We will continue our work with Police Scotland to ensure that Edinburgh remains a safe place for its businesses, workers, residents and visitors."
Police Scotland did not comment.
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